Name: One Time Bells
Brand: French Kicks
SKU: 751445
Price: 11.41 USD
Availability: InStock

One Time Bells

Rating

Album: One Time Bells
#	Song Title		Time
1)	When You Heard You	More Info...
2)	Wrong Side	More Info...
3)	Crying Just For Show	More Info...
4)	Down Now	More Info...
5)	Close To Modern	More Info...
6)	Right In Time	More Info...
7)	Trying Whining	More Info...
8)	One Time Bells	More Info...
9)	Where We Went Off	More Info...
10)	Sunday Night Is Fair	More Info...
11)	Piano	More Info...
12)	Close To Modern Video	More Info...
13)	When You Heard You Video	More Info...

Album: One Time Bells
#	Song Title		Time
1)	When You Heard You	More Info...
2)	Wrong Side	More Info...
3)	Crying Just For Show	More Info...
4)	Down Now	More Info...
5)	Close To Modern	More Info...
6)	Right In Time	More Info...
7)	Trying Whining	More Info...
8)	One Time Bells	More Info...
9)	Where We Went Off	More Info...
10)	Sunday Night Is Fair	More Info...
11)	Piano	More Info...
12)	Close To Modern Video	More Info...
13)	When You Heard You Video	More Info...

Performer Notes

French Kicks include: Matt Stinchcomb, Lawrence Stumpf, Nick Stumpf, Josh Wise.
Recorded at The Stonehouse, Nyack, New York between November and December 2001.
On their debut full-length One Time Bells, the French Kicks polish and expand on the endearingly messy post-punk of their previous work, opting for sculpted hooks and eclectic arrangements instead of garage rock bluster. Like their labelmates the Walkmen, the Kicks take an arty, stylized approach, making their pared-down rock anything but basic; off-kilter keyboard lines and backing vocals keep the tight, insistent riffs on songs like "Wrong Side" and "When You Heard You" from becoming too claustrophobic. A previously unheard sensitive side to the group's sound also surfaces on One Time Bells, particularly on the bittersweet, bouncy "Down Now"; the Anglo pop-tinged "Crying Just for Show"; and the wonderful "Close to Modern," a shimmering, jittery fusion of new wave and '60s soul that also recalls some of Modest Mouse's and the Dismemberment Plan's best moments. In fact, with the exception of the raucous "1985" and the jagged groove of the title track, the group breaks almost entirely from the punky, garagey sound of their self-titled and Young Lawyer EPs. While the appealing rawness of their early material is occasionally missed here, the strides forward that the group makes on this album more than make up for it. Simple and catchy enough to be interesting on the first listen and quirky enough to remain interesting afterward, One Time Bells proves that the French Kicks are only getting better. ~ Heather Phares

Professional Reviews

Alternative Press (7/02, p.81) - 8 out of 10 - "...BELLS isn't all post-punk preening. French Kicks also add some mod-soul shuffling, atmospheric brooding and fading harmonic delicacy that display the group's mastery of subtle hooks....those who give them time will be greatly rewarded."

Magnet (6-7/02, p.86) - "...A rewarding, cohesive and climactic experience..."