…pure musical joie de vivre. Unrepentant francophiles, they make the sort of music the Doors might have recorded had Jim stayed off The Gear and persuaded them to join him in Paris and learn the accordion… Les Clochards (French for The Tramps, oui?) have a wonderful sense of dynamics; they know what grabs the ear, both musically and lyrically, and the album’s high class production makes it very easy on the ears.
‘Pride Prevents (Part 2)’ at the end is a beautiful way to go out; as Ian and Corinne duet, their voices – one high, one deep – finally hang in the air… and then you put it on again at the beginning, and again… and yet again. Despite their nomenclature, Les Clochards have created a smart, rewarding and rich album, as well as being an irresistible live experience.
Leo Bowder, Oxfordshire Music Scene, Summer 2009
there’s tons to enjoy here, from the intimate vocals to the tight, buoyant drumming, to the rich chocolaty bass, which wraps round us on “Lavinia”.
David Murphy, oxfordbands.com 25 June 2009
Karen Cleave e Ian Nixon se unen, entre otras cosas, para dar salida a la pasión y forma de entender la chanson… Sweet Tableaux, pese a dos singles precedentes, queda como magnífico resumen de la evolución de los primeros cuatro años de vida del grupo… guitarras con guiños decididamente surf… ese vocalista con vocación crooner perfectamente arropado por una instrumentación cálida… [los que] crean en la necesidad de la paciente escucha obtendrán merecida recompensa en unas composiciones que esconden muchas sorpresas para el que se atreva a arriesgarse en su búsqueda.
Manuel Soleado, 360˚ de Separación, June 2009
…………………Where the Mid West meets the Left Bank is the place Les Clochards inhabit, like a bunch of elegantly grizzled dilettantes, immersed in Bordeaux, Rimbaud and Johnny Cash. Les Clochards’ sweet magic is in mixing the warm homeliness of Parisian café folk with the earthiness of American country music – at the heart of which is the contrast between Ian Nixon’s Cash-meets-Roy Orbison croon and Corinne Mateo’s rich Gallic vocals… the prevailing mood of the band’s debut album is one of romantic regret through a red wine haze… Not that ‘Sweet Tableaux’ is unrelentingly melancholy. Opening number ‘Pride Prevents Pt.1’ comes with ebullient accordion, shimmering surf guitar and powerfully grizzled Orbison croon all making for a carefree swing, while ‘Lavinia’ is possessed with campfire singalong jollity, again with Karen Cleave’s accordion flourish to the fore… Les Clochards exude a well-mannered feeling of tight-lipped sorrow, an autumnal shadow on the soul left by years of small but life-affecting mistakes… a fine balance of moods and a mature grasp of emotion that mean ‘Sweet Tableaux’ is one of the most subtly crafted and lyrically gripping albums by a local band you’ll hear this year.
Sue Foreman, Nightshift, May 2009
…………………Les Clochards… play with almost scientific precision and correctness, but miss out on providing any emotional core to their music… Music for a Sunday trip to Ikea.
Simon Minter, Nightshift, April 2009
…………………“I get drunk, and I forget things”, alleges “Tango Borracho”, but we won’t forget this eerie pop monologue
David Murphy, oxfordbands.co.uk Highlights of 2008
…………………Ian Nixon sports a down-and-out dandy look complete with battered top hat, while singer Corinne Mateo is sleek and chic in black. Karen Cleave’s accordion playing completes the Gallic feel. Highlight of the set is Tango Borracho, sweet female vocals - “I get drunk and I forget things” - interspersed with mumblings about a night out gone awry, all set to an incredibly catchy tango rhythm.
Kate Griffin, oxfordbands.co.uk December 2008
…………………Their tasty Gallic café indie sound soon draws in passers by, because nobody could resist that mix of syrupy vocal, French accordion and fluid bass. Also that’s Peter Momtchiloff from Talulah Gosh and Heavenly on guitar, should you have your I Spy Book of Jangle Pop on you.
Nightshift, August 2008
…………………to show how it can and should be done, Les Clochards… The drum intro to ‘Tango Borracho’ initially promises/threatens Iron Maiden's ‘Run to the Hills’, but soon nestles into a more rustic Gallic groove, jazzy bass runs and drum shuffles underpinning Karen Cleave’s smoky vocal lead and accordion flourishes, while backing vocalist Ian Nixon interjects with husky art-flick narratives about crap, half-remembered pubs, parties and fights from the night before. “I get drunk and I forget things” croons Karen in a style reminiscent of The Mekons’ Sally Timms and with a similarly tangible air of whisky-sozzled half regret. ‘Shallow’ is more straight-down-the-line French jazz, so laidback it nearly has us toppling backwards off the office chair, the languid squeezebox augmented by the wash of waves on a pebble beach… Still, we’re going to keep this one spinning until we’ve finished this bottle of claret. And after that, it’s time for… maybe another bottle of claret.
Nightshift, April 2008
…………………[Les Clochards play] FRENCH MUSIC. They have an accordionist, Brel and Gainsbourg covers are present and correct, and there are even breathy, spoken-word sections inviting other French people to bed. They could only be more French if they wore stripy tops and strings of garlic and rode bicycles around the stage and were all, well, French.
Jo Swarbrick, Nightshift January 2008
…………………Karen Cleave’s accordion lends an exotic swirl to Ian Nixon’s Left-Bank-poet-does-Johnny-Cash drawl.
Nightshift, June 2007
…………………Brilliant, demo of the month.
Tim Bearder, The Download, Radio Oxford, 20 January 2007
…………………ruminating in doleful French style, like the closing monologue of a sombre French existential arthouse movie. It's got a sparkle to it that is a rare commodity elsewhere in this month's demo pile and gets even better as Ian switches from being Serge Gainsbourg, first into Johnny Cash mode and then into a very fine Elvis impersonation …one of Oxford's more exotic acts, in nature as well as name.
Nightshift, January 2007
…………………The combination of accordion, stand-up bass, guitar and drums soothes the atmosphere magically …their own numbers sit easily alongside the works of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht. The closing number, one of their own compositions, is just beautiful.
Russell Barker, Nighshift February 2006
... Les Clochards, a laid-back quartet of stand-up bass, accordion, acoustic and drums, purveyed a relaxing blend of Parisian café music, the odd nugget of Brecht/Weill and a couple of acoustic ballads that breathed the air of Henry Miller lounging around Parisian watering holes while writing dirty books. The singer was extraordinary… one part Maurice Chevalier and the other part Elvis. Singing in both French and English in a cool, dark baritone, he exuded confidence and smoothness. The very French-looking female accordionist, looking both blissful and slightly scared, filled the music with artful, authentic-sounding melodies… a band of charm and originality.
Colin Mackinnon, oxfordbands.co.uk February 2006
A special DVD set of the February shows is now available to pre-order at the wire-sound shop
This strictly limited edition 2 disc, region free, PAL format DVD set will be shipped in June.
The ‘Real Life + Thereafter’ DVD contains the entire concert filmed at Manchester Academy …
PLUS … Extra features include ‘Feed The Enemy’ filmed at the rehearsals, an alternate take of ‘A Song From Under The Floorboards’ and exclusive images from the period …
PLUS … On the second CD disc, you get an audio recording straight from the desk of 11 songs from the show at The Forum, London …
PLUS … In the package, you get a free tour T-Shirt in any size you like ranging from Super Small to Mighty XL and all stops in between.
Come and see OveRRated perform this Friday 29th may at The Chester, Chester St, off Iffley Rd, Oxford. Hope to see you there! Its gonna be an exciting night. John 'JT' Thompson supporting!
Come and join us... either for one or both!! TWO great shows - 2.00pm in The Unicorn Theatre Fantastic tiny historical theatre with lorry-loads of atmosphere! Great opportunity to see top bands in a unique setting. 7.00pm in The Stocks Bar, Abingdon The whole Ratpack gang go bigger, bolder and louder!! Brilliant day of music..
