Souvenir Driver embraces the sixties pretty hard in ‘Jeanne Moreau’. The spaced-out vibe
lasts the entire duration of the disc. Now it’s a proper band with a number of
benefits. Drums are looser. Guitars have their volume turned up. Vocals remain
as far away as they’ve ever been. Previously Souvenir Driver existed as a
dream-pop band. Jeanne Moreau shows they can continue to mellow out, but there’s
more edge on this little EP.
The
songs morph into each other. One leads after the other. Souvenir Driver dives
into it instantly. Garage rock is a good way of describing songs like ‘Omen’. ‘Omen’
is one of the lazier tracks on here. Volume is low, the vibe is subdued. More
than any other track, this offers a bridge from Souvenir Driver’s old sound
into a more energetic form. ‘Slide’ is a riot. It is infectious. A groove
glides it along as it increases in volume. Tension is here. It explodes from
time to time. My favorite piece is the title track, ‘Jeanne Moreau’ which gives
off a distinct ‘The Sea and Cake’ vibe. Here the feeling is rather blurred. What
I enjoy is how much patience they employ for this piece. It remains quiet; it
grows on you, before shifting gears late in the song. ‘Mountain’ which
originally appeared on their album ‘Joy’ gets a re-work on here, moving into a
happy, carefree summer jam reminiscent of ‘The Jacuzzi Boys’.
‘Jeanne
Moreau’ explores a few new styles on here. Yes there is the indebtedness to sixties
rock, but they also do a good job of gaining inspiration from some of the
mellower Thrill Jockey artists. Overall this is a step towards a more active
future.
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