JUNIORE: ‘UN, DEUX, TROIS’ ALBUM REVIEW

Made up of singer and guitarist Anna Jean, drummer Swanny Elzingre, and the mysterious keyboardist and wearer of giant magician hats that look like he’s wandered in off the set of a Jodorowsky film, the awesome Juniore are back with their third full-length album, ‘Un, Deux, Trois’. Having already played a Brexit build-up defying string of shows in the UK, the French group has built up quite a fanbase, including Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys no less!

Image Credit: Ian Viggars

Their sound is a perfectly honed mix-up of 60s French ye-ye pop and spooky garage organ, producing a result that’s much like Francoise Hardy; lost in a haunted fairground. If previous releases had any minor faults it could be argued that there was a slight lack of range. Pleasingly, on ‘Un, Deux, Trois’ the sound palette has been expanded in many subtle ways. 

Tracks like ‘Grave’ and ‘Bizarre’ display the usual haunted garage stomp but with a minimal coolness and in the latter case, some unexpectedly jaunty whistling. The frankly bonkers instrumental ‘Walili’ manages to layer Eastern sounding instruments over a motorik style beat; a welcome mash-up of Euro sounds in divided times. ‘Solitaire’ and ‘Que La Nuit’ are two beautifully woozy slow-dance ballads, while ‘La Verite Nue’ and ‘Ah Bah D’Accord’ bring surf pop to their signature sound, the latter’s vocal refrain descending into dubby echoes at the crescendo. In short, there’s lots to love here for fans of 60s pop and gaellic indie, and it’s a perfect soundtrack for walking around, pretending you’re in a Godard film.