French rock is more than a little alien to the U.S. mainstream, but Rhesus could change that.
The trio from Grenoble earned the title of "Best Newcomer of 2004" (presumably best French newcomer) in the weekly French culture magazine, "Les Inrockuptibles" thanks to their latest EP, "Meanwhile at the Party."
This turns out to be no puff of cigarette-holder smoke.
On "Meanwhile at the Party," the laid-back rock begins with a track entitled "Shooting Star," which mellows for over six minutes. The subtle but powerful guitar work takes tasteful turns with the bass guitar and drums as they each demonstrate their individual talents. Together they provide a sound suitable for any occasion.
The song "Sugar Kid" showcases the songwriting ability of Rhesus with focus distributed to both male and female vocalists to create a sound somewhere in between Ivy and Travis with a sharper edge. With lyrics like, "Creative talents appear to have gone on vacation/ Oh please pull me into your beautiful mess/ Again and again and again," Rhesus takes on a dreamy and romantic tone.
Rhesus is versatile. The melancholy guitar found on "My Phoney Love" and "Electricity" provides the perfect soundtrack for a rainy day, while the dance hall-style bass mixed with a lighthearted guitar on "Your Smile is (...)" is purely energetic. On the closing track, "Hello," lead vocalist/guitarist Aurelien lets loose completely, leaving a lasting impression with the listener before the hidden track.
After listening to "Meanwhile at the Party," it's not difficult to discern why Ben Kweller asked Rhesus to tour with him through December. Following the tour, the group will begin work on their first full-length album, which is scheduled for release next year.
