AMG Review of Tostaky

Alex S. Garcia
All Music Guide

The French rebels of rock are back! This time, they know exactly what they are doing. The energy is still there, the political themes are back, and everything just falls in together perfectly, like pieces of a puzzle. This didn't go unnoticed -- Tostaky spawned two major hits ("Tostaky (le Continent)" and "Lolita Nie en Bloc") -- the band's first hits since Veuillez Rendre l'Ame (à Qui Elle Appartient). Noir Désir now sing about sex, politics and rebellion -- all longtime favorites in the universe of rock. The album's only flaws lay in the production. In some of the tracks ("Alice," "7 Minutes," "It Spurts") you can barely make out what Bertrand Cantat is singing. But the overall quality is superior to Du Ciment Sous les Plaines, even though the melodies are not always quite as catchy.