"...a wonderful multi-talented musician that goes by the name Le Bas-fond. Based out of the California Bay Area, Melody Pilotte is the extraordinary singer/songwriter/instrumentalist who has been creating music & art since she was a little girl. With her newest [record], All the Queen’s Men, Pilotte has once again shown that she is out to raise the standard for her eclectic style that mixes synth/baroque pop, with a clear musical theatre inspiration, & has she ever, yet again.
Enlisting in the assistance of Will Curry, currently 2nd Assistant Conductor for Broadway’s Les Miserables, together they have produced a [a record] with moments that mix Sarah Brightman-esque vocals, with Depeche Mode-like keyboards….all, in a great way."
Mary Lansing, Along Comes Mary, on ALL THE QUEEN'S MEN.
Vocally similar to Kate Bush; musically unique 4/5 stars
It's nice to hear young and musically knowledgeable artists these days experiment with structure and melodies. On All the Queen's Men, experimental synth-baroque-pop duo Le Bas-Fond create an ethereal soundscape that, at some moments, would be at home on the soundtrack to Netflix's original series Stranger Things (particularly the songs "None More Than You" and "Be Brave John"). Other tracks call to mind a combination of Tangerine Dream and classically-trained shibuya-kei sample queen Yuka Honda ("Ringside"). "No Love, No Vacancy" and "Assisi @ 1276" add different shades to the record that are nightmarish and contemplative.
Add to the mix the airy vocals of Le Bas-Fond's Melody Pilotte, whose voice is reminiscent of Kate Bush, and you have a unique collection of tracks - some sparse, some full-bodied. Here's a tip - play "Ringside" on repeat.
By Emmanuel Romero