LES FOGGY BOTTOM – Mon Insolence
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In an earlier review, I once wrote that Foggy Bottom were not exactly known for major shifts or reinventions. On their new album Mon Insolence, there is at least a small change, starting with the name itself: the band now officially adds the French plural article, becoming Les Foggy Bottom. Another notable development is the arrival of a second guitarist. With Fred Alera reinforcing the line-up, the band now operates as a quartet for the first time. Beyond that, the sixth album from the Lorraine outfit delivers the familiar level of quality that has made me a devoted fan of (Les) Foggy Bottom for almost three decades. Their sound has lately been described as “distopop” a portmanteau of “distortion” and “pop”, which still means the virtues we have come to expect from the band, and which is also part of the appeal. The blend of indie rock, dream pop, shoegaze and post punk remains a reliable recipe for first-class music, rooted in the unmistakable indie aesthetic of the 1990s, the very decade in which the band originally formed. Lyrically, things feel slightly darker this time, a reflection, perhaps, of the current state of the world. Themes such as conflict, resistance and risk-taking are explored in French, a choice that lends the messages a particularly authentic edge. Choosing a favourite track on Mon Insolence isn�t easy. Aside from a short instrumental placed at the album�s midpoint, there are seven songs, each hovering around the four-minute mark, and all of them named after guys. Some pieces (Nico, Rob) push forward with more urgency which other tracks (Martin, Pedro) lean towards a calmer mood. Yet all of them share beautifully crafted harmonies and melodies that quickly lodge themselves in your memory. Richard is the one track that truly stands apart: considerably more subdued than the rest, it evokes a shadowy, almost eerie version of Étienne Daho. One could argue that much of Les Foggy Bottom’s music follows a similar pattern. I might even agree, if I didn’t enjoy what they do so much. And honestly, there are far worse things than being haunted by earworms of timeless power pop. For nearly thirty years now, Les Foggy Bottom have been offering exactly that, and Mon Insolence proves they’re still doing it with style. I would have simply welcomed a bit more music of this calibre; at just about half an hour, the running time feels a little on the short side |
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8 songs |
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30:11 minutes |
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***** *** |
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Genre: power pop Label: Nineteen Something Released: 14 November 2025 |
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