French Bands Who Sing in English, Pt. 2

Here are a few more French bands who sing in English. If you like your Rock music frenchified, or just want to hear a different interpretation of music, then check out these bands.

Plastiscines, French Rock Band

This time, I’m bringing you some chamber pop, an all-girl band, and some synth-pop, served different ways.

For whatever reasons (a wider audience, they think it sounds better to the ear, etc.), they’ve chosen to sing in English instead of their native tongue. You’ll hear the influences of The Beatles and The Go-Go’s, along with a taste of the funky Dance Pop that France is so fond of.

Anoraak

Wherever the Sun Sets

Anoraak is the name of the artist/producer who fronts a band specializing in happy synth pop. If you like the sugary sound of Passion Pit (like I do), then you’ll dig Anoraak and the album, Wherever the Sun Sets. I love the dreamy sound of “Above Your Head,” but the video’s not much to look at.

Here’s Anoraak’s video for “Crazy Eyes,” which was filmed in Miami. You’d never guess this was a Frenchie.

Anoraak released his follow-up Chronotropic in 2013.

Revolver

Music for a While

Three school friends from Paris make up Revolver, a French band named after a Beatles album, with an unmistakable Anglo influence. They incorporate elements of their classical music training while channeling the harmonies of Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, and the whole 60’s folk revival vibe.

Revolver was nominated for a Victoire de la Musique award (French Grammy) for “Revelation of the Year” in 2010 for their debut album, Music for a While. Here’s the video for “Balulalow.”

The band released it’s follow-up, Let Go, in 2012.

Plastiscines

About Love

The all-girl band Plastiscines burst on the music scene in 2006, with two songs on the French Rock compilation Paris Calling. The original lineup consisted of four Paris high School friends.

The band’s name is derived from a line in The Beatles’ song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds: “Picture yourself on a train in a station, with plasticine porters with looking glass ties.”

(The) Plastiscines released their first album (with songs in both French and English) in 2007. After a few lineup changes, they returned with the Garage Rock opus About Love in 2009, which was recorded in LA. The album was the first ever release on NYLON magazine’s label, NYLON records, and the band promoted the record quite heavily in the U.S., even appearing in an episode of Gossip Girl. They have a fun, girly energy, evoking (perhaps on purpose) the feel of The Go-Go’s.

Black XS : The Rock Cover EP

The band returned in 2014 as a trio (Katty, Louise and Anais) and released Black XS as a fragrance tie-in.

Their latest project is a retro-themed Pop / Rock album called Back to the Start. It features covers of Lana del Rey’s “Blue Jeans” and “Sexy Boy by Air, along with the singles “Comment Faire,” “Ooh La La,” and “Coming to Get You.”

The Teenagers

Reality Check

Indie pop band The Teenagers (who are not teenagers, btw) are like The Streets meets The Lonely Island (the team behind the silly songs in those SNL Digital shorts). You hear them and think, “They can’t be for real.” And they aren’t, really.

The trio from Paris started out as a MySpace joke. One Christmas, they posted a fictional band profile and used their first “friend request” as inspiration for a song. They posted a couple of their songs online just for fun, and an accidental music career was born.

The joke continues in the band’s witty, irreverent, and sometimes nonsensical lyrics, delivered in English through a French accent. Their fun style of Synthpop has been a hit with fans in the U.S. and the UK.

Among their internet hits are the rather raunchy “Homecoming,” about a casual hookup, and the tribute song, “Starlett Johnannson” about, well, you know who. Both songs appear on The Teenagers’ debut album, Reality Check. Check out the video for another single from that album, “Love No.”