Whats that coming over the hill?
Some of the more eagle eyed readers may recognise the name Laetitia Sadler as being the lead singer and lyricist from indie legends Stereolab but given the bubble the band appears to exist in, many more of you may be unfamiliar with her. Theres no need to get caught up on that as the singer also has a side project which goes under the name of Monade and ‘Monstre Cosmic’ is their third album.
The album contains a strong mix of French and English so that may turn off some listeners immediately but the world of pop has never been strangled by foreign languages and it is very easy to turn off your mind and let the melodies wash other you.
Opening track ‘Noir-Noir’ may not get the listener singing along lustily with the chorus but this is an easy listening gem, perfectly creating images of Parisian chic and the French rebirth of the cool. And the album booklet has a translation of the lyrics in case you were worried about acting all hip over a song that goes on about dustbin lids and washing-up bottles, so never fear, you may not be able to sing along but you can grasp the meanings of the material.
It’s a varied sounding album, for those unaware of Stereolab, it may be easier to picture the Style Council in a fist-fight with Electrelane, it’s a classy sounding record but there is an underlying bite to it that shows its darker side from time to time. ‘Lost Language’ really draws from the same inspirations as the Style Council and may bring to mind ‘Shout To The Top’ for some of our older readers, or those readers who like a bit of retro.
Clearly the album and cover of this record gives the impression of a monster but a lot of the lyrics allude to this as well and you wonder what lyrical allegory is trying to be drawn here. Its not the only picture painted by the words on show but the repeating appearance of this theme does suggest that something is nagging away at the heart of the albums creators.
So if you’re a long term fan of Sadler or if you are a new recruit, it doesn’t really matter as the music is welcoming to all and theres a lot to be enjoyed here. If you can get beyond the foreign lyrics and the guarded words, it’s a melodious joy and one that is sure to keep giving after repeated listens.