Diabolique

Album review

“A weapon with a long blade for cutting or thrusting that is often used as a symbol of honor or authority”. L’Epée is also a square of aces, made of the French singer and actor Emmanuelle Seigner,  Anton Newcombe, the Berlin-exile and leader of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, and the Perpignan duo Marie and Lionel from the band The Limiñanas. Four die-hard rock & rollers, completely enamoured with the holy trinity of guitars, fuzz pedals and reverb. Their happenstance reunion, dubbed L’Épée (a name which Newcombe heard in a dream) is a blend of French and English 60s rock, emulating the likes of The Velvet Underground as well as obscure soundtracks from Ennio Morricone, the Stooges, the Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones period, garage bands like Music Machine Shadows Of Knight, Seeds and other Sonics. L’Épée’s DNA is also laced with a few french references such as Françoise Hardy and Ronnie Bird. This avalanche of references, and their very specific sound, also shines through their lyrics, which are dark and poetic, funny, ironic or devilish depending on the song and depending on who you ask. Beware though, Diabolique isn’t only for that closed circle of Beatles boots-cigarette trousers-dark sunglasses wearing crowd. L’Épée refined their sound just as they refined their lyrics, creating an accessible record in the process, for all the fans of wired, ****s to the wall rock & roll. L’Epee – they’re sharp! © Marc Zisman/Qobuz