Bruni vs Bowie
“It has to go down as one of the worst covers in the history of rock, although there are certainly a few by Tom Jones I would rank lower.” “Absolute Rubbish.” “What did David do to deserve this?” Random comments from French magazines and websites (see here for more) on Carla Sarkozy-Bruni’s take on David Bowie’s Absolute Beginners. She recorded it for the (DB-management approved) tribute album We Were So Turned On, a double-album with covers from Duran Duran, A Place to Bury Strangers, Warpaint and John Frusciante. (See also here) Some are good, most are so-so. The odd thing for a charity album is the limited availability – you can only buy it in the UK iTunes store (and listen to it on Spotify, worldwide), but webshops outside of the UK don’t sell it. Yet. Now, is that version by Bruni really as bad as the French would like you to think? Have a listen yourself. And be sure to check Keren Ann’s contribution, a wonderful fragile version of Life on Mars?
Carla Bruni – Absolute Beginners
Keren Ann – Life on Mars?
Keren is far from resting. She produced the Emmanuelle Seigner album, wrote for and performed on a soundtrack, did concerts with Bardi Johansson as Lady and Bird and now she is producing the new Sylvie Vartan album. Her own album will be out mid-next year.
And I thought it was just me who thought Keren was resting on her laurels? Certainly her last two English albums haven’t been a patch on her three French oeuvres – then again I’ve only a few albums that are as achingly haunting as “La Biographie de Luka Philipsen”. However, there is a haunting beauty to her cover and I can’t wait to see her in L.A. next year…
I wished I had the same feelings about Keren as at the time when I bought her first record in a used-record-store in Carpentras for one euro about seven or eight years ago. The Bowie cover is good, but that now-fashionable chamber orchestra arrangement is also a bit of a no-risk-taker. actually, it reminds me a bit of Sting’s latest effort. As for Carla, that’s camp for me, nice, schlocky, and for sure forgettable entertainment.
More fun than her last album for sure, but that isn’t much of an effort imho. No sorry, I still think it’s pretty dreadful.
Keren Ann’s version of LOM on the other hand might be a little artsy maybe, but to me it sounds more exciting. An excitement I’d wished I would have felt with Carla’s cover too.
c’mon, maks, c’est le charme discret de la bourgeoisie. and much more fun than her last album.
Who told Carla that she really can sing?
This cover is, besides an easy choice without any risk, redundant. As redundant as Mrs. Sarkozy is in music bussiness these days. (And I hope she proves me wrong very soon.)
Actually, I find the Carla cover quite charming (and Keren’s a bit artsy).
Thx Adrian!