Musique

DYE featuring Angie David

  • Posted on 31/03/2014
  • /Under Musique

This track sounds like an Elli & Jacno cover, it may even be one without me recognising. Anyhoo, DyE is the nom de plume of French producer Juan de Guillebon, who gained notoriety via this extreme video of his track Fantasy. 47 million views, and counting. The new album Cocktail Citron is out on the hip Parisian label Tigersushi. DyE stands for neon-coloured neo-disco – if you’re into Erol Alkan, Joakim, Egyptian Lover (he’s on the new album as well), this is your thing. The title track is sung by one Angie David (this girl?), a song that makes you want to year a hot pink bikini and make l’amour a la plage. Read more here.

Laura Babin

  • Posted on 24/03/2014
  • /Under Musique

Tranquillement is the self-funded debut offering from singer-songwriter Laura Babin and features five contemporary and atmospheric songs that embrace pop as well the country and folk roots of “Americana”, which more than hint at the versatility and talent of this young Québecoise.

Standout tracks are the openner, “Sans sommeil”, a contemporary pop-folk song, but one that takes inspiration from South of the Border. The rhythm, coupled with a deliciously reverbed and muddied electric guitar is reminiscent of both Angel Olsen and Laura Viers, and “Sur La Route”, Laura’s Jack Kerouac moment. Apparently influenced by the long bus journey from Gaspésie to Montréal; the gentle rhythm pleasantly passes away the time until we arrive at the journey’s end.

However, most importantly, the songs serve as an introduction to the clarity, power, range and – yes – seductiveness of Laura’s voice… At times reminiscent of both Marianne Bel and Laurence Hélie (who similarly ploughs that rich seam of Americana from both north and south of the 49th), this is a voice so velvety smooth you’d swear it was molded from finest Swiss chocolate…

Thanks Steve!

Klô Pelgag

  • Posted on 19/03/2014
  • /Under Musique

And another guestpost by David!
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What a pleasant surprise…..a few weeks ago, posting on Grenadine, watching her Marion video, another suggested video was for the work of another Quebec native, Klo Pelgag‘s “Comme des Rames”. Beautiful song, playful smile at the end. Where to begin? Klô Pelgag (an unlikely contraction of her mellifluous born-name Chloe Pelletier-Gagnon) works hard to make art, crafting songs in an effort she describes as creating “landscapes for the blind”.
She has help from her brother, Matthieu (colorful and intricate arrangements), and also from a gang of talented and pretty friends (meaning the young ladies, of course). Perhaps the closest thing I can recall to Klô’s debut album from last year, “L’alchimie des monstres”, blending theater and music, is the work of Amelie-Les-Crayons (amiably described as a “nut”, and said to be very fun to see in concert). While Klô’s music touches dark areas, it never loses its sense of fun – one article draws a comparison to Maurice Sendak. Her voice, at times, reminds me of another Chloe, Chloe Lacasse (who’s second album is due out in a few weeks), and La fièvre des fleurs with its playful hop in range reminded me a bit of Ingrid St-Pierre. Klô’s received a fair amount of positive press – here’s a nice article that provides a bit of background.

Klô and her merry band are now in Europe touring, complete with Madmoizelle video, and their CD has now been released in France. (If you happen to go see them, Klô encourages you to come dressed wild.) “Comme des Rames” and “La fievre des fleurs” are something special, but I enjoy it all. Some of the songs stretched a bit too far for my ear to follow initially, rewarding at second listen, part of the fun as Klô with her friends takes us down an unsuspected path.

Lena Luce

8a45e412a3025Guestpost by David!
‘Once again going through the internet equivalent of the used music racks, I came across an artist I missed. Lena Luce is an old-fashioned style chanteuse, with short skirt, heels, and a smile in her voice. Charming. Her first album, “Metropolitaine”, came out last year, and can be found on Spotify.
Here’s a nice interview from Le Courrier Picard (they liked Lena enough to write about her twice), where they describe the album as organized as a walk through Paris, a walk from old to new, and a bit about growing up. Her training in voice rings clear from the first notes, carrying her tunes with an easy sway, as in Lamarck – Dans le Peau.
Reminds me a bit of a Filles Sourires favorite, Austine, but her voice is perhaps closer to Lisa Portelli’s. Good company on a cold winter’s day.’ Listen to Lena cover Coeur de Pirate (and more) on Soundcloud.

Cléa Vincent

  • Posted on 11/03/2014
  • /Under Musique

Cléa Vincent is ‘France Gall impregnated by Electronic Dance Music-culture’, the ‘Baby Pop of the 10s’ or just ‘young, willing and able’, just like the Minnie Riperton song. She got help from Raphael Léger, of Tahiti 80 fame, and she just released a very, very charming EP with synthified, sun-kissed tracks (sung ‘desafinado’, jus’ like Lio, Isabelle Antena, Elli Medeiros…) that make you long for cocktails, hot summer nights and a dancefloor swarming with coule people. Check out the video, listen to the songs on Bandcamp. But steer clear of that gawdafwul Ace of Base-cover.

Liz van Deuq

Guestpost! Oscar on Liz van Deuq:
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She sings and plays piano: let me introduce Vanessa Dequiedt, a French thirtysomething girl from Orléans. Since 2008 she performs as Liz Van Deuq. She studied piano for fifteen years and has a degree in musicology. Her first album is called ‘Anna-Liz’ and is not released by a big record company. So she is not backed by a lot of money to do large promotion campaigns or make fancy videoclips. Nonetheless last year she did receive a price for independent productions (Prix Autoproduction Secam) and she was picked up by a lot of French radio- and televisonstations. Until somewhere in june she will be touring with her trio through France. Try to catch her if you can. She is very funny on stage and makes beautiful music. Like this song ‘Des Rides’ (Wrinkles) about her grandma. Also very nice: Au conservatoire. More songs on Bandcamp.

Barbara Opsomer (slight return)

  • Posted on 03/03/2014
  • /Under Musique

Barbara_Opsomer_By_Steven_Lyon_9Belgian actress Barbara Opsomer is a beautiful girl. If you’re not convinced by the picture posted here, look at this one. Or this one. In the first linked picture, Barbara wears lingerie. In the second one, she’s topless (without showing it all). Is it sexist to link to those pictures? Anti-feminist? I always considered this blog to be female-appreciative, a way to applaud, laud, honor women in music. Sure, there’s no need to link to, or posts sexy pictures but I think these girls and women weren’t coerced in having those pics taken. I don’t think I’m being sexist when I state that I enjoy beautiful pictures of beautiful girls. But there’s a fine line.
The other day, I received a promo package of Barbara Opsomers pr-guy, containing a condom in a pink Barbara Opsomer-package, a small bottle of wodka, a pin-on button with her face, a picture of an old couple, and a usb-card with pictures of Barbara smoking (posted here) and drinking beer. What’s the message here? Is Opsomer just a fun-loving, outgoing girl with no issues about her sexuality, or is this to emphasive her, dare I say it, slutty side? Jury’s still out.
All of this to promote a very nice acoustic song. Barbara’s in the same pond as Melanie Laurent, kind of the same voice, also an actress, gentle song. A song that, to me, doesn’t need condoms or wodka to draw attention. What do you think?

Barbara Opsomer – Un dimanche en province (wav.file!) CLIP

Chantal Archambault

  • Posted on 25/02/2014
  • /Under Musique

Guestpost! Steve on Chantal (again):

Contemporary French-Canadian folk-pop chanteuse Chantal Archambault has released a new EP, “L’amour ou la soif” (“Love or lust”) this week as a follow-up to last year’s GAMIQ-noimiated album “Les élans.” Featuring five beautiful, intimate, always melodic pop-tinged folk songs, they all share the same effortless charm as her previous compositions; with Chantal’s soft angelic vocals accompanied primarily by just an acoustic guitar or ukulele.

Having said that, this is arguably Chantal’s most consistent work to date. There’s a softer and more sensual side on display, with the songs in the main following a seamless progression from Les élans’ more intimate and introverted moments (for example “Les détours”,”Chambre 16″ and “Nin sibicêc”…)

There’s a noticeably darker reinterpretation of “Les Ivresses”, stripped back to basics and with the sparseness matching the sombre tone – staring at the world through the bottom of a whiskey glass while a recording of legendary American country-blues artist Mississippi John Hurt’s plays in the background – although there’s a twist at the end that perhaps hints of light at the end of even the most darkest of tunnels…

Both “Nouille story” and “La muse ou la proie” are both gorgeously crafted songs that ebb and flow quite deliciously; while “Boire à crédit” finds Chantal, lover, ukulele and Dutch courage seeking solace and strength from one other…

There’s even an up-tempo closer, “Amour asphalte”, which illustrates that Chantal can still turn her hand to writing up-beat pop songs, that has the same immediate and delicious freshness so reminiscent of the poppy “Tomber frêle” off of the album…

This is an EP full of stand-out songs and if you like them to be thoughtful and intelligent, and aren’t afraid to get in touch with your feminine side, is one for you…

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