Various Artists
Des Jeunes Gens Modernes
Post Punk, Cold Wave
Et Culture Novo En France
1978-1983
Naive Records
40 song 2 CD Set
This compilation from Naive captures the French New Wave scene, during the post-punk era from 1978-83. The beauty of this collection is that it offers an exciting glimpse into a scene that US listeners are most likely not familiar with, an entire world of pop music that escaped our attention while we were thoroughly enthralled with the British Invasion side of New Wave.
The artists showcased here display a varied and eclectic mix of styles and sounds, from stilted and herky-jerky electronica, to catchy pop candy, and to disjointed punk dissonance. For example, Artefact's Sex Computer has a decidedly funk-inspired groove, while the Marquis de Sade's Cancer & Drugs is a classic, angst-ridden proto-punk track, in fact so timelessly edgy that it could have easily been released recently by the likes of Franz Ferdinand or any other number of retro-minded groups out today.
Overall, it's a fantastic compilation, providing a quick primer into the world of French New Wave, highly recommended.
MISH MASH Mandate: Vive la France!
Des Jeunes Gens Modernes page @ Naive
