Richard BodinThe mysterious algorithms out there sometimes seem to know me well. I was accidentally served a shot of Lézard, and the least I can say is that they got my attention instantly. What I heard was a crazy mix of funk, disco, punk and electronic music. “Hey, what’s going on?” I thought, before checking what was playing… And by a happy coincidence I discovered Lézard’s debut album title, asking the very same question: Que se passe-t-il ?
A Reputation Built on Stage
Hailing from Ghent in Belgium, Lézard has apparently been making the rounds on European festivals over the past few years. They have built a not-so-quiet reputation thanks to their highly energetic stage performances. Their music and live shows have often been compared with the likes of Talking Heads, DEVO, LCD Soundsystem or Franz Ferdinand. Imagine that.
Although frontman Neil Claes admits he didn’t know Talking Heads beforehand, he understands the comparison with the quirky David Byrne. Claes would rather claim influences such as Chicks on Speed, who also blend many different musical genres with hectic energy. Keyboardist Viktor de Greef also cites the legendary funk band Chic, praising Nile Rodgers’ ability to create greatness out of a single bass line.
Now that introductions have been made, let me jump right in.
Kicking Things Off at Full Speed
Straight off the bat, the album starts with a very energetic track. The rhythm is stomping and hectic, highlighted by funky guitars and distorted synth riffs running on ecstasy. Although “Coltrane & XTC” seems to reference both a famous jazzman and a well-known post-punk band that surely influenced Lézard in some way, the song is not about them. The lyrics instead hint at an anthemic call to anticonformism with lines like “Restrain authority / Refrain from patriarchy / Unchain anomaly”.
It is followed by “Magnifastique”, another hectic track that confirms the energy the band displayed on the opener. Jazz singer Myrthe Asta, who apparently first joined the band as a backing singer, reveals herself fully on this track. She offers an excellent counterpoint to frontman Neil Claes, ending with an off-kilter canon between the two. While most of the album offers a good balance between the two vocalists, singing in both french and english, Myrthe particularly shines on the bouncy “Happy” and the more bubblegum-pop-leaning “Pop Pop Pop Pop Pop Pop Pop Stop”.
Blurring the Lines
Lézard’s music is hard to pinpoint. As the eclectic influences listed earlier suggest, the band enjoys blurring the lines between genres. There are definite hints of disco and funk in the bouncy rhythms, with strong electroclash textures in the synth instrumentation. The general madness might remind listeners of something between glam and punk, in the spirit of Adam and the Ants. Ultimately, Lézard’s blend of genres becomes nothing but their own signature style.
The album carries a strong dancing vibe, a sign of the tight cohesion the band has clearly developed on stage. Songs like the title track, “Person of Consistency”, or “Party in the US of E” offer strong hooks, maintaining the dynamic established since the start of the album. “How Does It Feel” brings a more subdued mood in the middle of the record, a welcome moment of respite with nice vocal harmonies without losing the band’s energy.
The real exception comes in the middle of Side B with the melancholic “Wonder What They Said”. The usual fast-paced energy gives way to a slow-burning track built in restraint, gradually increasing in intensity as it progresses. Without breaking the album’s momentum, Lézard offers the listener a different experience, displaying a wider range of their musical palette.
What’s going on ?
So what exactly is happening here? Well, Lézard is happening. They deliver a very confident debut album that confirms their reputation on stage. The band throws everything they have into the mix — and it works. They clearly thrive on high energy, and their fast-paced craziness is quite infectious, while their quieter moments don’t let the listener down either. If this record is any indication, Lézard are only getting started.
