To me the best time of the year is late spring/early summer, because july and august are often really boring, you're alone the weather's great but there's nothing to do. Last year it was really fun, I broke my wrist in the process but, hey, I live a dangerous life. It's only April but it's warm and sunny, living in the southwest of France rules sometimes. Time to dust off my flower dress.

I'm enjoying this record probably a little too much. Maybe it's just because it came at the right time, or maybe it's because of the weather. or maybe i just needed some pop/punk melodic energy. I mean, look at the two best albums released this year so far. Cat Power and Arab Strap. Woo-hoo. Maybe it was a combination of all the reasons listed above. I needed an uplifting record to counterbalance the darkness of the records i've been listening to since the beginning of the year and also a record that would fit sunny days. here it is. ladies and gentlemen, please welcome THE EXPLODING HEARTS.

The album is ten songs and 28 minutes long. A little like Weezer's green album, but a million times better. Weezer have lost the innocence that made their music so utterly enjoyable long ago. The production sounds vintage, and the most important thing is, they just don't care. The songs are great, you can name about a hundred of possible influences but the Exploding Hearts are not poster-boys (and girls). Just watch the cover art. Shameless and plain funny. 

The songs are great. My favourite is Throwaway Style, mainly because it's the first song I heard off the album. The Strokes can clear off and take their slacker poses back with them. Thanks for coming. My second favourite is Sleeping Aides and Razorblades. Guitar Romantic could have been released 30 years ago, but the shameless nonchalant attitude is just irresistible. With this album the band pay a tribute to the music they love and end up unleashing an ageless, high-quality power-pop album.   

-Barbara H 

/may 1st 2003/