Nouvelle Vague "Bande A Part" 2006***

Rarely is one band's name so indicative of their intentions. "Nouvelle Vague" is of course French for "New Wave" but the very act of its translation makes it sound different, somehow lighter and more cultivated. Likewise what NV did was take familiar New Wave/Post Punk hits (and some cult favorites) and transform them by using a different musical language. The singers here seem to derive inspiration from the French 60's ye-ye and pop girl singers like Francoise Hardy.  Gentle electronica, light 60's pop and bossa nova replace the angular guitars and brooding dispositions of some post-punk originals. And at the same time that punk-rock becomes more palatable with the addition of gentle electronic beats, the synth-heavy new wave hits (e.g. Yazoo's "Don't Go", Heaven 17's "Let Me Go") are given a more organic, bluesy treatment, resulting in a homogenized mix where Yazoo can sit comfortably next to The Cramps. As this is NV's second CD milking the same idea, some songs seem to have been chosen not because the band was inspired by them but based on a "who haven't we done yet?" mentality. Including a New Order or Blondie song in such a project becomes obligatory in this respect and NV go for the obvious choices "Blue Monday" and "Heart of Glass". The former works well in latin dance mode, while the latter is taken back to its rocksteady roots. Neither is transformed as in previous examples - I'm thinking especially of previous album's "Guns of Brixton" which was my introduction to the band. It was placed in a Clash tribute CD given out with Uncut magazine and immediately caught my attention. "Killing Moon" opens the album with a carnival intro that remind me of Nick Cave's "The Carny" and continues with a sultry sweet Lolita singing "So soon you'll take me/Up in your arms/Too late to beg you/Or cancel it...". With the addition of some eerie background noises, we've got a winner very early in the race. "Ever Fallen in Love" is a close second, an immortal pop song given a bouncy bossa treatment. The Fine Young Cannibals were the first to liberate it from its punk wrapping, so this new version isn't as groundbreaking as it'd otherwise be. Stiv Bators' Lords of the New Church are often unfairly forgotten when it comes to discussing 80's post punk, so it's cool that NV chose to include one of their songs here. Billy Idol's "Dancing with Myself" is the exact opposite, a loud catchy number that never completely left the airways. The NV version is likewise the album's most unsubtle and populist moment. The Wake's "O Pamela" was completely unknown to me, so I should thank Nouvelle Vague for turning me on to that post-punk gem. The Cramps' "Human Fly" is an absolute favorite of mine and it's sung here in a drunk stripper voice. Unpolished and rude, it goes well with lyrics like "I'm an unzipped fly". I like what they've done with the song. "Bela Lugosi's Dead" begins with spooky sound effects as the Bride of Dracula spouts lines like "The bats have left the bell tower/The victims have been bled". Though only half as scary as the original, it's still disquieting listening. The only NV track guaranteed to chase (all but the most perverse) customers away from the bar. Their jazz, happy-go-lucky version of The Sound's "(I Can't) Escape Myself" would be enough to make Adrian Borland commit suicide all over again. Shame on you, people! Visage's "Fade toGrey" is given a uncommercial dark, accordeon-heavy sound. They must have figured that, by this point, no-one but the most dedicated fan is still listening. Which is a pity, because their nostalgic, rainy take on Blancmange's "Waves" is a late highlight - probably the only track that works even if you don't know the original - I confess I didn't!

**** for The Killing Moon (Echo & the Bunnymen), Ever Fallen in Love (Buzzcocks), Waves (Blancmange)

*** for Dance with Me (The Lords of the New Church) Don't Go (Yazoo), O Pamela (The Wake), Blue Monday (New Order), Human Fly (The Cramps), Bela Lugosi's Dead (Bauhaus), Let Me Go (Heaven 17), Fade to Grey (Visage)

** for Heart of Glass (Blondie), Dancing with Myself (Billy Idol), I Can't Escape Myself (The Sound)