There is this Brooklyn duo called Ratatat that I had heard about a while ago. I finally stole their album of the same name and have given it my full attention on several occasions. Now I am sort of torn on what to think.

The album is this great electro-fuzz guitar riffs and synth over break beats and house beats and blips and glitches. My only problem with it is that they sound French. I know they are not French, thats not my problem, and there isn't any of that accordion music with an effeminate French man singing about his mother. No, none of that.

Ratatat sounds French because the use the same guitar and similar chord progressions to Daft Punk's last album Discovery. And personally, it is really close to ruining the whole experience for me. I loved Daft Punk - Homework. Daft Punk - Discovery was not all that good with the electro fuzz guitar and the silly animations. Yes, you are a pair of ugly French men, we get it. Stop hiding behind the masks and the effeminate cartoons. I mean, there are numerous other "famous" people who are probably much uglier then you two (I was about to cite any band from the UK, but since I already knocked France I thought I'd hold off).
All I'm trying to say is Daft Punk -- Discovery has ruined almost any chance of me giving Ratatat a fair shake because when ever I hear that type of fuzzed out electro guitar I immediately think about two pansy French DJs. At least Ratatat didn't get some singer to sing on every other song. In fact, Ratatat's album is completely instrumental. Not too shabby. But if there was singing, it would probably be done by a
less then manly cartoon using a Frampton-esque voice box.
Stuff to Steal: Ratatat - Seventeen Years





Leave a comment