French Wishing: Isobel Campbell

Guestpost! Ken on Isobel Campbell:

There is something rather magical and compelling about girls singing in French – maybe it’s just the lure of the exotic, but I think it goes beyond such a simplistic generalization. The appeal of a sweet, fragile voice clearly expressing the emotion welling up from the singer’s heart (love or longing, joy or sadness) is irresistible. I don’t mean to imply that this notion is something unique to French singers, but I do think that the French pop tradition has perfected it and expresses it with graceful elegance. It would be wonderful to hear Alison Krauss, Nanci Griffith, or Susannah Hoffs cover songs from Keren Ann or Emily Loizeau, but my favorite wish would be for Isobel Campbell to record her album Milk White Sheets in its entirety, entirely in French...her voice is so tender and seductive that the result, I’m sure, would be truly sublime – intimate, beautiful, and melancholy.

Just listen to her sing and see if you don’t find yourself French Wishing along with me...sigh.

Isobel Campbell - Beggar, Wiseman, or Thief
EXTRA:
Gentle Waves feat. Isobel Campbell - Evensong (French version) (thanks Wouter)