Populuxe - Lumiere
Modern art-pop outfit Populuxe recently dropped their fourth album, called Lumiere. The title is an erudite reference to the early color process for photographs invented by two brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumiere. Lumiere is translated “light,” or “lamp.”
Populuxe
Populuxe’s music has been equated to “the Gershwin brothers writing for the New York Dolls; Count Basie reincarnated as Paul Westerberg; Big Star playing Steely Dan — direct, true, emotional and spare.”
Made up of Rob Shapiro (vocals), Mark Pardy (drums, percussion), and Mike Mallory (bass), the band’s name blends the terms “popular” and “luxury,” and signifies a cultural aesthetic from the ‘50s and ‘60s involving avant-garde design considerations, both ultra-modern and futuristic.
Front man Shapiro says, “We were a bunch inquisitive kids who were steeped in the wide-ranging radio of the 1970’s, fed a steady diet of crass commercialism and experienced a slew of emotionally confusing events.”
“Beat It, Eric” features a combination of prog-rock and industrial rock, along with a great chorus: “Beat it, Eric / I’m not kidding now.”
Their probing curiosity resulted in a unique sound, one amalgamating a variety of influences, including Pink Floyd prog-rock, garage pop, The Beach Boys, ELO, and even Boz Skaggs.
Lumiere contains eight tracks, starting off with “Lady Liberty,” riding dark colors and an edgy sonic feel reminiscent of David Bowie, trippy yet captivating. Pardy’s drums, tight and sharp, give the tune an innovative rhythm, as the guitars yowl darkly overhead.
Other points of entry include “Garage Sale,” a British Invasion-flavored tune with jangly guitars and shimmering melodicism. The off-the-wall cadence infuses the rhythm with an eccentric pulse that’s compelling and just unusual enough to make the track uniquely contagious. “Schoolyard” travels on prog-rock textures, dreamy and drifting with cool, creamy colors.
“Behind Enemy Lines” opens on surf rock flavored guitars flowing into an alt-rock number full of dark resolves and wicked James Bond-like energy from the Sean Connery era. “Beat It, Eric” features a combination of prog-rock and industrial rock, along with a great chorus: “Beat it, Eric / I’m not kidding now.”
With Lumiere, Populuxe avoids sonic overcompensation, keeping the harmonic flows resonant but not random or contradictory. Full of strong melodies and stellar drumming, this is an excellent album, one you should listen to.
