Happy House pairs French pop with punk / new wave influences. Noémie Vachet provides the sultry vocals while Pierre Musy lays on a tight production with just the right amount of guitars, keyboards and percussion. I find Vachet to be quite a provocative vocalist, a Claudine Longet for the 21st century. The EP Metamorphosis attests to her charms. She can be a seductive chantresse on “Fige Dans La Cire” or lead a wall of punk-drenched guitars as on the title track. These five tracks (plus three bonus takes) offers melodic sexy music with plenty of hard rock tension.

If the EP whetted your appetite then be sure to check out the longer La Vie Defendue. There are nine tunes totalling about 28 minutes of similarly arresting music. “Attente” has a catchy melody and is a smart poppish romp. Happy House is full of lilting melodies backed by strong guitars and driving beats. One of the best tracks is “Pres De Moi”, a beautiful ballad with orchestral leanings. La Vie Defendue is a very satisfying collection of smart French pop/rock.
LexIncorp