 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Reviews
Independent Weekly, October 10, 2007, by Chris Toenes
Durham's Veronique Diabolique claims it's from France, sings in French and dresses in fetish gear and makeup. Its members romanticize dark poets and the spooky side of '80s New Wave. If it all sounds so contrived, it is. After all, Baudelaire's The Flowers of Evil has already spawned too many undergrad, black-clad bands around the world.
But Veronique Diabolique largely sidesteps the usual goth pitfalls on their second EP, the six-song Caf Solitude. The band's musicianship-led by the searing guitar of Solange Diabolique-redeems Veronique Diabolique from the overwrought, melodramatic mush of its peers. On "Le Matin Crepusculaire" and "La Paresse," the two noisest tracks here, Solange drapes sheets of screeching feedback and effects over everything. In the latter song, the guitar acts as a beacon, unhinged from any sense of rhythm or song. Slow ballads will be the death of goth, but in songs like these, there's fire. Solange owes much of his guitar sound to Bauhaus' Daniel Ash's school of music, like many goth guitarists. But most people forget about Bauhaus' early, unfettered tribal punk or that Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren's first London boutique was called Sex. These Durhamites didn't.
full review
Independent Weekly, February 8, 2006
"They call Carrboro 'the Paris of the Piedmont,' right? But it's Durham that lays claim to the melancholic Frenchies in
Veronique Diabolique. Painted up and feeling down, VD temper high-concept, gothy indulgence with chicly low-rent, dirty song craft.
Sure, they cite dead philosophers, filmmakers, and long-lost sisters as influences, but the band's songs are never excessively brainy or
overcooked, their guitars are reeled in, and their vocals are sexily in check. Sure, Dominique, the band's somber chanteuse, is embroiled
in an interesting love affair with Papa Deconstructionist, but when the opening bars of the band's aural ode "Derrida" clang and clatter
and the song runs its simple course, there's no head scratching, just an exotic and exciting feeling."
The Mick #22, November/December 2005, by Mick Mercer
Carte Postale noted as one of the Best EP's of 2005: "Veronique Diabolique are wonderfully wayward, edgy and evocative."
ReGen Magazine, August 2005, by Rik MacLean
"Entertaining and literate punk pop with French vocals. Did I mention that its absolutely brilliant? 5/5 stars"
full review
Gothic Revue, August 2005, by Azrael Racek
"The opening groans of guitar in Derrida are straight out of the creepy Bauhaus playbook filtered through the Cranes or Portishead, incredible simply incredible. This is by far one of the best self-released albums that I have received this year..."
full review
Independent Weekly, May 25, 2005
"Francophilian goth freaks turning Baudelaire poetry into fleet-fingered guitar rock, Veronique Diabolique is led by the sweetly seductive Dominique."
Mick Mercer Journal, May 10, 2005, by Mick Mercer
"...one mightily impressive EP for you!... So, Post-punk in demeanour, and captivating. Go see."
full review
Morbid Outlook, April 2005, by Kit McAllister
"Rock historians and pundits alike speak an era of 'incredible creativity', of 'all or nothing' attitude. A time when bands weren't
interested in conforming to labels and 'just did it!'... So what's my point? My point is that Veronique Diabolique has tapped into that energy! I genuinely got excited about what blasted out of my
headphones! I LUUVVE these guys!... these folks have a sparse, kinetic energy happening. It's balanced with just the right amount of dark atmosphere to inspire
all you brooding introspective types out there!"
full review
Interviews
The News & Observer, February 10, 2006, by Eric Martin
"Onstage and online, Veronique Diabolique is a family of four French orphans who, following a trail of mysterious pictures, have come to Durham to investigate the disappearance of their fifth sibling, Veronique..."
full interview
The Mick #23, December 2005, by Mick Mercer
Christmas issue is jam packed with several bands (including VD) revealing their Xmas experiences, thoughts and secrets.
download "The Mick"
The Mick #17, June 2005, by Mick Mercer
"Then there are bands who are packed with explosive desires, and may well be new to you, so you can catch the scent of inspired destruction
and get into them early. ...the cheeky VERONIQUE DIABOLIQUE do it all in
a much slinkier, artier way complete with sheer bare-faced lying! Their interview will scandalise you."
