An interview with yours truly in Dutch free daily-newspaper DAG (final edition) can be seen HERE. Click on the icon right-below to enlarge. English translation in the comments.
SOM has a remarkable live-track by Keren Ann, and a beautiful song by Canadienne Coeur de Pirate.
Abonneren op:
Reacties posten (Atom)
Very cool !
BeantwoordenVerwijderenAny chance of a translation to english?
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI sent Guuz an English translation late last nite. Hope he uses it.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenTrnnslation of DAG article, by JW:
BeantwoordenVerwijderenFrench girls to fall in love with
‘Girls to sigh for’ get their second CD
French girl singers are much more exciting than [BZN’s] Annie Schilder, as journalist Guuz Hoogaarts realized as a teenager. His second selection of songs by these ‘girls to sigh for’ is about to appear. Text by Machiel Rebergen
‘Girls to sigh for’ is what they’re called: the French girl singers who sing their ‘songs of desire,’ as [TV presenter] Matthijs van Nieuwkerk called them, in a moans and whispers. This month a second instalment of the Filles Fragiles CD will be issued – selected by collector and Revu magazine journalist Guuz Hoogaerts.
Should your preference for girls to sigh for be viewed as a mental defect?
‘Let’s call it a fascination. I’ve had it since my teenage years, when I went on French holidays with my parents. In the car they would turn on the radio and I heard women like Muriel Moreno of the Niagara duo. That was a different sound than [Dutch pop group] BZN. Moreno sounded much hotter than Annie Schilder. When my hormones started to kick in, I had a French teacher with exactly the looks you’d hope a French teacher to have. She decisively proved what a sensual language it is.’
Can you describe the genre?
‘Girls to sigh for, a phrase coined by [Dutch novelist] Ronald Giphart is quite accurate. Sensually charged, a sensual sound, sung in whispers. Of course it’s really about screwing, but not too explicitly. There’s a lot more going on textually. They are well-written, beautifully crafted songs.’
Lullabies?
‘No, quite the contrary! Picture candlelight, some wine, drawn curtains, girlfriend by your side. Look, all of these singers are incredibly gorgeous, eh, girls. Its as if they are sitting right next to you. As if they whisper into your ears what they’d like to do to you. Or that you need to comfort them.’
Too bad I don’t speak French.
‘That isn’t a problem. Do you know what’s the subject of Paranoid Park by Radiohead? You don’t need to understand the words to get it.’
They are all girls to fall in love with. That cries out for a DVD.
‘You’re right. But even that doesn’t matter. When you hear them, you already know how they look. You’ll see: if you google for clips, your mental image will prove to be right. Take that for your homework: browsing for clips online.’
And then you suddenly hit upon [veteran Dutch singer] Liesbeth List.
‘Yes. She isn’t your typical girl to sigh for, but the song is. It really is a very pretty song, a Serge Gainsbourg cover. I felt I had to include something Dutch, and something by Gainsbourg. Incidentally, the album also features Leine, a girl singer from Amsterdam.’
And France’s first lady Carla Bruni.
‘Yes, of course, the ultimate example of the girl to sigh for. She sings her florid lyrics with unconcealed lewdness. A strong and extremely charming woman. And I should know, since I’ve met her. By the way, another famous name on the CD is Vanessa Paradis.’
This is the second instalment. Are you a man on a mission?
‘That’s an overstatement. But I do feel we focus excessively on the US and Britain. A three-hour train ride away from here is a beautiful country that produces lots of beautiful things. Why do we so rarely listen to those? Some climate reports claim that the Dutch climate will become like southern France. So let’s prepare ourselves with the music.’
Caption:
The ultimate girl to sigh for: France’s first lady Carla Bruni.
Was your French teacher a bit like this one?
BeantwoordenVerwijderen