Fake snow and real funk
By
David Smyth
4 Dec 2007
Short of dressing as Santa and sitting the audience one by one on her knee, the immodestly named Lovefoxxx and her band CSS did everything possible to instil Christmas spirit in their hipster fans last night. As fake snow wafted down from the ceiling, all six members shuffled onto the tinsel-strewn stage dressed as giant presents.
For this year and much of the last, CSS's gift to Britain has been a gleeful enlivening of our indie ghetto. Most of us didn't exactly know where Sao Paulo was, let alone that it had a vibrant music scene, when these five girls and a guy emerged from the Brazilian city with an album's worth of sexy, danceable electro pop.
Many would like to imagine that all Brazilians are like Lovefoxxx, a tireless dance machine with party vibes whizzing round her like electrons. After unwrapping herself, she performed in both a silver body stocking with a giant face on it and a green sequinned leotard with white lumpy headgear, which made her resemble a glorious cauliflower.
However, her vocals, enthusiastic as they seemed, were blurred in a murk of sound, with three guitars overpowering the lighter electronic touches.
The rest of the band lacked her dynamism, too, mostly preferring the more traditional indie rock technique of staring down intently at their instruments. Yet the exuberant greatness of songs such as This Month, Day 10 and Music is My Hot Hot Sex - gritty funk with a cheeky grin - could not be lost entirely.
The band's debut, Cansei de Ser Sexy, has been the party album of the past 12 months, and there is more to come. A couple of new songs from a second album due next spring, possibly called Reggae All Night and Don't Mess My Heart, kept the pace from flagging.
Their catchiest anthem, Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above, and one of several confetti explosions brought things to a close. But with the tour continuing till the end of the month and a new album close, CSS are not ready to call it a night yet.
• Coronet Theatre SE1 on 15 December (0871 230 6230, www.coronettheatre.co.uk).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (2)
CSS are brutal. Lovefoxx can't really sing and the lyrics are ridiculous because her English isn't very good.
- Pete, Canada, 04/12/2007 19:01
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It was a fun gig. I was a bit disappointed with the new songs though, maybe they'll sound better on the new CD.
- C, Kingston, 04/12/2007 16:31
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Afternoon:
8°c








