Harbouring a deep-seated love of keyboards and vintage drum machines, Brooklyn trio Au Revoir Simone made their UK debut back in late 2005 when their mini album ‘Verses of Comfort, Assurance and Salvation’ was quietly released on Moshi Moshi Records. Offering up a generous helping of charm and intelligence, ‘Verses….’ was a lesson in what expertly layered synths, ethereal vocals, and palpitating drum machine disco beats should sound like when properly woven together. Well received at the time by the alternative British music press, these girls were immediately a breath of fresh air amidst a then rather stuffy climate of male guitar band after not so dissimilar male guitar band. A year or so later ARS are more than ready to take their place alongside a thankfully now much larger collective of successful female or female-fronted bands. Neither on a feminist tip, nor shy of their girlish status Au Revoir Simone are without doubt Ones To Watch in 2007. The band started life in the Fall of 2003 when Erika (Forster, keyboards & vocals) and Annie (Hart, keyboards & vocals) first became acquainted on a long train ride home to NYC from a weekend getaway with friends. Along the way they exchanged stories and ambitions, and discovered that they shared a common desire to form an all-keyboard band. Eureka! When they returned to NY, Erika and Annie started meeting regularly to play music…and soon their mutual friend Heather (D’Angelo, drum machines, keyboard & vocals) joined in at their informal bedroom band practices…and the shows they were soon playing around their native Brooklyn. Keyboards found their natural home in the hands of Au Revoir Simone (or perhaps it was the other way round). A romantic notion it may be, but fate, you might say, had had a hand in their meeting – born out of a common love of synths then, Au Revoir Simone came to be. The band have come a long way since their inception back in 2003 however. Since their first trip to Europe a little over a year ago, A.R.S have undertaken a tonne of their own shows on home soil, as well as an extensive tour of the US, Canada and Europe supporting fellow Brooklyn-ites We Are Scientists. Consequently, live they are tighter and more musically accomplished than ever before. And then there’s the small matter of their brand new LP, ‘Bird Of Music’…Written and recorded over the past year, their debut album proper more than follows through on the promise ‘Verses..’ represented. No less charming, nor steeped in dreams, hopes and lovelorn wishes than it’s 2005 forerunner, the band’s long awaited LP is from it’s opening bars instantly more uplifting. Au Revoir Simone’s signature sound remains (vintage drums machines, keyboards and pitch-perfectly layered saccharine sweet vocals form the mainstay of their music-making), yet their musicianship has moved on leaps and bounds. Due for release in Europe on Moshi Moshi records in February 2007, ‘Bird of Music’
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