FRENCH MIAMI
Edinburgh Castle
Sept. 5, 2007

There was a flood of bodies exiting the upstairs music hall as I entered the Edinburgh Castle. I had arrived just after Here Here finished their set. I've never heard of Here Here, but I'm told they are similar in instrumentation and theatricality to the Arcade Fire.

The band I went to see, French Miami, told me later that Here Here did not seem to be a good fit with them stylistically. The French Miami sound is driving and melodic, with plenty of discordant tones and a gruff indie vocalist. Their strong show Friday night built intensity from a thoughtful instrumental opening piece in which the band generated a strange wall of noise, to moments of sheer rock n' roll excitement.

The French Miami players are a tight musical unit. Their songwriting allows for huge guitar and synth hooks, while maintaining the song's emotional thread, and never devolves into a wank fest. These guys have serious chops but even better taste, and their skills on the frets are put to understated yet effective use. The singer is a died-in-the-wool rock n' roller and he owns the stage with his aggressive singing and very physical keyboard and baritone guitar playing. The snappy guitar playing in the highest register was precise and nasty as the needle on a sewing machine. With backup from the synthetic rumble of the keyboard bass lines and agro-pop drumming, French Miami produced a full and thrilling sound.

[Jeff Bissell]

[STREAM] French Miami: "Shitty Disco Odyssey"