French Girls - s/t (Rum Bar)

Led by singer and bassist Che Beret, AKA Chela LaRue, formerly of the Peeps and Les Hell on Heels, Arizona’s French Girls dig their guitars loud, their melodies sweet, and their rhythms pumpin’ on their self-titled debut. Sounding like they discovered the Clash and the Grease soundtrack in the same summer, the band knocks out rollicking sweet ‘n’ sour nuggets like the giddy “Summertime,” the confident “Independent Woman” and the lustful “Aerobicise” like they ingested a dozen caffeine bombs before every writing session, let alone performance. Beret also has a snarky sense of humor. Check out why she puts a lady with “No Morals” in her crosshairs – “She’s Canadian!” She also claims that she’s “a hottie with a body, and I wanna party!” on “Hottie” with eyes rolling so far up she can see the top of her head, salutes the “Dude Rocker” with genuine affection, and gleefully mixes her food and horror metaphors on the smashing “Pizza Party.” French Girls just want to have fun, and that spirit comes roaring out in all three chords per tune.