Le Nombre

Montreal’s Le Nombre come off sounding like some kind of francophone rock monster on their startling sophomore album. By the second song, "Perdu La Solution,” it becomes pretty obvious why they sought out Ian Blurton to helm this recording. Le Nombre are surely kindred spirits with Blurton’s C’mon, blending garage and punk rock to create something raucous and heavy. "À La Fin du Film” is all stomping snares and snaky guitars, while "Stethoscope” is an emo-surf-rocker that recalls the Dead Kennedys. And then there’s "Soleil,” the heaviest song on the album, which shows off vocals that blister along with sizzling guitars. There is an underlying sense of fun to all of this intensity, however, and songs like these surely must contribute greatly to the band’s well-reputed live show.