Monthly Archives: November 2010

Ooh Canada II: Nikki Darling

  • Posted on 08/11/2010
  • /Under Musique

When Nikki Yanofsky appeared at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2006, she was twelve years old; the following year, she was the youngest singer ever to appear on a Verve record, and showroom schmaltzmeister Tony Bennett regards her as the reincarnation of Judy Garland. No surprise that Barry Manilow producer Phil Ramone and Norah Jones associate Jesse Harris took over for her studio debut „Nikki“, another one of those sleek Fräuleinwunder sedatives that are played at my hairdresser’s all the time. Actually, Nikki’s album is quite well-perfumed, featuring even a few lines in French on the perfectly arranged Bienvenue dans ma vie, including an Art van Damme meets Amélie format accordion and un peu de scat vocal showoff. If you’re into more spoiled Nikkis, check the classic below.

Nikki Yanofsky – Bienvenue dans ma vie

Prince – Nikki Darling

Ooh Canada

  • Posted on 08/11/2010
  • /Under Musique

Coeur de Pirate made an iTunes Canada-exclusive live-EP, that features songs that we all know so well (Fondu au noir, Infidèle). But the most interesting song is a cover. Again, because that was the case also on her NRJ-session earlier this year. Then, she covered Air’s Playground Love. This time she made a gorgeous version of Etienne d’Aout, by Montreal’s finest Malajube. Here’s a fine video of Béatrice doing the song (in Canada).
Melanie Guay is a young Quebecoise, who debuts with a very fine EP. She hardened herself on the piano bar circuit, did some theater and took part of various concours. You know, the things young artists do. Love this gentile ballad.

Coeur de Pirate – Etienne d’aout
Malajube – Etienne d’aout
Melanie Guay – Pépite d’ame

Tahiti Breeze: L’étoile oubliée de Vaea Sylvain

  • Posted on 07/11/2010
  • /Under Musique

At age 16, Vaea Sylvain (see right in 1970) became Polynesian slalom waterskiing champion in 1966. Close kin to the sea, she was the ideal collaborator for film composer and avid diver François de Roubaix. Together, they recorded the title song for Robert Enrico’s 1968 movie Un Peu, Beaucoup, Passionnément … – a très jolie, tenderly floating song with an alluring touch of Rio, available on François de Roubaix: Chansons de Films. Today, Vaea, who began painting in 1972, is an acclaimed artist living in Tahiti again, highly praised by the likes of Robert Bolt, Roland Topor, or the late 60s ladies connaisseur Roger Vadim, who obviously fell for her right away: „Vaea is beautiful. Her long legs, slender waist, captivating blue-green eyes, her androgynous bust are proof that beauty blends with talent, courage, and intelligence.“ Don’t miss Vaea’s extensive website including its huge photo gallery, surely a Who’s Who of the last fifty years.

Vaea Sylvain – Un peu, beaucoup, passionnément …

Travelling 2

  • Posted on 05/11/2010
  • /Under Musique

A rule of the thumb when it comes to singing actors; if they’re not French, stay away! Travelling 2 is, yes, the second compilation of French singing actors, ranging from Yves Montand (en duo with Marilyn Monroe, one of the few non-French exceptions who recorded acceptable songs) to Vanessa Paradis, Virginie Ledoyen and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It features gems like Charlotte’s L’un part, l’autre reste and the very funny Chanson des chats from Michel Gondry’s Science of Sleep movie. With two songs from ultra-vixen Ludivine Sagnier and a very sultry version of Singin’ in the Rain, Travelling 2 is very FillesSourires-friendly.

Nora Arnezeder & Feloche – Singin’ in the rain (orig. from this movie, the cover was used for this perfume ad)
Ludivine Sagnier – Si Tard (from the movie Love Songs)

FS Rerun: Todd Bishop

  • Posted on 04/11/2010
  • /Under Musique

Still sexy after a whole year. On 69 Année Erotique: Todd Bishop’s Pop Art 4 Plays the Music of SG, Portland-based drummer Bishop and his crew reinvent the title track as an Andy Williams lounge showtune finally evolving into a lysergic spacescape, transform Le Walkie Talkie into a fusion orgy, and resurrect Initials B.B. with surf guitar reverb, funky licks, raucous sax and the whispered vocals of Casey Scott, otherwise singer of Portland’s Red Venus Love Army – Miss Sexy Voice 2009 for sure. Actually, American jazz reviewers were so intoxicated by the album that they began to improvise about „Jane Birken“ and „Bridgette Bardot“; they really have some cool scribes over there.

Todd Bishop – 69 Année Erotique

Todd Bishop w/ Casey Scott – Initials B.B.

Lilian on video

  • Posted on 04/11/2010
  • /Under Video

Remember this post? It got MFA-student Taylor Hubbard very inspired. He contacted Lilian Hak, and received permission to use her track for an assignment. This is what he made:

Taylor writes: ‘It’s footage of Baltimore’s Howard Street, the old nightclub/theater district and now sort of a fading Antiques Row.  It’s populated by a lot of strange and wonderful creatures on the decaying billboards and in the shop windows.  Billie Holiday (who grew up in Baltimore), Frank Sinatra – all the greats – performed in its theaters, which are now shells; in fact it is home to the Eubie Blake Historic Cultural Center. Frankly, every out of town guest I’ve toured Howard Street remarks it looks like it’s been blitzed after a war – which it hasn’t of course, but neglect and apathy have taken their toll on the once thriving boulevard.  Think Dresden. Nonetheless it maintains a soulful character and ramshackle glamour.
‘I happened to catch with camera Baltimore’s first ever French festival and that where the dancers and the overlaid film come from.’

Lemaire

  • Posted on 04/11/2010
  • /Under Musique

No, Sophie Lemaire isn’t the sultry dj of Studio Brussel. Nor is she related to Belgian chanteuse Jo Lemaire (as far as I know). She’s a Quebecoise, from Montreal, who debuted last year with a gentile, traditional chanson album. Berceuse, with its eastern touches, is the best song. Turns out Sophie worked with Arthur H on his brilliant Adieu Tristesse album – she sings backup on one song and plays the flute in one of the many highlights of that album, the gorgeous duet with Feist (here). Diving into Sophie’s biography, got me thinking about Jo Lemaire. When regular guestposter asked me to track down her Concorde album (from 1983), I knew I had to write about this Lemaire as well. Because listening to a vinyl-rip Concorde (re-issued on cd in 1994, though I haven’t been able to find one) made me go back  to the late 80s, when me and my friends saw the so-cool-you-might-catch-a-cold chanteuse play a festival in our hometown. This was the first festival we ever attended, and with other 80s heroes like Comsat Angels and TC Matic, it was quite a thing. The dry ice, the loud music, the new wave fans, Jo’s deep voice, I can still remember scenes from way back when. Hard to believe her former status as ice queen when you see her jolly website nowadays. More on Jo later. Now listen to the still very moving La Mémoire en exil.

Jo Lemaire – La mémoire en exil
Sophie Lemaire – Berceuse

Dia de los muertos (end)

  • Posted on 02/11/2010
  • /Under Musique
Last of the posts in honour of the day of the dead/All Souls Day. Thanks to all who contributed. I wanted to add Barbara’s bone-chilling Nantes, I think there’s nothing more devastating then to go visit your father for the last time, only to find out that he’s already buried. Instead, I want to end on a more upbeat note. Thomas Fersen, he who sings like he just got out of bed remembering the beautiful words he wrote last night, sang the very witty Monsieur on his Qu4tre album. It’s sung from the viewpoint of a major domo, who helps his perculiar master in his murderous spree. Serial killing never sounded so funny. But behold – there’s no happy end.

Thomas Fersen – Monsieur

Dia de los muertos (7)

  • Posted on 02/11/2010
  • /Under Musique

Sami, aka Mister Blog, on All Souls Day about his favourite jump-off-a-bridge song:

Niagara was one of the most underrated French pop bands of the Eighties. One of the few who could reach the charts with a single like this one. When you’re still a teenager and you hear that song on the radio, first you enjoy that sensual voice, you possibly check your head to those synth beats and you don’t care that much about the lyrics.
When you’re a grown up and remember with your old folks about all the great shiny hits Muriel and Daniel had, you notice that Soleil d’hiver is quite dark and sadder than you thought it was.
With a chorus like ‘She wanted to touch the sky / Things will never be the same / Lost in her sleep” and other brillant lines, you finally understand it’s about a girl next door who jumped from a shore.
Like many of their tunes, a classic gem I’ll listen till death, and not only on Dia De Los Muertos.

Niagara – Soleil d’hiver (Classic video here)

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