Neil Frances

One Liner: Funky, groovy electronic pop that owes a debt to Daft Punk and the Seventies.

Wikipedia Genre: No Wikipedia, but electronic pop
Home: L.A.

Poster Position: 16
Weekend Two Only.  Saturday.

Thoughts: Always odd when a band name looks like a name, but isn't actually someone's name.  Their actual names are Jordan Feller and Marc Gilfry.  There is a Rugby "pundit" named Neil Frances who apparently said something racist or rude on a podcast, but I can't even understand what the hell he said.  "A Harlequins out-half with a David Beckham haircut and an Oompa Loompa tan... you just couldn't throw him in."  Okey doke!  Anyway, that got him fired from an Irish newspaper.  There is also a singer out there whose name is Neal Francis, and the two things have been getting confused by the public.  But apparently the actual reason for their band name is that Feller's dad was named Neil and his mom was named Frances.  Much less interesting than a racist rugby commenter.

This band is a duo making danceable pop music that leans into some seventies disco sounds.  Of particular interest to me, their bio says that they use a full band for their live show instead of using playback.  I like that angle for sure.

The top track is a 2017 single called "Music Sounds Better With You."  82.5 million streams.  Most of their tunes don't even crack ten million.

Feels like a Daft Punk song there at the start, like Niles Rogers and the robots are grooving around.  That song is fine.  I have no clue why it would have so many streams.  Oh, wait, of course.  The top comment on YouTube is that they found this tune through TikTok.  Freaking TikTok.  Also, ends up that it is a cover of a song by a group called "Stardust."  Wait, that original song for sure sounds like Daft Punk.  What is going on?  Oh, Stardust includes a Daft Punk member.  I CAN HEAR THINGS!!!

"Finding Rhythm" sounds like a Wham! song. Can't recall which one, but those squelchy synths totally ring a bell. Wait, that's it - "Everything She Wants." They ganked the squelchy synths from "Everything She Wants." "Tell Me" makes me think of "Turn the Beat Around."  They had a 2018 EP (Took a While), a bunch of singles, 2021's Stay Strong Play Long EP, and then finally 2022's album There is no Neil Frances.  Top track on that album is "dancing," with 1.7 million streams.

That one has some Khruangbin vibes.  Groooooooovy.  Overall, I enjoy these tunes.  They aren't anything groundbreaking but they are light years better than the other bands I have tried today and yesterday.  At least there is some groove and funk and fun to them.  "Dumb Love" is fun for sure.  I might go check it out.