Filles Fragiles cd

Whaddaya think? I'm almost as proud when I saw my son for the first time. The cd is out on November 26, it will be sold abroad via various webshops (will let you know later). Cover and the rest of the booklet was designed by Pierre from Peppermoon, the illustration is by Colonel Moutarde. Dutchies: it features a short story by Ronald Giphart, the father of the term 'Zuchtmeisjes' (there is an english translation of that story available).

Oh, and that Chick Habit party, on 11/24 in Amsterdam? Peppermoon will play live (just Iris and Pierre, but nonetheless), the whole band is coming! Woo!

Charlotte, Calexico & Bob

I thought I was well informed on the recording career of Charlotte Gainsbourg, but no. For the soundtrack to Todd Haynes' kind of eccentric movie about Bob Dylan called I'm Not There - with three actors playing Dylan, including Cate Blanchett (see picture) - Charlotte recorded a cover of BD's Just Like a Woman. Together with Calexico who, as you may know, like to record with French women: they did it earlier with Francoiz Breut, Marianne Dissard and Valerie Leulliot. (Thanks to this blog, I heard about it)
Never thought I would ever post a song from Dylan here - I have an ambiguous relation with him. I like his songs, I loathe his singing voice, but I love hearing him talk on his radioshow. Same with Bruce Springsteen - some great songs, but I don't want to hear 'm sung by the Boss.

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Just Like a Woman
Bob Dylan - Just Like a Woman

Soane

Artistes Autoproduit is a section on the Fnacmusic.com site - more and more artists don't rely on major recordcompanies to get their music out there. Take Soane, from Pays de la Loire. She's a very well trained musician (vocals, classic organ) and the songs on her album are arranged and produced very professionally. She has Ariane Moffatt, Clarika and Marthelene in her Top Friends on her Myspace, and those singers are good musical references (although Ariane adds more electronics). She likes to add latin-american influences to her (generally folksy) chansons, ranging from tango to reggae.

Soane - Mes Amants
Soane & Aldebert - C'est Quoi ton Problème

Ninja & Aldo

My quest for great, or completely bonkers coverversions of Je t'aime...moi non plus never ceases - I have over 60 versions now (excluding the ones by Serge). Recently I added a fantastic jazz-version by Italians Aldo Romano (who we remember from his duet with Carla Bruni), Baptiste Trotignon & Rémi Vignolo, who mixed up Valse de Mélodie with Je t'aime. Really good. Finnish supermodel Ninja Sarasolo covered it closer to the original version on her debutalbum I Don't Play Guitars. Pop-bloggers are all gaga for Ninja - musicwise I don't agree, but bodywise, I'm very much in favour.

Aldo Romano, Baptiste Trotignon & Remi Vignolo - Valse de Melody/Je t'aime
Ninja - Je t'aime...moi non plus

Madd for it

"Next!"
"Hello, doc!"
"Jeez! What's wrong with you?! You're shaking all over!"
"I know! I feel like I have an itch I can't scratch!" "And look at the way you're dressed! No offense, but I've never seen you dressed so sharp. Errr...why don't you sit down instead of dancing on the ceiling?"
"It's all because of this, doc."
"Let me see: an album? By The Madd? They're from Rotterdam, right? What's it called: Ongeneeslijk Beat. I thought you were into girls, singing in French only."
"Well, yes. But I love male yeye-music too."
"Let me put it on (...) Omigod! This is serious! This is sooo infectious!"
"Tell me about it!"
"Funny they recorded one song in French. Je Suis Parti was originally done by Magic Mushroom, did you know that? There's a funny video for that song on YouTube."
"Ever since I put Ongeneeslijk Beat on, with that Beatles/Kinks/Nuggets-style garage rock music, my feet are killing me! I just can't stop dancing. Is there a cure?"
"I'm not sure. Try to listen to this, while I look it up in my medical books."
"What is it?"
"It's L'Amour by Dominique A, godfather of La Nouvelle Chanson Française. It's a brilliant live version from his just-released Sur nos forces motrices-album. It's very touching."
"Yes, I know the original version on his Si Je Connais Harry-cd. It has Francoiz Breut on it."
"See, you're getting doe-eyed already."

The Madd - Je Suis Parti
Dominique A - L'Amour
Dominique A - L'Amour (studio version)

Tricot Machine

Great name, Tricot Machine. It's a duo from Canada, who released their 2nd album last spring. Actually, it's a trio: Catherine Leduc, Matthieu Beaumont and Matt's brother Daniel, who writes lyrics. Cat and Matt are a couple. Their music's labeled as folk - I always think of Steeleye Span then, but the couple agrees with it, so there. Piano, guitar, voice and a few effects, for gentle and happy songs. Similar to Alfa Rococo, Dobracaracol and Saule. Songs you'd want to hear lying on your back in the grass. Funny thing: in almost all songs they use one or two English words, as if they did not know the French ones and smuggled in the English. Best song on the most recent album is L'Ours - that comes with a very creative and funny video (click to watch).

Tricot Machine - L'Ours
Tricot Machine - Une histoire de mitaines

Pauline Croze

Jeff Buckley and Wayne Shorter. Both musicians were highly influential on Pauline Croze's new album Un Bruit Qui Court (out November 22). Especially on her voice. She likes the way Buckley uses his voice as an instrument, like a saxophone. The way Wayne Shorter does his soloing (on the sax). A L'Evidence is a song on the new album that was based on a sound she heard from a saxophone. I haven't heard that one yet, but on new single Jour de Foule, you can hear that Buckley-influence very well. Another new song was released earlier on a Les Inrocks-compilation. On Legere she ad-libs a lot. No worries: she's no Mariah.

Pauline Croze - Jour de Foule
Pauline Croze - Legere (Souleve-moi)