Nouvelle Vague to Tour in Support of U.S. Release

Information was scarce when Nouvelle Vague released their first album back in 2004.

Bewildered by their easy-listening covers of classic punk songs, listeners often found themselves shouting, "Who is this? What the hell is this? Where the #&%! did this come from?"

However, it's now been learned that, short of walking around with croissants stapled to their foreheads, Nouvelle Vague couldn't be more French if they tried. In keeping with their adopted new wave cinema theme, the band--essentially producers Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux-- will release their second album, Bande A Part August 22 on Luaka Bop/V2 in North America. (It's been out since June on Peacefrog in Europe.)

Besides the Godard-indebted album title, Collin and Libaux have borrowed another of the master director's signature ploys: casting plenty of gorgeous female sidekicks for the project. Featured on Bande A Part are vocalists Melanie Pain, Marina Celeste, Phoebe Killdeer, and Silja (as well as Gerald Toto, who was not a girl last time we checked, but we're guessing he is lovely nonetheless).

If you think these cultivated takes on old chestnuts would relate to just about anybody, you would be right. Just like Esperanto, Nouvelle Vague has that sweeping appeal that makes any live audience swoon. They'll charm North America on tour in September.

All versions of the album proper should include the following warmed-over "classics":

01 The Killing Moon (Echo & the Bunnymen)
02 Ever Fallen in Love (Buzzcocks)
03 Dance With Me (Lords of the New Church)
04 Don't Go (Yazoo)
05 Dancing With Myself (Billy Idol)
06 Pride (U2)
07 O Pamela (The Wake)
08 Heart of Glass (Blondie)
09 Confusion (New Order) 
10 Human Fly (The Cramps)
11 Bela Lugosi's Dead (Bauhaus)
12 Shack Up (A Certain Ratio)
13 Let Me Go (Heaven 17)
14 Fade to Grey (Visage)

Dates:

09-03 Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot Festival
09-05 Vancouver, British Columbia - Plaza Nightclub
09-06 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
09-07 San Francisco, CA - Fillmore Auditorium
09-08 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
09-10 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
09-11 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
09-13 Chicago, IL - Metro
09-14 Toronto, Ontario - Mod Club
09-15 Montreal, Quebec - Club Soda
09-16 Boston, MA - Paradise
09-17 Philadelphia, PA - World Café Live
09-19 New York, NY - Webster Hall
09-20 Washington, DC - Embassy of France
09-21 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
09-22 Orlando, FL - The Social
09-23 Miami, FL - Studio A

Stream: Nouvelle Vague: Various Tracks