Let’s French, are releasing their debut CD. THIS WEEK.
Randy, Tim, Max and Matt have played ALL AROUND (and round) DC over the last year or two (the Federal Reserve Shows, Black Cat on several occasions, most notably that super-sold out WSC night, R’N'R hotel and more) and are about to take the Black Cat mainstage this Saturday to celebrate their “Victory” and hard work.

Now, we are pretty goddamn excited about this, so much so we:
a. Got Jason from Death By Sexy (who are mind you, playing the CD release show with LF and These United States), our fearless movie reviewer and interpid boy reporter for hire (Lois Lane has nothing on him) to interview them on all sorts of pressing things.
b. Had Joel (kingpinphoto.com) take (super) exclusive photos to go with this (super) exclusive story
and
c. Launched a streaming software bonanza that allows you to have your very first BYT listening party, alongside insightful band notes (bcse you know, not only your greatest hits CD deserves liner notes, your debut one wants it more)

so:

read the interview, listen to the music, (g)oogle the photos, and show up to the Show.
could anything be easier?
we think not.

we start out with the Interview (mostly, and bravely handled by Max on part of LF, while Jason fought really hard to try and not talk ONLY about his band)

JG for BYT:Why do you think Let’s French rules so hardcore?
LF:Like the French government, c’est la cohabitation between the parliament and a supra executive branch that solidifies hardcore power into our hands. Also, Sarkozy is one of our backers.

JG for BYT:In keeping with that theme, why do you think Death By Sexy rocks so righteously?
LF:“Death by Sexy” achieves total heavyosity!

JG for BYT:In addition, what can you add about the supreme awesomeness of These United States?
LF:Remember when music had a socio-cultural relevance? Me neither, but I think “These United States does”.

JG for BYT:I heard you guys met one summer when all of you were looking for a dead body by the train tracks, and then you realized your childhood would never be the same. Is this true, or did you guys meet some other way?

LF:Unfortunately, it’s true, but we found that body and it wasn’t dead, it was Jesse Elliott (from These United States) coming off a bender he had while researching jangly railroad pop in the most literal sense. The following scene occurred:
Max: Hey Randy do you know this guy?
Randy: We used to play open mic together.
Max: That sounds really degrading.
Randy: (sigh)
Jesse: Minstrels of merriment! Ye venerable troubadours of antiquity. Follow me across rivers and valleys mountains and hills!
Timbo: Sacre Bleu!
Matt: Mon Dieux!
Randy: Okay buddy we’re taking you back to the shelter
Ok, here’s what really happened. I was in another band and Randy wooed me with promises of a proletarian revolution based on the Andrew WK song “Party Hard”. I was sold. Matt was a die hard Leninist. Tim a Trotskyite. we called ourselves “The Communist Afterparty”. 3 months later we realized we had become the bourgeois pigs we despised and changed our names to Let’s French

JG for BYT:What song do you believe best represents you as a band on the new album?
LF:“Your Name Here.” It’s the first track we recorded for the album.It’s the first track on the album. And it has the most overdubs. Also did I mention that it’s like practically under 2 1/2 minutes.

JG for BYT:Ok, now that’s out of the way what song to you think represents you best out of these:
Irreplaceable – Beyonce; Complicated – Avril; M!ssundaztood – Pink
LF:Actually, I think a mash up of all three would be the best representation.
Irreplaceable because we have the soul of Beyonce, Complicated because we have the angst of Avril, and M!ssundaztood because like Pink we plan to sell our first platinum single to Bally’s total fitness.

JG for BYT:In continuing with that, out of these movies:
Goodfellas, Pricilla, Queen of the Desert, or Jaws
LF:There’s Jaws movie now? I thought it was just a Nintendo game.

JG for BYT:In continuing with that, books: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, or Dr. Phil Getting Real: Lessons in Life, Marriage, and Family
LF:There’s Dr. Phil book now? I thought it was just a Nintendo game.

JG for BYT:In continuing with that numbers: 13, 47, 69(ha!, get it?)
LF:Wel,l not 69. I mean the name of the band’s Let’s French, not Let’s French Each Other’s Privates, or wait maybe that is our name.(?)

JG for BYT:Have you guys been able to play outside of DC yet? If so, tell me why DC reigns so much harder than all those other craptastic towns?
LF:Baltimore = John Waters = Pink Flamingos= Crabs= it’s hard to play in baltimore when your band van is a hyundai

JG for BYT:So, you guys obviously picked the line up for this evening. I know this because you were the ones who asked my band to play. Why’d you choose this particular group of bands, besides the fact that we are all so incredibly amazing?
LF:Mostly the amazing thing that you just mentioned. Is the reason. But also because of solidarity with the global south. Somehow.

JG for BYT:How can people who don’t go to the show on May 19th at the Black Cat be assured that they are the lamest lame-o’s ever to walk down lame street?
LF:By the look of disappointment on the face of the “Black Cat Black Cat” guy next time they try to enter the afforementioned establishment.

JG for BYT:What drugs would you recommend people take before attending the show?
LF:Let’s French says “HUGS NOT DRUGS!”

JG for BYT:What’s the best way to pull birds after a show?
LF:By telling them your anti-drug motto. Girls love guys with a motto. Especially if its positive.

JG for BYT:And finally, give a message to the children, please.
LF:Stay away from Jesse Elliot

JG for BYT:And now, to the ladies:
LF:Same message. But also, hugs not drugs,you sweet little tarts

AND just as you thought we would stop there….NOW its…

listening party time

(where we got Randy to tell us about the heart, soul and every guitar solo of every song on their album, AND you get to listen to it, exclusively, premierely, HERE.
Are we not good to you?)

and…of we go.

Your Name Here
-The “your name here” zoink is that it’s a form-letter love song. Ready-made, pre-packaged, off-the-shelf dash-dash-dash. Just drop in the name of your favorite gal and you’re all set. Real clever, Let’s French!

Boys And Girls
-Run around, make that sound, etc. I guess this is our most well known song. Probably because we’ve been forcing it down people’s craws for over a year now. But they seem to like its bittersweet sentiment and doo-wop backup vocals.

She Says She Loves Me
-Originally titled “Ridiculous Dance Number” for its extended dance break. Hmmm another bittersweet love song. I see a pattern developing.

Closer Together
-A real rocker in LF’s humble opinion. We really like playing electric guitars and I think this song documents that fact well. Max has a surf guitar solo. And a harmonic guitar solo. And maybe a couple other guitar solos.

Genevese
-This song, like all LF songs, is completely true. “I can feel you changing. I believe that I’ll be changing soon.” O! Randy, you break my heart.

Start A New Life
-Our sing along number in which we share a microphone and the crowd goes wild. Can you blame ‘em?

Lose Control
-”I’ll wear the lipstick, you wear the rouge.” Who wears rouge anymore? It sounds like I’m trying to seduce a gender-bending flapper.

Here She Comes (There She Goes)
-Perhaps our most ambitious song. Another great guitar solo. Pretty keyboard sounds. And Matt rocks it pretty hard too. I added that because I realized I haven’t said anything about Matt yet. My former girlfriend got real mad at me because she thought the lyrical content was not very progressive. I disagree. YOU DECIDE!

Razor’s Edge
-Featured on our demo. My sister thinks this song is a hit. This version is a little better than the demo version. It features rock and roll scat singing – my own invention.

Unpack Your Suitcase
-This song features a found-sound intro/outro that makes me weep every time I hear it. Dreamed up and turned into reality by none other than Tim French.

Hope everyone loves the album, we worked very hard on it and are quite proud. love, LF

and catch it all Live on Saturday