Musique

Keren Ann sings Brassens

  • Posted on 13/05/2010
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Georges Brassens in English, now there’s a challenge. His songs and poetryhas been translated, but very seldomly sung in English. Pierre de Gaillande, who has a French father and an American mom, is giving it a try on his album Bad Reputation. Why Brassens in this day ‘n age? Quote from the bio: ‘Brassens had no interest in being fashionable or cool, and yet defined coolness in a way that resonates for de Gaillande in our day and age. For de Gaillande, it boils down to language: “Using proper grammar, good spelling, and eloquent language is subversive and even sexy in this era of Tea-Party talk,” de Gaillande smiles. “That’s part of the mission of this project: to bring back that kind of sexy. I think it’s the hippest thing I’ve ever done. I draw inspiration from Brassens’ attitude: He didn’t care what people thought. He just got the poetry out there. “‘
The music stays close to the original, with the skipping rhythm and acoustic guitar, Pierre’s voice reminds me of Tom Robinson’s – it has the right amount of irony and sarcasm to sing Georges’ songs. On one song he gets help from FillesSourires-heroine Keren Ann, as far as I know the first time KA sings a GB chanson. The full album will be released on June 8.


Pierre de Gaillande & Keren Ann – To Die for Your Ideas

See the original version here.

Claire Diterzi

  • Posted on 10/05/2010
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An album about Marxist heroine Rosa Luxemburg, 90 years after she was murdered in Berlin, set to urban beats and bird noises – yes, you have to be Claire Diterzi to accomplish this. ‘The odd one out’ when it come to les filles fragiles, first was asked to write music for a theatre ‘spectacle’ about the Red Rose, which culminated into a full album; Rosa la rouge. You can read a French interview with Claire and director Marcial Di Fonzo Bo here, where she explains that the thing she wears on her back on the albumcover (and the pic on the right) is a ‘kalash-guitare’. I’m sure Tom Morello of RATM would love to have one too. To be honest I did not know very much about Rosa Luxembourg (read a short bio here) but I understand there was a lot of violence (and imprisonment) in her life. Claire tells in the interview that nature and birds, which explains the bird noises in the songs (soundscapes, really). There’s a genuine waltz on the album, as are urban beats. Luxemburg wanted to touch the masses, Claire explains, that’s why the song Je Touche La Masse (with samples of Rosa’s voice) sounds something MTV might wanna broadcast, including quotes like I got the power.  If you were into Claire’s Tableau de Chasse album (and many of you were), you’re in for a surprise. There are a few songs on the album (like the titletrack, and the very Diterzi-sounding J’étais Je Suis Je Serai) that I really like, but most of the tracks work better on a stage, I guess, than at  home. See a teaser video here.

Claire Diterzi – Rosa la rouge

Marie Warnant

  • Posted on 10/05/2010
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Namur-born beauty Marie Warnant gets help on her second album from none other than Vincent Liben and Benjamin Biolay. The latter wrote La Valse for her, and plays guitar on the track. Liben (who, as we all know, is the singer of Mud Flow AND the genius behind Tout va disparaitre) wrote several tracks together with Marie for Ritournelle, and plays on almost every song. Marie has a pleasant husky voice, though not very remarkable. The acoustic (guitar, piano, drums, some strings) music harms no one. Too few songs really stand out, like the uptempo Vernis Rouge with it’s children’s choir. Biolay’s track has nice details and obviously great melancholic lyrics. Still, I’d love to hear Coralie, or Elodie Frégé sing this track.

Marie Warnant – Vernis rouge
Marie Warnant – La valse

Katel, Jeanne, Catherine, Gilles

  • Posted on 04/05/2010
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So much new music fell on my doormat and in my digital mailbox, I really have to catch-up. Never heard of Katel until FransS send me her second album. She’s a tad goth (which I like) and gets help on her album from Jeanne Cherhal and Nosfell. Which means she likes to rock out, writes smart lyrics and isn’t afraid of a bit of experimenting. The duet with Jeanne reminds me of early Mylene Farmer, and I mean that in a nice way. If  you, like me, love to hear husky French girls sing like they’re being chased by bats out of hell, try Katel.

Gilles Vigneault is a living legend in Quebec, a chansonnier, poet and writer with a big heart for Quebec and music. Recently a duet-album was released, generally speaking never a highlight in ones carreer. The 82-year old Vigneautl gets help from Charles Aznavour (a really touching duet, both old guns are rusty yet they seem to have fun singing), Guy Béart, hiphop-funnymen Loco Locice (godawful) and the gorgeous Catherine Major. Of course, that duet is here.

Katel & Jeanne Cherhal – Chez Escher

Gilles Vigneault & Catherine Major – La danse a Saint-Dilon (see original version here)

Buscemi feat. Viktor Lazlo

  • Posted on 03/05/2010
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Dirk Swartenbroekx, aka the very talented and very friendly dance-maestro Buscemi, made a very nice summerdancetrack together with legendary loungejazz singer Viktor Lazlo (best know for this). The video, with a Citroen DS and an beautiful girl (not Viktor, I think) is eyecandy too.

Buscemi feat. Viktor Lazlo – Couleurs

A propos, this playful French jazzy song by Mina Agossi is in the same vein (atmospherically, not as danceable) as the Buscemi track. I think Dirk could do a nice remix. J’ai fantaisie is a Boby Lapointe song.

Mina Agossi – J’ai fantaisie

Hanin Elias

  • Posted on 03/05/2010
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Yes, Hanin Elias on Filles Sourires. She wrote her first French song, which I liked, and I asked her if I could put the demo (for the song is not finished yet) on my blog. It’s that simple. I remember Hanin Elias from a storming show with Atari Teenage Riot on a Dutch festival – she was a member of Alec Empire’s revolutionary punkgabba-outfit for several years. Never heard of ATR or the Digital  Hardcore family? Crank up your volume and see this, or this. That’s something else, right? Hanin still makes noise, but lives on Tahiti now so singing in French (and singing more fragile) isn’t that odd – but where are the ukelele’s, Hanin? She might turn into a slightly more agressive counterpart of Mareva Galanter, who knows? Listen to more Hanin here. See her on Facebook and Myspace. Labels can contact her manager via chromo-music(a)wanadoo.fr.

Hanin Elias – Je suis à toi

Cecile Hercule

  • Posted on 28/04/2010
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La tête à l’envers by Cecile Hercule could end up as my Album of the Year, come December. It has everything a Filles Sourires-fave should have: husky vocals, gentle music with an edge and a gorgeous girl with an attitude. Discovered Cecile back in 2007 when she singing backup with Tétard (and when she was still answering my emails, ah, the good old days). Last year we heard her on Mickey 3D’s grand album, now he lends a hand on her first solo offering. This duet is sooo sexy, it should come with a parental guidance warning. See Cecile live here, watch her sing a Gainsbourg tune here.

Cecile Hercule & Mickey – La Chance

FS does the classics: Pull Marine

  • Posted on 26/04/2010
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As you know, Serge Gainsbourg was heavily inspired by classical composers. This compilation traces back his sources for several of his strongest songs, if you saw Gainsbourg:Vie Héroique you’ll remember the scene where young Lucien plays the Chopin étude that he borrowed for Jane B.. Though a lot of cheesy ballroom orchestras played Serge’s work and some great jazz musicians reworked his compositions, I knew only a few classicly trained musicians who did the same. There’s Giovianni Mirabassi, and now there is Gaëlle Vandernoot. She recorded a cover of Pull Marine (written for Isabelle Adjani) on her1997-released album Harpe & Divertissements. That also sports a version of Francis Lai lounge-classic Un homme et une femme, plus sonatas and variations by Rosetti and Haendel. On her website you can see that Gaëlle likes to mix high and low culture, she even plays a cover of Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You. If you think the harp is only useful for easy listening, try Dutch talent Lavinia Meyer.

Gaëlle Vandernoot – Pull Marine

Naif

  • Posted on 26/04/2010
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French psycho-rock classic J’aime regarder les filles sung by a blonde Italian dreadlocked girl who got help by Dr Fink (keyboardplayer of Prince’s The Revolution) and master guitarplayer Marc Ribot: that I need to hear! It’s less psyched out then the original version, but Naif‘s cover is a good one. She was born in the north of Italy, near the Mont Blanc and she taught herself to play several instruments.  She recorded an album in Italian, Faits de bruits is part English, part French and part Italian – sometimes all languages are used in one track. Very few songs are as strong as Patrick Coutin’s classic – covering Just a gigolo was a bad move. Herrrrr accent is an acquirrrred taste, but I like it that she really tries to be different. And she’s fun to watch, right?

Naif – J’aime regarder les filles

Peau

  • Posted on 22/04/2010
  • /Under Musique


Remember when we lamented the fall of Emilie Simon, who steered away from delicate electronica to explore how much she could resemble Kate Bush? Rejoice, for a new girl steps up to the plate. Perrine Faillet, who goes by the name of Peau, has made an album that is so exquise, you’d want to wrap it in red velvet and have it insured for an insane amount of money. Yes, there are songs in English but she has such a charming accent you’d never know it. She plays the wurlitzer and guitars herself, Daniel Barlotti is there for the machinery. See her perform here. No, I don’t know what the deal is with the white make-up.

Peau – Sensuelle
Peau – Guerre longue

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