Pauline

Pauline Croze's debut (released this year) almost slipped under my radar. Her folky rock and husky voice are a treat, her lyrics very intense. Le Monde called her, with her fragile frame, her bleak skin "et son visage timide perchée sur un cou gracile", very fit for a role in a film by Erich Rohmer. In this interview, she says: "Je préfère quelque chose d’intense même si cela ne doit pas durer longtemps à une relation tiède et durable" - in short: Pauline wants it all, or nothing at all. She's a fan of The Clash, Joe Jackson and Goran Bregovic, and in the biography on her site you can read that she's been in several bands and worked with fairly big names (Mickey 3D, Miossec), that her album was released on Valentine's Day and that she played on big festivals. Her album was re-released with extra tracks last month - dunno if that Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta-cover was on the first version, but that very slow, almost 9 minutes long version of You're the One that I Want is at first funny, but gradually it gets quite tearful (and loud) - she's wants him, but you're sure she's not gonna get him.
My favourite track of the album is Jeunesse Affamée, I like the way her voice builds and builds. Very melancolic lyrics as well.

Pauline Croze - Jeunesse Affamée
Hear Here

Pauline Croze - You're the One that I Want
Hear Here