Fabienne Delsol

  • Posted on 27/09/2010
  • /Under Musique

Guestpost! FransS on Fabienne:

“She’s exactly your ‘thing, right?” With that sentence Guuzbourg tried to convince me to write a guest post  on Fabienne Delsol’s new album On my mind. And yes, I have to agree, I love the girly retro sixties jangling sound of Fabienne and her colleagues like April March and Holly Golightly. The big plus: Fabienne  is really French.

Born in Limoges, Fabienne left for the UK around 1995 to become the singer of The Bristols, one of the many UK garage bands of that period. With that band she released two albums before going solo in 2003. As a solo singer she released two albums No Time For Sorrows (2003) and Between You And Me (2007). Both albums were filled with songs in French and English (but with a lovely French accent that gives French singers in English that certain “je ne sais quoi”). Sweet lovely songs that directly reminds you of early British Sixties music (organs!, guitars! melodies!)  and authentic French yé-yé.

On her new album Fabienne Delsol sounds a bit different. Still English and French songs, still a lovely authentic sixties sound, but it is like she moved in time from 1965/66 to 1968/69. Some more psychedelic sounds in the music,  more melancholy in the lyrics. It is all a bit darker, or maybe better a bit more mature. This isn’t a France Gall anymore you could fool with Les Succettes, this is a young woman who already had her share. When her earlier albums were spring and summer albums, with this one Fabienne Delsol has arrived in the autumn. And given the weather outside, On my mind deserves a lot of playing time in the coming months.

Fabienne Delsol – Pas adieu

Claire Keim

  • Posted on 25/09/2010
  • /Under Musique

No shortage of gorgeous French actresses who moonlight as a singer. Claire Keim has an impressive filmography (here), and sang before, for instance en duo with Marc Lavoine (here). The mother of one (and girlfriend of footballeur Bixente Lizarazu) recorded an album that will be released in November. The first single is a pleasent strummer, that fits Claire’s fragile voice. There’s a Francis Cabrel-song on the album, but most songs she wrote all by herself. See the video for ça depend here. Oh, and the next French actress to start a recording career is Mélanie Laurent. Her album will be out next spring.


Claire Keim – ça depend

Lou Doillon

  • Posted on 25/09/2010
  • /Under Video

Jane Birkin’s youngest daughter Lou Doillon in a video for French fashion designer Vanessa Bruno. Shame they did not use French music, though Efterklang is a great band.

Madjo

  • Posted on 22/09/2010
  • /Under Musique

Madjo named herself after two former owners of the house she was raised in,  Madeleine and Joseph. There’s an African bloodline in her family and although she’s from France (Evian), she’s just not that into chansons. She likes dusty rootsrock (Calexico, Iron and Wine), moody electronica (Massive Attack, Anja Garbarek) and the grand dames of soul (Billie, Nina). She made an impression with her first EP, released last year, sporting a Leadbelly cover. On her first album, just out, she sings in French and English, with a voice that reminds me of Yael Naim. The music is a mix of the influences just mentioned, but because of her remarkable voice and the great production (Sebastien Lafargue, who also worked with Valerie Leuilliot), Trapdoor is an album you really would want to hear. Of course I wish she sang in French some more. But, contrary to other French singers, the English songs are as good as the French ones.

Madjo – Cracheur de feu

Stephanie Lapointe

  • Posted on 22/09/2010
  • /Under Musique

Canadian hottie Stephanie Lapointe revisiting Eileen’s French version of These Boots are Made for Walking. You watch the video. You check the mp3, for sale in the Canadian iTunes store. You listen close: the mp3 sounds flat. As badly mastered as the sound in the Youtube-video (the song was done for Canadian tv-show Les Rescapés). There are words for this: Odd. Cheap. Shameful.  Rip-off. All of those word apply. But seeing Steph in a short dress and cowboyboots… so nice. So we’ll let is pass. This time.
Our Canadian correspondent Ralph send great links to other Canadian singers doing Ces bottes. See Dominique Michel, Marie-Mai and Gabrielle Destroismaisons.

Stephanie Lapointe – Ces bottes sont faites pour marcher

5 Years of Filles: Mr. A Balladeer & Mme. Flora Dolores

  • Posted on 20/09/2010
  • /Under Musique

Five years ago, I started blogging about sweet sighing French chanteuses. What I’ve learned so far is that you can go to jail for that. That Google can delete your blog because you post mp3s of artists very few people have heard of. That almost all of those chanteuses are drop dead gorgeous, and if you meet them, they want you to kiss them. On the cheek. Several times. I’ve learned that fans of sweet sighing chanteuses live all over the world. Those fans send nice, appreciative emails. They help you build your blog. They send you fantastic music. They visit your dj-gigs with their mistresses. I’ve learned that blogging about French music costs money. That you forget about that the second Coralie, Carla, Camille or any of the girls opens her mouth. I’ve learned that there are labels and artists out there who love and understand blogs and bloggers.
And I have learned that if you ask nicely, artists are prepared to fulfill your wildest fantasy. They write and record Christmas-songs for you. Or, in the case of Mr A Balladeer and the ultra-charming Mme Flora Dolores, they will record a gorgeous duet, especially for you. And all the readers of your blog.
Joyeux anniversaire!

Mr. A Balladeer & Mme. Flora Dolores – 10 Things to Win You Over (10 façons de te rabaisser)

Credits: recorded and mixed by Arno Dreef. French translation by Natasha Cloutier and Marianne Dissard. Listen to the original version here. Cover made by Wilbert Leering.

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