The Dude
Specially For You

"The dude", a French-origin group that sings in English, with a name that translates to "The Thing" mmm, indeed a name that is at least peculiar...

Ok, if you want a particularly original review, I won't give you the usual introductions, this group is composed of Tom, Dick, and Harry etc. etc. I will talk about them from my point of view, perhaps ignorant, but with good intentions. 

So, we were saying, what is this "Thing", another insignificant group in the overflowing European indie-rock scene? Probably at first listen, yes, but if you pay more attention or try to get beyond the healthy skepticism of connoisseurs, maybe they are not so insignificant after all.

I'm not very knowledgeable about genres, and I don't really like the classification and the multitude of definitions that exist in the musical realm. But it is inevitable, we humans tend to classify everything, to order the chaos of information that comes crashing down on us. How to sort this chaos of genres mixed together in this strange group unknown to most? At first glance, I would come up with a gross and perhaps unconvincing definition: a post-Beatles and Floydian-psychedelic French group.

The major influences that my inexperienced ear perceives are mostly them: Beatles, Pink Floyd, but also Radiohead and Queens of The Stone Age. Indeed, I don't think I've exaggerated. Sure, the level is clearly inferior to those majestic and untouchable bands (OBVIOUSLY!). But in "The Thing" you find a nice mix between power pop, trip-hop with vague shades of Floydian and Radioheadian psychedelia. And in the more rhythmic episodes, there's even a stoner hard-rock à la Queens of the Stone Age.

The most successful tracks that encompass all these elements are "Dawn", which starts as a power-pop trip-hop ballad, then quickens into a more pounding and stoner rhythm; and "Sunday 3 AM" where you hear a sultry female voice, with a heavy French femme fatale accent, presenting us with a particularly sensual and psychedelic ballad that becomes a violent hard-rock riff.

The title track "Specially for you", is a simple but excellent hard-rock piece, the bass is truly remarkable. Sure, maybe the chorus lyrics are a bit banal "And still in my head was dreaming the same tune, I wrote this song specially for you...", but it is all compensated by the particularly effective sound. "Mister Police" starts with a hammering riff that flows into an old-style Beatlesian ballad. The title and lyrics recall "Karma Police" by Radiohead. This too makes quite an impression, although perhaps the more experienced among you will judge all this perhaps a bit banal and overused.

Another particularly happy episode on the album is "Selfish Guy", here they remind me of Placebo in a very inspired period: "I'm a selfish guy, I'm a big prick, I smell like shit...", if nothing else a great self-critique! However, everything is broken by the seductive Anglo-French voice, ready to also insult the poor "selfish guy", well what can you do, he probably deserved it.  

On the other hand, listening to "Kiss me", aside from the initial vaguely post-punk resonant riff, in the chorus I also notice a certain French-style Brit-pop influence, in the wake of Oasis (if you allow me, the result is better than the Gallaghers, although for some of you it will be an offense) and Kaiser Chiefs.

I hope I’ve piqued your curiosity, I apologize for my ignorant view of music and for surely messing up some definition or word.

Sure, The Dude may not be the new "Oasis" or phenomena, but they deserve at least a listen. You will arrive at two opposing judgments: "This French boy band is terribly awful" or "this Thing isn’t bad after all".

It’s up to you to listen.