It’s finallyhere! Spotted by the fashion press at an early stage, the 3 new faces ofParisian rock (the Tatianas may look like they've just stepped out of the Big Book ofBritish Rock stars, but they actually hail from Paris, where theyare amongst the hottest bands on the music scene),Pierre, Timothée and Loïs are finally releasing their first single, I’m aSwine, along the b-side, Night is myConfidante. Prior to the release of theirdebut album, Verses & Verve, thetrio delivers here a powerful statement, a sharp-edged rock manifesto made ofstrength and nonchalance.
Listening to I’ma Swine, music buffs might hear a crazy Brand New Cadillacstyle western merging with the Clash’s White Riot,and a detached voice à la Jonathan Richman, but mainly with this first titlethe Tatianas elaborate the mythology of a unique ensemble, a particularidentity, whose codes announce those of a whole generation on the move.
Night ismy Confidante immediately appears as the denial of ahasty classification: under cover of a hummable ballad hides a bewitching song,one that stays in your head forever. A masterpiece on a first attempt.
The story of the Tatianas could be simpleas well, but Pierre Hesling, the charismatic leader of the band, likes to coverhis tracks. If we do know that he picked up guitar at age 15, that he metTimothée thought an ex-girlfriend they both dated, and finally that Loïs joinedthe band to ensure a gig at the Bar 3 that the legendary Earle Holmes (backthen owner of the non less mythical Shebeen bar) bookedthem, what sealed the band is less known. Their name, to begin with. TheTatianas evoke Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki’s movie, Hang on to yourScarf, Tatiana. Pierre wanted to give a feminine face tothe band by giving it a female name and he’s always been into northern Europeanculture. It also points reference to a British slang word designating EasternEuropean prostitutes: the Tatianas. The puzzle becomes more complicated througha myriad of influences as interesting as they are diverse, Pierre Heslingreferring as much to the Pogues and the Kinks, Billie Holliday, AtahualpaYupanki or the Clash.
Key players on theunderground rock scene as early as 2005, they were chosen to star in afilm with Catherine Deneuve (Gaël Morel's Après lui, presented inCannes in 2007) and have supported The Wombats, Razorlight and Dirty PrettyThings. Their electriclive presence and well-crafted tunes have earned them a cult following,including producer Ludvig Andersson, son of ABBA’s Benny, with whom theyrecorded their debut album this summer in Stockholm in the famous MonoMusic studios.
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