In november, L’amour fou is released, the new album by French pop icon Françoise Hardy. Not only that, she will debut as a novelist as well this year. Songs on her new album were written by Julien Doré and Calogero. This is the first single. It’s breezy, it’s well arranged, she makes use of her tattered seasoned voice very well.
Françoise Hardy – Pourquoi vous?
Quatre filles. From Toulon respectively PACA, short for région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. The Calamity Sisters are Marion (voix, g.), Laure (voix, g.), Angie (voix), and Amira (percussion). Their self-produced premier album Wakin’ Up is chock-full of irresistible barbershop harmonies – think Andrews Sisters, think Chordettes or Puppini Sisters. Last not least, the album features a highly alluring adaptation of Monsieur Gainsbourg’s La Javanaise, written originally in the early Sixties for Juliette Gréco and covered probably a million times – this one being one of the finest versions in a long, long time, tender, sexy, and with a late nite warm lips denouement that turns fingersnipping effortlessly into a dream you never knew.
Calamity Sisters – La Javanaise
Former Konki Duet member Kumi Okamoto releases a new EP next month. On Soundcloud you can hear the first new track by this Japanese honey-voiced singer
Amazingly, Richard Citroen (head honcho of Lola Dutronic) did NOT include footage of singer Stephanie B. in the original video of Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead. Granted, with clips from music giants like Otis, James, Jim and the like to illustrate the point of the song, one could argue that it’s not really necessary. But then you obviously never saw Stephanie. Michael Des Barres (yep!) stepped in and urged Richard to include the real star of the song:
(By the way, see if you can make out Tina Weymouth in the background choir)
They’re Swedish/Australian, they’re called Miranda and Elektra and The Guardian wrote: ‘They’ve got the flaxen hair and cheekbones of Mariel and Margaux Hemingway in 1978 and they sound like a depressed tATu.’ They’re signed to French dance-label Kitsuné, they have angelic voices, and they’re not afraid to show it:
If you like your filles more discofied, try this remix.
‘Tyger, Tyger, burning bright/In the forests of the night.’ William Blake’s famous poem The Tyger is cited in the first track of Emily Loizeau’s third album, Mothers & Tygers. A very delicate, folky affair with English and French songs. She has a French mamam and an English dad, on her earlier albums she sang both in French and English. At first, she wanted to make an English album. But later on she decided not to go against her bilingual upbringing. Family, the relationship between mothers and daughters and the poetry of William Blake (read to her as a little girl by her grandmother) are recurring themes on this album. Em’s a mom herself, which made her think back of her own childhood and the tiger-like wildness she felt back then. At least, that’s what she says in this interview.
Emily sings two duets, one with Camille, and another (Blake’s The Angel set to music) with Herman Düne’s singer David-Ivar Herman Düne – both work very, very well. Because of Loizeau’s roots, you never cringe when she sings in English, her beautiful, slightly hoarse vocals are set to banjo’s, strings, acoustic guitars and percussion. Lesser leftfield sounds then on her sophpmore album, more restrained. Not the all-out party folk of, say, Mumford and Sons. But more like in earlier single Vol le chagrin des oiseaux.
(thanks Elmar)
Guestpost! Dave on yet another beauty from Quebec: Amelie Veille.
One of the nicer things that can happen on any given day is coming across a new album by a favorite artist who you thought had stopped recording. I think I can be forgiven for thinking this, as Amelie’s last CD, “Un Moment ma Folie”, was from six years ago. Amelie’s on the folk side of rock, a pretty singer-songwriter with girl next door looks (well, I wish she was next door, anyway), a soft voice, and an acoustic guitar. Her first two albums were a bit on the melancholy side, from her own description, but even so most of the songs stay upbeat in tempo. Amelie’s new CD, Mon coeur pour te garder, strikes out in a different direction, light-hearted and fun. (Video here, nice article here) Here are three favorites, one from each of her albums.
Now if only Adrienne Pauly would finally, finally come out with a new album.
Amelie Veille – Mon coeur pour te garder (original here)
Amelie Veille – La main sur le carreau
Amelie Veille – Je voudrais te dire
Aime Mon Amour is the first, horn-driven single from Biolay’s new album. On his YT-channel, you can see several clips of the work in progress. I’m saving a space in my Album top ten of the year. Remember, he’s duetting with Vanessa Paradis on this new album, and Julia Stone, Orelsan and former Libertines-singer Carl Barat are also present.
Benjamin Biolay – Aime mon amour