Sonic Boom Records

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Staff Picks: French Vanilla - How Am I Not Myself?

For fans of: Sharp danceable post-punk / no-wave.

What they're saying: The signature dark comedy of the bands’ work is there, mixed with razor sharp musicianship smoothed over by a veneer of effortlessness. They all sort of lay back, rhythmically, but they do it TOGETHER. Album opener ‘Real or Not’ is almost indulgent in its saccharine pop perfection. From the opening lines, you can feel the spirit of the greats pouring from Spitz. She just kind of slides into the pocket in a way that’s insidious and very correct. Also the little falsetto breakdown section is the kind of arrangement detail that lifts this album head and shoulders above its contemporaries. Nothing vanilla about that.” - Tolliver / L.A. Record

What we say: My fave current Los Angelenos are back with their second album. Let me tell you, every single song remains a bop much like every single song on their first record. This is a record I'm going to sweat while dancing to a whole lot this summer. -KR

Further listening: Don’t snooze on their first record!