There can never be enough Javanaise-covers. More cool versions here. Tess is here.
Le A
Le A are a quartet of shoegazy alt-rockers who hail from Bordeaux. The band are Blandine Peis on vocals and synths, the guitars and vocals of Ita Duclair and Emeline Marceau, together with the xy chromosomes of drummer Michaël Martin. Named in homage to the bande dessinée series “Philémon”, the band have recently released a five-track EP full of indie-inspired wondrousness entitled “Pale Echo.”
It’s an EP chock-full of dark and moody indie and alt-rock; pounding percussion and a fusillades of crashing, reverbed guitars that are counterpoised with angelic, honey-dripped vocals and the most soothing of harmonisations. But what makes this EP stand-out is when the band take a genre that is so arguably English in nature and crafted the most incredibly powerful song that is cent-pour-cent French. Magnifique!!!
Sirius Plan
Bruxelles-based, all-female trio Sirius Plan made quite an impression last year with their version of Bashung’s La Nuit Je Mens. Their debut album is about to be released, on first single Du Rose Dans Les Veines the girls sound like an Belgian answer to (the acoustic side of) duo Brigitte: hiphop-influenced, sultry, crystal-clear innovative pop. Which is nice.
See a cool video:
Young Sophie
Mark, our LGS-correspondent, writes:
A young and striking Sophie Huriaux at 32, filmed singing ‘L’amour, ça ne pardonne pas’, has just emerged from the INA Chansons archive.
This acoustic performance on 13 March 2002 of a song on her second album ‘Le Porte-bonheur’ reminds us that she worked her passage to success through the clubs and bars of Paris and why she is as good with a single guitar as with her four-man band of today. The occasion, the late-night TV discussion programme ‘Des mots de minuit’, reflects LGS’s own love of words and ability to play on them in her intriguing lyrics, tricking us with an English-sounding phrase in the first lines:
Ah! t´en verra d´autres ma fille
Des gars puissants avec du sex à pile
Fais attention aux marioles à chaque instant
Te fie pas à leurs bagnioles à leurs diamants
The confidence with which Sophie later dared to take on Barbara’s classic ‘Dis, quand reviendras-tu?’ with only a guitar in her 2009 album ‘Des vagues et des ruisseaux’ can be seen here. LGS discussed her view of ‘Dis, quand reviendras-tu?’ and sang it here.
LGS’s new album, ‘Nos histoires’ is out on 25 September 2015.
Re-Up: Andréanne Alain
‘Comme Une Pluie de Soleil is like a soft feather boa. The song slides up on you, and slowly encapsulates you. It doesn’t take you in a stronghold, but tickles, teases and makes you want to close your eyes, spread your arms, throw your head back and go with the flow of the music.’ That I wrote in 2007 (see?). Because Steve posted a track by Andréanne Martin, I thought back of Andréanne Alain. Today, she’s a vocal coach (link) and doesn’t record any more – as far as I know. Comme Une Pluie de Soleil still is, to me, one of the bestest songs ever posted on this blog. It’s not on Spotify, iTunes or Deezer, not on Youtube, not on Soundcloud or Bandcamp. There’s a bad version on Dailymotion, but that’s it. Such a shame. This track should not be forgotten.
So, because this blog is celebrating it’s 10th birthday in September, here’s a re-up. I will post mp3s of tracks that seem lost some more in the next weeks.
Andreanne Alain – Comme une pluie de soleil
Oeil de Moscou featuring Tess
Yes, that’s a picture of Vanessa Paradis, and no: it’s not Nessa you hear singing on this track. But this track by Dutch producer Oeil de Moscou featuring Tess (we featured ‘m before) sure sounds Paradisian. Sultry, summery, seductive. Mmm.
Lola Dutronic cover Serge Gainsbourg
Lola Dutronic (Richard & Stephanie) recorded several covers in the past years (here! here!), but never a Gainsbourg-reprise. On their new album, they’re righting that wrong with an electro-fied version of Harley Davidson. Whip-like beats, sweet vocals, sexy ad-libs, what more do you want?! Maybe a break-up song that’s titled ‘Go Fuck Yourself’? It’s there as well!
Andréanne Martin
Yet more cool jazz for a hot Montréal summer’s evening!
Singer-songwriter Andréanne Martin is yet another exciting talent to burst out of the vibrant Montréal music scene. Winner in the Auteure-compositeur-interprète category at this year’s Tremplin de Dégelis (other notable winners include both Klô Pelgag and Véronique Bilodeau) as well as a Prix Sodec (from Québec’s Ministry of Culture and Communications’ Société de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles), she has just released her debut single “Je bégaye”, a totally infectious and summery swinging gypsy jazz infused number that you can’t but help tap along to the rhythm of the double-bass and percussion. The song also showcases Andréanne dynamic and distinctive vocals as well as serving as a teaser for her debut EP that is scheduled for release later this autumn.
But there’s far more to Andréanne’s repertoire than Jazz. Head over to her SoundCloud page for some soulful blues, hot funk (and a gorgeous riff) and beguiling chansons…
New Poom video
Camille and Siegfried, aka POOM, do it again, with lesser disco-vibes, more into early Air territory. Loving this whilst sipping on a long drink, overseeing the Mediterranee….
Lyric Video: