Savoir Adore

I heard about these guys from L Magazine's "8 New York City Bands You Need to Hear: 2009" article. I don't know too much about the members of the 2008 class, but their 2007 selections included Vampire Weekend, White Rabbits, and Bear Hands (see my post from 2 weeks ago), so I trust their judgment. I listened to a little from each band on this year's list and I liked most of them, but the electro pop/folk tunes of Savoir Adore (French for to know love) drew me in more than the rest (http://www.myspace.com/savoiradore).

Although currently backed by a full band, their debut EP, the insanely named The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and the Girl With the Animals in Her Throat, was created with only the band's two founding members, singer/songwriter/keyboardist Deidre Muro and drummer Paul Hammer (pretty cool name for a drummer). Apparently, they co-wrote a short story, which they later converted into song lyrics for the EP, on a train taking them from New York City to record at Hammer's parents' upstate home.

The song that really hooked me was "We Talk Like Machines", which is the lead single to their first full length album, In the Wooded Forest, due out July 14 on Cantora Records (MGMT). Three of the songs to be featured on the album, including "We Talk Like Machines", comprise their Machines EP, available for a free download here http://cantorarecords.com/releases/savoir-adore/savoir-adore-in-the-wooded-forest-lp.

Additionally, they've shot a video for "MERP", another song from the upcoming album (it's not on the Machines EP). I can't tell if they're trying to be funny or serious here. I'm hoping it's supposed to be humorous because if they're for real with this one, I think I like them a little less. Either way, it's a good song. If you're not feeling it at first, at least wait until the disco funk is dropped around the 2:10 mark before you reach a verdict on them.