Quick giveaway

L'Entredeux by Marianne Dissard, Azul by Helena (Noguerra) and Cinema Enchantée by Marina Celeste (all promo-versions). Want one? Mail me (guuzbourg(a)gmail.com) and get one free!

all are given away.

Gainsbourg update

As said before, Gainsbourg is like God: he's everywhere. Every month, there are new remixes, new covers, new expo's, a movie, etc. On the new, very versatile Le Tour compilation (part 4) by Thomas Bohnet you find Minimatic's Chez Les Ye-Ye's remix, only this time with slightly different (not Serge's) vocals. Still, a dancefloor stormer. Plus a cover of Initials BB, renamed Initials SG, done by Mademoiselle Olivier. A duo who like Serge, comics, James Bond, punk and Alain Chamfort. Nice combo.
Sky send me a fantastic version of Sea, Sex and Sun by Japanese cultstar Mari Natsuki. Seven gorgeous minutes long.
Scanning the blogs I found several remixes, two by Serge songs and a good update of The Operation by Charlotte. Put your dancing shoes on!

Mademoiselle Olivier - Initials SG
Mari Natsuki - Sea, Sex and Sun
Serge & Jane - Je t'aime moi non plus (DJ Apt One edit)
Charlotte Gainsbourg - The Operation (25 hours a day remix)
Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot - Bonnie & Clyde (DJ Apt One edit)

My Brightest Diamond does Piaf (again)

Told you about My Brightest Diamond before, and the EP with the two Piaf-covers that was to be released. Well, it has been released, and turns out there's only one French song on it. The other Piaf-cover, Hymn a l'amour, is in English. So here's Adieu mon coeur (gorgeous version) and from this post, that Padam Padam cover again. See original versions here and here.


My Brightest Diamond - Adieu mon coeur
My Brightest Diamond - Padam padam

Carine Erseng

The story of Carine Erseng starts off pretty standard. She writes songs from a young age, tried her luck in the cafés around St Germain des Pres and played several cabarets. Little by little, she grew more famous. The stages got bigger, her first 'autoproduit' album sold well, and then she bumped into the right person. Who let her play the world famous Olympia, home of Brel, of Piaf, of so many big names. And then she kept bumping into the right people: Michel Boulanger, who worked with Jacques Dutronc, is now her manager. She met with Alain Cluzeau, who worked with Vincent Delerm and Olivia Ruiz. And she formed a great band. Her album La Vitesse Superieure has cabaret-influences, a strong gitane-vibe (Sanseverino is a good reference) and a nostalgic chanson-ending. Retro, yes, but fresh too. Plus, I have a thing for girls with black hair and fiery red lipstick.

Carine Erseng - Les playmates (video)
Carine Erseng - Tu crois que je cours (video)

20//08

I want to make a list of our favourite French albums by filles - so please send your Top Five of albums released by French singing girls, released in 2008, to guuzbourg(a)gmail.com. And please, add a short motivation. Deadline is December 10, after that I will count everyting and publish the Filles Sourires Top Album List 2008.

To give you some inspiration, here's my top 5:
1. Coeur de Pirate - Coeur de Pirate. Young Beatrice from Montreal made an astonishing debut-album, highly emotional as young girls can get, but musically very mature. No matter at what hour I play this, it forces me to listen very closely. Aurgasm still has two mp3s.
2. Berry - Mademoiselle. And there she was, all of a sudden. The girl with the smile in her voice, and the urge to put world-music influences in her great songs. My favourite late-summer-evening record.
3. Francoiz Breut - A L'Avleuglette. Post-rock with a fragile twist. Live, during the Filles Fragiles night in Leiden, Francoiz and Boris were absolutely gorgeous.
4. Marianne Dissard - L'Entredeux. Joey and John from Calexico: merci bien. Thanks for mixing desert rock and mariachi trumpets, thanks for including husky female singers and thanks for inspiring Marianne Dissard (and playing on her record).
5. Loane - Jamais seule. Hotlipped girls sings tender ballads and country-ish uptempo pop songs. One to watch.

Charlotte, Julien, Francis

In addition to the very good Charlotte Gainsbourg news (below), I post this song I recently found. It's Manu by Renaud, sung by Julien Clerc, Charlotte and Francis Cabrel. They did it for the Night of the Proms-ish Les Enfoirés in 2001. Charlotte sounds very much like a young Jane B in this song. Francis Cabrel turns 55 tomorrow (Nov 23), congrats!

Cabrel, Clerc, Gainsbourg - Manu (live)

Emma Daumas

The first time I posted a song by 'manufactured rebel' Emma Daumas, me and Em didn't get a lot of love. At the time (and maybe still) Emma was considered to be some kind of Avril Lavigne. Could be true, but I still like Ailleurs. And I very much like J'suis Conne, the first single from her new album Le Chemin de la Maison. Making a lot of Making Of's for the video might be pushing it a little, the good thing is that she (or her producers) decided to leave the big rocking guitar on the studio floor, and keep this album a lighthearded, acoustic-ish affair. Sunny songs, bit in the vein of Feist, Simone White and the new Anais album. Although Anais is a way better songwriter. That said, Le Chemin contains a couple of solid songs, and is worthy of your love. Really.

Emma Daumas - J'suis conne

Nice to know

Beck has revealed that he is working with actress Charlotte Gainsbourg on her forthcoming album. Beck said that he has been collaborating with the French star in Los Angeles and in her native France on the follow-up to 2006's '5:55'.
"I was supposed to work on her last album but I couldn't get over there," Beck said on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. "Now I'm working on her follow-up record."
Beck's father, David Campbell, was responsible for the string arrangements on 5:55. Gainsbourg also collaborated with Jarvis Cocker, Air and The Divine Comedy on the album. [Via]


See Beck sing with Jane Birkin here.
Hear Beck sample Serge here.


In other news: find a Swedish review for Filles Fragiles 2 here

Caracol

First, there was a duo called DobaCaracol, best known for this hit. Then there was just Carole Facale, aka Caracol (Doba went away for reasons unclear to me), who shares her name with a tango giant (see?), a snail, and a mayan city. Not easy to find her. Unless, ofcourse, you visit this blog and find this link to her Myspace. And her site. And to a song (below), about the most famous Dutch spy, Margaretha Zelle aka Mata Hari. Caracol's album L'arbre aux parfums is a folky affair, with reggae touches and mostly French songs. And although the lyrics are sometimes about the dark side of human beings, I get in a good mood when listening to it.

Caracol - Celle que les hommes pleurent

Anybody out there?

There's something happening here, and what it is ain't exactly clear, to cite a famous popsong. I see a decline in visitors (to zero per day), and it's hard to get on the blog. Please holler if you're still visiting!

Carla Bruni on Letterman

Eleni Mandell

A cross between Hoagy Carmichael and Leonard Cohen; or small, strong coffee with cream and one lump of sugar; or filet mignon and mashed potatoes. Interested? This description is taken from Eleni Mandell's Myspace, and especially the coffee-comparison works for me. Until Natasha told me about Eleni, I'd never heard of her. Turns out she's made several albums, and what I heard so far she has a fine, bit lazy sounding voice and makes well-crafted music. Madeline Peyroux is a good reference. Apparently, she did a punky version of the standard I Love Paris for a burger restaurant. Dis moi au revoir encore is her first French recording, and was released on a vinyl 7" (yay!), backed by another French song. To hear and/or buy that, you have to go here. Hopefully, Eleni will sing some more en français.

Eleni Mandell - Dis moi au revoir encore

New Coralie Clement video

In ander nieuws: Nederlandse en Belgische bezoekers kunnen Filles Fragiles 2 voor 9,99 euro bestellen via Zester (geen verzendkosten!).

Filles Fragiles Night #2

It's Sunday evening now, and me & mrs Guuzbourg are beat. Mrs Guuzbourg said: it feels like it's Ash Wednesday. If you have ever celebrated carnaval in Maastricht, you know what that's like. The Filles Fragiles tour (Amsterdam, Leiden, small reprise in Maastricht) was a magnificent experience, with fantastic music, beautiful musicians and a very appreciative audience. Thanks to everyone who contributed. I have a lot of ideas for next year, keep watching this space.


This picture from Francoiz (by Rob) brings back great memories of a brilliant performance. See more pictures and videos here.

Filles Fragiles Night # 1 (slight return)

Maks wrote a review of the FF Night in Sugar Factory (below).The drawing was made by Henk.

Back in 1963 Nico (Velvet Underground) recorded a brilliant track for a movie called 'Strip-Tease'. The song was written by Serge Gainsbourg.
When entering the Sugar Factory yesterday to be part of the first Filles Fragiles night, it felt as walking into that particular movie as I saw the lady at the stage. A stunning blond beauty, very high-heeled in a tight black dress made her moves: Vanessa Contenay-Quinones, pleased to meet you.
Very well aware of her own appearance she served a pretty tasteful cocktail of seduction, coolness and temptation. Musically with obvious links to the earlier mentioned Velvet Underground and yéyé, but still very authentic and exciting as Vanessa's seductive voice takes you anywhere she wants you to go.

Hardly back on earth and recovered from miss Contenay-Quinones, Iris - leadsinger of Peppermoon - walked up the stage. The girl the words 'fille fragile' seem to be invented for performed a most charming show with her band including beautiful versions of 'Les Petits Miroirs' and 'Nos Ballades'. Although the concert tended to be a little bit too well-behaved, the boys and girl from Paris convinced me with their charme and ability of writing little pearls of songs. In fact the only things that were missing, were feathered wings on the back of angel Iris' remarkable white dress.

Just before they got off the stage, Peppermoons keyboardplayer surprised the audience by announcing someone who wasn't at the bill originally: Erica Buettner. As I understood well she was there with Peppermoon because of her interference with the production of Peppermoons forthcoming album. So why don't play a few songs then?
Buettner conducted herself on acoustic guitar and did three songs. A marvellous version of Marie Laforets 'C'est Julien' to start off with, followed by a cover of Françoise Hardy's La Question. She ended with a song of her own called - how appropriate - 'The Most Fragile Thing'. Buettner did very well, sober but intense. A really fine surprise, although the best was yet to come.

Françoiz Breut, her guitar-player and record player treated the audience with an outstanding performance. The cute freckled fille fragile Breut performed very naturally and played quite some tracks from her forthcoming album 'A L'aveuglette', which - according to her show yesterday - undeniably must become one hell of an album! Her delicate way of singing combined with the non-traditional songs made it a really good experience and amusing to look at as she had to turn on another old 33" record. Breut manages to join skills, passion and talent in her songs and - not unimportant - there were loads of desirable sighs. Let's hope she'll be back for another show as her new album is released. Not to be missed!

A very successfull first FF night in my opinion. There were times I went home in a lesser good mood, to use an understatement.
And yes, I had sweet dreams. Thank you.

Filles Fragiles Night # 1

Last night, when I was about to leave the Sugar Factory, a girl came up to me and said: I want to give you a hug for making this all possible. That was a perfect ending to a perfect night. The tv-show, meeting the supersweet living legend Liesbeth List, the performance skills of Ronald Giphart, that alone was overwhelming. After the tv-show, we all jumped in taxi's to get to Sugar Factory, and to kick off the first of two Filles Fragiles night. Incredible performances: the modern retro-sound of the gorgeous Vanessa Contenay-Quinones, the romantic fairytales of Peppermoon, the very fragile, very intense Erica Buettner (lump in my throat when she played C'est Julien), and the magical soundscapes of Francoiz Breut. No gimmicks, no novelties, just great music. And the best part: today we're doing it again in Leiden! Peppermoon & Erica will also play Maastricht.

This morning, I did the first of my weekly Zuchtmeisje van de week-columns at KX Radio with Jeroen Soer. He played a brandnew track by Vanessa C-Q, whom I described in Dutch daily Het Parool as a gifted with a voice like liquid sugar, an encyclopedic knowledge and a hot chick too. Jeroen wants a doorposter of V. I'll see what I can do!

Vanessa Contenay-Quinones - Pour Quoi Pas

Picture of V taken yesterday by dj Natashka. See more pics here.

King of all media

So, tomorrow I'm doing DWDD (with this guy and this dame), and after that it's off to Sugar Factory for the first edition of Filles Fragiles Live. On Friday we're doing it again in Leiden, but in the morning I will do my first Zuchtmeisje van de Week-column for KX Radio (more on that later). And on Saturday, it's Maastricht.
If I don't see you there, I might see you here:

Adamo & Loane, Olive & Lux

When it rains, it pours: a whole bunch of brandspanking new cd's came my way (thanks Franss); I will share the best songs in the upcoming days. An album I was looking forward to is Le bal des gens biens by Adamo, featuring duets with the dog's bollocks of French pop & rock. Julien Doré, Juliette, Laurent Voulzy (goosebumps when they sing Tombe la Neige), Olivia Ruiz (yes, that song), and lovelies Jeanne Cherhal and Loane. What I've heard so far, out of every chanson speaks a lot of love and respeect for the très sympathique Salvatore, and rightly so.

Adamo & Loane - Amour Perdu

Also real nice is the debut by Olive & moi on the Tot ou Tard label (Delerm, Cherhal, Fersen). His album is getting good reviews, two songs feature Liz de Lux (Benedicte Bourlier). Well-crafted songs, gentle atmosphere. Video here.

Olive et moi - Ile ou elle
Olive et moi - L'Ascenseur

Sandra vs Georges

Georges Brassens is one of the greatest French songwriters ever, but unlike Serge Gainsbourg, not many youngsters seemed to acknowledge that. Until now, that is. We already had young Belgians Suarez do a GB-cover on their debut, and now Sandra Nkake is paying tribute to the pipe-smoking master. On her new album Mansaadi she does a very Camille-like version of La Mauvaise Reputation. Her album features one other French song, that is also very much about vocal power. Sandra is best known for her wonderful smokey-jazzy performances on the still brilliant Ollano-album (written & produced by Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux). A funny thing: when I was in Paris to interview Collin, we ran into Sandra who was sitting outside the cafe and who'd just picked up her new album from the label. I reminded her that she once left a comment on this blog. She may do that again now...

Sandra Nkake - La Mauvaise Reputation
Georges Brassens - La Mauvaise Reputation

FF in Time Out

Click to enlarge:



And don't forget, Peppermoon + Erica Buettner are playing the Maastricht Pesthuys on Saturday November 15, with yours truly dj-ing. Details here.

Anne Pigalle

'A unique, unknown voice, another left turn in an already surreal variety act, getting the best sutdio and production in the world, and all the world as a stage. Once described als if Edith Piaf walked in to the Star Wars bar at Mos Eisley spaceport, Pigalle left ZTT after her first album, headed to LA to work in film, and lives and works in London as a singer, performer and an artist.' This mini-bio was taken from the booklet by the just-released Zang Tumb Tuum Box Set (3cd's, 1 dvd) compiling the legacy of the label that brought us Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Propaganda, Seal, 808State and Art of Noise. And Anne Pigalle, a name that rang a very small bell when she was first mentioned during an interview I had with Stephen Emmer. I checked out several recordings, the nicest being the part French/part English Why does it have to be this way?, released in 1985. See a very 80s video here.

Anne Pigalle - Why Does It Have to be This Way?

Gainsbourg film, cd review

Not everyone is looking forward to the upcoming Gainsbourg-biopic. This Guardian-columnist has a few points, but let's judge until we've actually seen it, aiight?

I am very happy with this ****-review of Filles Fragiles in Dutch daily Het Parool, written by Peter van Brummelen. See right, click to enlarge.

Translation:

Does anyone in France know that a guy who calls himself DJ Guuzbourg is doing for the promotion of French pop in Holland? About time that some French bigshot offers him a big medal at the Amsterdam Maison Descartes for his good work.
Guuzbourg is the one who introduced us to 'zuchtmeisjes', typical French female singers who sigh in a seductive way, but who also whisper beautifully, moan and groan. American singers belt, their French couterparts are keeping it small. The erotic effects are grand.
On Filles Fragiles #2, Guuzbourg let's us indulge in his harem featuring Vanessa Paradis, Carla Bruni (yep, that one), that we 'cheeseheads' know too. The rest is fairly unknown, but sound just as good.
FF#1 learned us that 'zuchtmeisjes' can come from everywhere, not just France. Even in the Dutch polder you'll find some. For instance, Amsterdam's own Leine is joining her French nieces, but the real surprise is L'Anamour from a 1970 album by Liesbeth List. Guuzbourg found this gem on a German vinyl album, and it sounds like it was produced by Gainsbourg himself.

Wouter, Eugene and Mordi were also very, very kind.
And whaddabout this review from Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad (on the left) ?

Anais

A look at the cover again: yes, this must be the same Anais who rocked her audiences with Mon Coeur, Mon Amour. Who parodied Carla Bruni. But The Love Album is something else. Softer, sweeter, more girlie. Produced by Dan the Automator, and with help from American musicians, the music has some latin and Caribbean accents. The atmosphere is more in the vein of the first Camille album. Great songs, very good album. One of the highlights of this year.

Anais - Si J'avais Su Que Notre Amour

Lola Dutronic

Out now: In Berlin, the new (third) album by Lola Dutronic. And the first album of new singer Lola Dee, who is from Berlin. Richard Citroen (the Canadian half of LD) is ofcourse still on board. Lola has a dreamy, super-husky voice that is excellent for the seductive, danceable music of Lola Dutronic. It was recorded in Berlin apartments, and some tracks feature Mike Garson on piano - the guy who plays the piano-solo on Bowie's Alladin Sane. He's also behind the keys on this LD track.

Lola Dutronic - Au Revoir

The Lovers

Everytime I see Marion from The Lovers, I go weak in the knees. Fortunately, I saw her a couple of times the last year, and she was always wearing a very sex red corset. Ofcourse I know she's happy with Fred de Fred (as I am very happy with my own fille fragile), but still. What a woman. And what a band - all of you who did not turn up a few weeks ago for the concert in Amsterdam, you missed one heck of a show. This picture on the right (by Igor F) says it all. Marion is posing wearing nothing more then stockings and a girdle on the cover of the new Lovers-cd, Pardon My French. It features the funny, cheeky songs we all know and love, plus the gorgeous ballade Reverie de Lolita, also featured on Filles Fragiles 2. Near the end they do a very sultry version of a song by The Cure. It reminds me of Nouvelle Vague, only steamier.

The Lovers - The Lovecats
the Cure - The Lovecats

Vanessa Philippe

Idea for a new mix: only tracks by singers named Vanessa. Like Vanessa Paradis, Vanessa Contenay-Quinones, Vanessa Chassaigne. And Vanessa Philippe. Discovered by Maks, this very hotlipped beauty entered a couple of talent shows, had tracks on several comps and now releases an album: La Derive. She likes rock, folk and ballads, and has a very soothing, pleasant voice. See a shaky video of the track below here. Other videos here.

Vanessa Philippe - Hirondelles