Clermont Ferrand (France) three piece The Wendy Darlings have been a band for over 15 years. Their third LP is called Lipstick Fire and it’s out now through Lunadélia Records and Influenza Records.
The Wendy Darlings are not just ticking some boxes, they’re checking off most of what I look for in music. On Lipstick Fire they sound like either a garage band creating ’60s girl group songs, a twee pop band playing punk music, or a bubblegum band going riot grrrl. But really, it’s all of the above. This is DIY indie pop bliss in a concise, scrappy and ramshackle package created by a band that knows that this kind of music works best when played with genuine enjoyment and with all imperfections retained. Essentially, Lipstick Fire sounds like an invitation by Suzy (vocals/guitars), Baptiste (drums) and Sylvain (bass) to start your own garage pop band.
Of the 13 songs, just one is sung in French, but it sure is one of the highlights on the record. It is Ridicule, a song that already made quite the impression on that spectacular 227 compilation that came out last month. There is also a song titled Auf Wiedersehen, but that one is sung in English. But honestly, who cares? Lipstick Fire has a universal charm that transcends linguistic boundaries. It is out now on CD and vinyl.
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