French Kicks

Originally consisting of guitarists and vocalists Matt Stinchcomb and Josh Wise along with bassist Jamie Krents and drummer/vocalist Nick Stumpf, French Kicks combined post-punk aggression with mod melodies and harmonies. Washington, D.C. natives Krents, Stumpf, and Stinchcomb began performing together as teenagers, shaped by the city’s influential hardcore scene, and completed their quartet after moving to Brooklyn post-college and meeting Wise. They took the name French Kicks in 1998 and issued their self-titled debut EP on My Pal God the following year. Further touring and recording earned them contracts with Star Time in the U.S. and with Poptones, the U.K. label founded by Creation impresario Alan McGee. The Young Lawyer EP appeared in early 2001; a year later the band toured with the Vue and labelmates the Walkmen ahead of their first full-length, One Time Bells. Trial of the Century arrived in spring 2004, now featuring vocalist Stumpf on keyboards and new drummer Aaron Thurston. In 2005 the group started writing material for a third album, yet before recording began every member except founding guitarist Matt Stinchcomb departed amicably. Early the next year French Kicks returned to Los Angeles to work once more with Trial of the Century producer Doug Boehm, adding guitarist Kush El Amin in the process, and released Two Thousand that summer. Swimming followed in 2008, extending the smooth pop direction heard on Two Thousand.