French Miami want you to know that they're not just a rock band. The San Francisco-based trio has made a name for itself in the Bay Area scene by creating a sharp interplay between jumbled guitar strings and quirky synth notes to the tune of Chris Crawford's ferocious drumming, all performed without bass guitar. Edging between the boundaries of synth-driven bliss and heavier rock chords, the band toys with a variety of sounds on their debut disc, from clear-cut dance beats, to proggier structures, to more complicated math-based orchestrations. Clearly, the denotation of 'rock' is not an adequate descriptor.
Formed in 2006, French Miami are relative newcomers to the industry, but that hasn't stopped them from making the most of its limited capabilities. Members Jason Heiselmann and Roland Curtis each handle a minimum of two instruments, alternating duties between keyboard and guitar. The group is clearly tapping into the energy of their raw live show, transforming it into a chaotic, genre-bending cornucopia of cuts, with each individual track retaining its own distinct taste.
While the album frequently switches between punk-based tracks and more dance-happy programmed beats, nearly every song contains an ever-present synth note that provides a sense of cohesion. This subtle injection can be heard clearly on "Multi Caliber Rifles," in which the group channels their inner Fugazi by employing simple chord progressions over heavy drum rolls, while a synthesizer interlude saves the piece from being completely out-of-place on the record — and it does all this without undermining the song's homage to its punk predecessors.
But for all their delicate weaving, French Miami ultimately fail to coalesce a definitive sound to stretch throughout. The differences between the songs are so stark that it almost plays like a compilation of various artists. While the contrast in styles provides variety, it also implies that the group has not yet stumbled onto a distinct aesthetic.
Still, this is a debut album, and French Miami provide an encouraging exploration through varying and often opposing musical soundscapes. No, I wouldn't call this mere 'rock.' The band has clearly achieved their goal of defying unoriginal pigeonholing.