steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

La Man avec les Lunettes

"Plaskaplaska- bombelibom" CD

My Honey / Zahr / Cake&Coffee

Genre: indie pop, twee

Brescia, Italy

Jan. 12, 2009

Italy's beloved La Man Avec Les Lunettes has already amassed quite the back catalogue since its inception in 2004 - this is their seventh release by my count - although apparently Plaskaplaskabombelibom has been two years in the making. The result of their efforts is a charming twee pop record infused with electronic synths. The disc's cheery duration gives off an unmistakable impression that the members of this sixpiece are all very nice people.

What LMALL's music lacks in compositional complexity it makes up for in astute melody. This disc features nine elegant pop tunes - among them warm "Se På Stjärnorna" and Belle and Sebastian-esque "A Summer song." Meanwhile, "I Can't Get Anything" is like a cross between Bjork and the Amelie soundtrack, while opening number "The Happy Birth of You and Me" is an infectious sing-a-long. It's always nice to hear some good, homemade indie pop music, and these folks deliver. I'm not as crazy about the second half of the disc, which I find trails a little bit – but as far as twee music goes, the majority of this record is well-written and well-executed. Pop enthusiasts rejoice - this will plant a smile on your face!

lmall's myspace

76%

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 9 tracks, distributed by the label, released Oct. 1, 2008]