On July 14th, I’m dj-ing in Maastricht (Holland), from 12-19h at the ‘plage’ of Café Sjiek, later on across the street in Café Forum, together with Pat le Ket and Mr Perry. See also this (Dutch) site.
New French Pop Spotify Playlist
If you have a Spotify account, and want to keep up with what’s new in French pop music, go HERE. This playlist features songs that were posted on this blog, plus songs that we could’ve posted but didn’t. Because we can’t post everything. It’s that simple.
Celine Mastrorelli
A favourite past time is to follow the progress of supersweet singer Celine Mastrorelli. She first popped up on our rader in 2008. Every now and then, there’s a new song on her YouTube-channel. Tracks from her upcoming album Elle était une fois. Good songs, sexy songs, husky songs. With Gainsbourgian influences (I mean, watch this!) This week, Robe de Cocktail (video) is out as a single. FS-reader Gary (who keeps track of CM’s activities even more than I do) compared it to “early Loane”, which is apt. Album’s out 21 September. Something to look forward to. Very much. In the meantime, keep us up to date, Celine. Please.
Celine Mastrorelli – Robe de cocktail
Goûts de Luxe
They made just three (vinyl-)singles in the late 80s, they sounded like a French Propaganda, and they made a videoclip that’s unintentionally hilarious (this one). I do wonder if Jacques le Honsec can watch himself in that video without cringing, or using the facepalm. The story behind Gouts de Luxe (yep, two 7-inch singles from Patrick’s stash again, earlier postings here and here) is kinda funny as well: ‘Jacques Le Honsec’s employment in the record industry allowed him to meet producers in Paris. Thus, a contract was signed. But while recording the first single, “Les Yeux de Laura”, Jean-Éric Montfort was unable to record the parts played on guitar. A studio musician, Kamil Rustam, did it. As a result, Montfort decided to refuse promoting the single as he did not play on it and left the group. In the meantime, Marianna Kliska, who had married Jacques le Honsec, replaced the guitarist.” (From Wikipedia, obviously).
From the three singles, the first was a minor hit, the rest hardly dented the hitparade. They never found the success of, say, Niagara. GdL’s hard-driving Dans un autre pays is the best. High-energy, raucous, thunderous. Omaha Beach came with a cover of Visage’s Fade to Grey (probably ’cause the songs are very similar), you can hear/watch that here. If you have a good mp3 of the long version of Les yeux de Laura (remixed by Dimitri from Paris, apparently), please let me know! Got it!
Gouts de Luxe – Les yeux de Laura
Gouts de Luxe – Dans un autre pays
Gouts de Luxe – Omaha beach
EXTRA:
Gouts de Luxe – Les yeux de Laura (long version)
A Bicyclette
Tour de France started yesterday. Usually an opportunity to post a bicycle-mix on this blog (like we did here, and here). It’s a little different this year. If you’re Dutch, you might want to check out the 25 Bestest French Bicycle Songs that FransS and me chose for literary cycling magazine De Muur. Every day during this Tour, website Het is Koers will post one of the tracks. The Spotify-list that goes with it, is here. The pictures was taken from this page.
Elizabeth Anaïs
Another great track from the French 80s, taken from Patrick’s stash (who gave me a whole bunch of great French 80s singles, all sung by filles). Beautiful brunette Elisabeth Anaïs had a Lolita-voice, and wrote songs about great novels by great authors. She admired (or admires, for she is still alive) John Fante, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Rimbaud, and named herself after Henry Miller’s muse. She loved wordplay (one single was called ‘Canaille go with you’), so now wonder she worked with Serge Gainsbourg. She sang Mon père est catholique, apparently a very funny song. You can hear a snippet here , I haven’t been able to find the full track as an mp3. Some singles were released on cd, but they’re hard to find. Which is odd, for they were big hits, Anaïs was a juror in 2002 on French Popstars (a tv-talenthunt) and she sang duets with Sanseverino and a track for a movie. On Wikipedia is her most complete discography, even Bide et Musique is incomplete. See/hear tracks on Youtube here, here and here.
I ripped Toutes les mêmes from vinyl, love those breathy vocals, the funky bassline and those typical 80s soundeffects. Plus it’s a catchy song.
Elisabeth Anaïs – Toutes les mêmes
Jolie Jumper, Lazy Lovers
A Canadian all-girl country & bluegrass trio who call themselves Jolie Jumper – how can you NOT fall for that? The girls sing in French and English, they just released an EP (find it on Bandcamp), they sound wonderful together. Oh, okay, they get some help from a bunch of guys, but it’s mainly Audrey PM, Marie-Claude Paquin and Victoria Lord. Look at this lovely video. They list rockabilly as a musical influence, just like Lazy Lovers, also from Quebec. Amélie is the eyecatcher of this quintet, she looks great in her tight red polka-dotted number on the cover of their second EP, the first on which they sing in French. Find that one on Bandcamp as well.
Lazy Lovers – Comme toi
Jolie Jumper – Comme
Fusée Dorée vs No Ninja Am I
Here’s an idea for every indie-band: have your new single covered by French girls. Or flamboyant rockers. Or folkies. Or…whoever, really. Dutch combo No Ninja Am I (if you follow Christmas-a-Go-Go, you’ll remember ‘m) recorded Better Mistakes, and then thought of asking as many musicians they knew to record their version. Or just a small part. All versions, bits and pieces were edited into one 28 min-long new version. A bit like this version. One of Holland’s best read industry blogs picked up on it. You can hear Emmanuelle from Fusée Dorée (pictured) is singing a great French version of Better Things, on a ‘pastiche’ that has input from Port of Call, Gerhardt, Max Vanremmerden, Channah, Motel Aurora, Marisela, Martijn Buis, Box of Chocolates, RoSm, Joey de la Fuente & No Ninja Am I. You can listen and/or download for free on Bandcamp. In fact, ALL No Ninja Am I music is downloadable for free!
UPDATE: Emmanuelle put her French (solo-)version of Better Mistakes on Soundcloud, also free to download.
Astrid Adler
Look at those lips. That smouldering look. Astrid Adler released, as far as I can tell, two singles in the late eighties. They were never released on cd. Perds Pas Son Temps is the best of those two, it’s synthesized jazz-pop (think Matt Bianco, Blow Monkeys, Swing Out Sister or, from France, Blues Trottoir), but in a husky, Lolita-esque way. I’ve tried looking up more info about Astrid, there’s an Irish artist with the same name but I don’t think it’s the same girl. Somebody put a bunch of videos on a MySpace account, with more songs. This is the video for Perds Pas Ton Temps.
I got the single from FS-reader Patrick, who gave me a whole bunch of French 80s singles by girls like Astrid, expect more of this in the upcoming weeks. If you have more info on Astrid, please let me know.
Astrid Adler – Perds pas ton temps