French Kicks

'Swimming'

The classiest garage band this side of the Williamsburg Bridge.

Spin Rating7 of 10

At first listen, this Brooklyn-based group's fourth record sounds cut from the same sessions as 2006's lustrously arty Two Thousand; but where its predecessor relied on rigid crescendos, Swimming relaxes. "Abandon" grooves on swaying bass, chirping guitars, and singer/multi-instrumentalist Nick Stumpf's nervy drawl; "Sex Tourists" softly implodes on sliding riffs and gliding keys; Tropicalia-touched "Said So What" shakes on a bright, Beach Boys–like chorus. By recycling and loosening up Two Thousand's best elements -- inventive instrumental passages, rich harmonies, across-the-board emoting -- French Kicks get both poppier and deeper.

By William Goodman

1 Van Halen 'A Different Kind of Truth'
2 Lana Del Rey 'Born to Die'
3 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
4 Kathleen Edwards 'Voyageur'
5 Himanshu 'Nehru Jackets'
6 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
7 Of Montreal 'Paralytic Stalks'
8 Leonard Cohen 'Old Ideas'
9 Imperial Teen 'Feel the Sound'
10 Skrillex 'Bangarang'

1 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
2 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
3 Kathleen Edwards 'Voyageur'
4 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
5 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
6 Leonard Cohen 'Old Ideas'
7 Escort 'Escort'
8 Escort 'Escort'
9 Escort 'Escort'
10 Himanshu 'Nehru Jackets'

French Kicks

'Swimming'

The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'

Of Montreal 'Paralytic Stalks'

Van Halen 'A Different Kind of Truth'

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