The Greatest Band You’ve Never Heard Of (Yet)
A band from France has a sound that’s both new and nostalgic to the alternative rock genre.
Right around the time I entered young adulthood I had begun to acquire an interest in rock music. This was the time of post grunge. Guitar chords were heavier, screaming was more prevalent, and t-shirts and jeans kept getting tighter and tighter. I was a young kid with an attitude, and I felt connected to the rock genre. It was an ideal music scene for a young man finding his way through adolescence.
At the turn of the century, as did decades prior, rock music came with a new sound and new sub genres. One of the more popular genres that had carried over was alternative rock. Think of the genre as not hard enough to be Metallica, but not soft enough to be Phil Collins. As of recent day, this genre of rock has forged on, but hasn’t impressed me all that much, until recently. Last year I was listening to one of my smart generated playlists in Spotify, mainly for background music while I was working. A song came on that I didn't recognize, but had an intro that pulled my attention and held it after the vocals kicked in. Admittedly, because I’m human and spend way too much time scrolling, if a new song doesn’t grab me within the first five seconds, I move on. But not this time, I was hooked.
Paerish with my wife and I, post show.
The name of the song was “Houses of American Style”, and the band was Paerish. Their style of sound felt familiar, yet unique. I immediately bookmarked the song and pulled up their music catalog. It was a strange listening pleasure. The music brought back memories of my younger adult life, even though I had never heard their music until this point when I was 34. It was the alternative rock sound I grew up on in the early 2000s, with a slight nod to emo minus the screamo. If the rock bands Jimmy Eat World and Brand New adopted a French baby, it would be Paerish.
It wasn’t long after I discovered Paerish that they released their newest album, You’re in Both Dreams (and you’re scared). Like my tendency to skip through unknown songs, I also tend to have select tracks on certain albums I frequent most. Not this album, though. Front to back, it’s a perfect album. Every song sounds different and is well composed, flowing perfectly from track to track. The opening song, Sequoia, has a hard hitting crescendo that best showcases the vocals by lead singer, Mathias Court. The ballad “The Luck You Had” is the slowest and most intimate endeavor on the album, with a saxophone finale that solidifies it as one of the best songs in the band’s library.
Paerish is currently on tour in the US, and I was fortunate enough to recently attend a show with my wife. More so than the live experience, which we enjoyed, the most likable part of the band was themselves. We had a chance to chat with them for a bit after the show, and they were engaging and personable. To surround yourself with people that take their passions seriously, but not themselves, is a breath a fresh air, regardless of your profession. These guys are the real deal, and they deserve all the success that continues to come their way. Merci!