Dragonette: Fixin To Thrill (Universal)

Dragonette were one of the bands I mentioned a year or so ago “to watch in the future.”

They are led by Canadian singer Martina Sorbara. She enjoyed a huge hit singing for the Basement Jaxx on their smash single Take Me Back To Your House.

The debut Dragonette album sold well in the U.K. where it was a minor hit and great things were expected for the band with this sophomore album.

The album was released a few weeks back and it made a brief appearance in the top 100 before slipping away into the nether regions of failed releases.

I can’t exactly explain why because Fixin To Thrill is a smart, sexy, hooky, energetic, kitschy slice of dance pop and dance rock. There may be a little too much Madonna influence on a few tracks but I liked the mix of glam, disco, dance-pop and new wave on this synth-heavy CD.

Standout tracks include the indelible Big Sunglasses and the thickly synth-textured Gone Too Far.

The dance and club scene is known to be very fickle—here today, gone tomorrow—but I still think Dragonette will be heard from on a future album.

Fixin To Thrill just didn’t find an audience in North America but it is likely to stick overseas, especially with the Euro trash song We Rule The World with its house/retro disco pulse.

By the way, did I mention—a band to watch?

B-

Sebastien Lefebvre:

You Are Here

(Coatillion/WEA)

I have always kind of liked Simple Plan’s pop/punk/rock for its energy, enthusiasm and positive outlook. Millions of other Canadians seem to like them too, given the platinum albums and sold out arena concerts.

For Simple Plan member Sebastien Lefebvre it also means the mighty Warner Music label accommodates him by distributing his likeable, but modest, vanity solo mini album under its banner.

This seven-track CD allows Lefebvre to reveal his mellow, folky, acoustic and romantic side.

There are four titles in English and three en français which seems fitting for a multi-lingual Montreal garçon.

There is gentle and lilting folk pop on Comatose “I’m not worried anymore” and more on the gentle, acoustic La Nouvelle Vie “sans regrets” which might generate some airplay on both official language airwaves.

Lefebvre gets to play xylophone, melodica and ukulele as a one man band.

Somehow I think this wee bonbon will best go down for hard core Simple Plan fans who have to have it all. In a word—modest.

C+

Steve Morse Band: Out Standing In Their Field (Eagle Records)

For the last decade and a half Steve Morse has been the Richie Blackmore guitar replacement for the touring Deep Purple. Prior to that he had a short two-year stint in the prog-rock band Kansas while he was a founding member of the jazz/rock fusion band Dixie Dregs.

Morse has also kept up a fairly hectic solo career with a dozen or more eclectic releases under his own name.

He may not be quite as well known as Joe Satriani or Steve Via who also release guitar-god rock instrumental albums.

But fans of Morse, and especially the ground breaking Dixie Dregs, usually roll back their eyes in orgiastic paroxysms when mentioning his name—OK, at least knowing nods of approval amongst the cognoscente.

There is plenty of fleet-fingered, six string shredding with hard rock and metal instrumentals but my two favourite tracks include the acoustic, Celtic/classical-styled Baroque N’ Dreams and the kick ass hillbilly quick step of John Deere Letter (cool puns for titles).

Fans be alerted.

B

bwcmitchell@shaw.ca