French Kicks make pretty, atmospheric music, and Swimming is a great name for their new CD because this music oftentimes feels like a refreshing dip in the pool. Although the band’s percussive approach sometimes reminds you of Arcade Fire, the band is not nearly so angry and urgent. Instead, these songs are mostly contemplative. A good example of this is “Carried Away,” which plays out like a daydream, bringing to mind a Hawaiian vacation; one taken on an unpopulated island not yet overrun by tourists. But even suggestive titles, like “Sex Tourists,” result in relaxed, gentle tunes. The overall effect suggests a slow motion life trip, where nothing causes any anxiety or concern. That’s why a track like “Atlanta” stands out. It opens with the sort of drumming you might hear from a New Orleans jazz band. Next come jangling electric guitars. Yet when the vocals kick in, it’s the same old calming vibe. It’s almost as though nothing can upset this applecart. While it is pretty sounding, much of Swimming might strike you as aural Quaaludes. (And who has even thought about Quaaludes in the past two decades or so?) Swimming is a fine little album to wind down to after a long day’s work. Just don’t operate heavy machinery while playing it.
-- Dan MacIntosh [June 25, 2008]
