Yearlists (6)

Indispensable musique-pusher FransS, reader/contributor Anna Maria and FS-fan David send in yearlists as well. Three songs at the bottom of this post. Here goes:

FransS:
What a strange year it was. No one really stood out, but a lot of very good albums. as can be seen in the other lists. It was hard to make a top 5. a top 10 would be much easier. So my excuses To Babet, Brune, Buridane, Camelia, Chloe, Emmanuelle, Laurence, Marianne and many others.

1. Élodie Frégé – La fille d’après-midi. OK, but if you insist that I choose a female album of the year, there is only one possible winner: Elodie. Great album and great songs that take you by the hand and that lead you to where Elodie wants us to go. [the bedroom, I’d hope – Gbourg]
2. Zaz – Zaz. It is poppy, but giving the airplay she had here in Holland we finally had a contemporary French artist on the radio and Je veux more or less became the soundtrack of summer.
3. Cécile Hercule – La tête à l’envers. The real FF fans still remember her from her EP from 2008. We all knew she was an exceptional talent in the FF tradition. And as we all hoped and expected: she didn’t disappoint us..
4. Marie Warnant – Ritournelle. For me one of the surprises. Because I didn’t want her to be missed in the yearlist, she’s included here.
5. Claudine Muno & The Luna Boots – Noctambul. Luxembourg’s best kept secret.. I don’t know why exactly but I played her album a lot this year…It suits a lot of occasions. It just makes you feel good.
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Anna Maria
Sorry, only four Filles-albums:

1. Emmanuelle Seigner – Dingue. Lovely, and relaxed songs with delightful vocals. Bonus points for the Iggy Pop duet.
2. Zaz – Zaz. Cool and worldly sophistication and class. She has a gorgeous voice too.
3. Peau – Premiere mue. Fragile and sweet, yet strong enough to make an impact.
4. Marie-Amélie – Dans un vertige, Sister of Emmanuelle and clearly her own person too. Lovely album.

—
David:

1. Babet – Piano Monstre. I am very grateful this blog put me onto Babet, definitely my favorite album of the year. La chambre des toujours, I think is the prettiest song I’ve heard, with a simple, heartfelt melody that Babet sings in such a gentle, simple way.
2. Chantal Archambault – La romance des couteaux. Her music is a mix of folk/country/rock – Chantal has a voice with a distinctive edge to it that helps drive her songs, similar in this respect to Olivia Ruiz and Emily Loizeau, with an energy that grows on you.
3. Nolwenn Leroy – Bretonne. In her past albums, I’ve found her voice to be pretty, but without much by way of expression. Here, her voice is perhaps a bit less pure, but I feel like her music is hitting something more real, with a bit of passion. Bro Gozh Va Zadou in particular captures this difference.
4. In-grid – Passion. Lots of movement, with obviously a conscious effort to evoke a ’40’s “big band” feel. A Ma Façon or Papillon Sur Moi, for example, where filles fragiles meets Desi Arnaz with a bit of rock thrown in.
5. Lili-ster – Castafiore. This has a bunch of good tunes, in particular Electric boy and Tombe sur moi. The album has a nice flow to it – I find I can put the album on and listen to it straight through.

Chantal Archambault – La chasse
Marie Warnant – Ritournelle
Peau – Sensuelle