Two and a half years ago we were introduced to French garage rock outfit Monsieur Paul & Les Solutions, and their phenomenal debut single Plagier Dutronc ended up in the top half of my year-end list of favorite singles & EPs. Last year the tune was released on a vinyl 7″, as part of the must-have Dans Mon Monde EP, and anyone who still doesn’t have it now gets a new chance, because the hit can also be found on Surrealiste & Fantasmagorique, the band’s first full-length album. However, there are many more reasons to add this record to your wantlist, because all thirteen psychedelic garage beat tracks here offer an exciting combination of irresistible melodies and catchy choruses, full of hooks, fuzz, reverb and yé-yé, rooted in the 60s. Among the standout tracks we have to mention the original Hey Léonard, Christmas surf tune Surfin’ Santa, and great covers of Antoine’s Un Éléphant Me Regarde and Richard Berry’s Louie Louie. Although there are already over 5,000 covers of the latter, this feminized French version as Louise is easily one of the best.
Surrealiste & Fantasmagorique is out now on vinyl LP through Soundflat Records.
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