Melody’s Echo Chamber – Melody’s Echo Chamber

Melody’s Echo Chamber is among the most aptly named bands/albums in recent memory. Its guitars and vocals are draped in layers of reverb, and the overall production (courtesy of Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker) tends toward the cavernous. But the real echo chamber exists the way the group compiles and spits back of-the-moment influences: dream pop, light psychedelia, a touch of motorik. And for the most part Melody recombines them quite well.

Melody is Parisian Melody Prochet, and in another double meaning her songs’ success are directly proportional to the degree of melody she invests in them. Opener “I Follow You,” for instance, is a delight because Prochet embraces the power of a lilting ’60s girl group refrain. And the minor chord guitar salvo and insistent drumbeat of “Some Time Alone Alone” might as well be a Tobin Sprout outtake from Alien Lanes. “Crytallized” kicks up the most dust, and also worked some subliminal magic by soon having me reaching for this year’s Spiritualized album.

Melody’s bilingual chanteuse turns bring inevitable Stereolab comparisons, but only the Mellotron on “You Won’t Be Missing That Part” evokes an Emperor Tomato Ketchup vibe, and Prochet’s voice is more Frankie Rose than Laetitia Sadier. Oddly, she sounds stilted singing in her native tongue – the infant’s Gallic babbling on closer “Be Proud of Your Kids” is more convincing.

After a promising start Melody’s Echo Chamber bogs down it its second half as gauzy starts to overshadow tuneful and the balance shifts to French language tracks. Despite offering few revelations Melody’s Echo Chamber is sporadically captivating – I only wish Melody had closed the deal by adhering to the truth in advertising of her first name.

Melody’s Echo Chamber
Melody’s Echo Chamber
[Fat Possum]