DAG

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.

Claire Denamur

Just released on Source (the label that brought us Yelle and Rose) is an EP by Claire Denamur. A young folksinger born out of a Ukrainian mother and a Dutch father, who loves the grand ladies of blues and jazz (Billie, Ella, Nina), Marilyn Monroe and the Beatles. Good references. She opened for Renan Luce, played the Francofolies and she is very funny on stage (see here). Her voice is overstuffed with emotion, listen to this example. Can't wait for a full album (in February).

Claire Denamur - Ah Les Hommes

New stuff and giveaway stuff

The new stuff: I already posted about the new Julien Clerc album, co-produced by B.Biolay, who also co-wrote some songs. There's a superspecial edition of Où s'en vont les avions?, with an extra dvd, postcards and yes, a piece of paper you can fold into an airplane. On this album you find the JC-version of Déranger Les Pierres, a song Julien worte with Carla Bruni, the latter recorded it solo for her album. The duet is here.
Almost together with the fantastic Divinidylle Tour-cd/dvd by Vanessa Paradis (the collector's edition is breathtakingly beautiful), Marie Cherrier (pictured) released her Live at the Cigale-cd. Thanks to Franss, here's a song from that album. The crowd cheers so loud, you almost think it was enhanced.
And finally: 80s child star Elsa Lunghini released her very good new album (no title), featuring songs by Da Silva, but also by my here Dominique A(né). He wrote two songs, the sad Ce Qui N'Existe Pas is the best. See the video for first single Oser here.
And finally, a new song by Barbara Carlotti (thanks SOM), that appears on the album for literary festival Correspondances a Manosques.

The giveaway part: I can give away one regular edition of JC's Où s'ent vont les avions?, a promo edition of Coralie Clement's Toy Store and a regular edition of Elsa Lunghini's new album. What to do? A guestpost, as always (examples here, here, and here). Write a short piece about your favourite French song, sung by a girl, and state which album you want. If you're lucky, I send you the preferred album. Send entries to guuzbourg(a)gmail.com. You can take part if you´ve won before!

Julien Clerc - Deranger les Pierres
Marie Cherrier - Le Café Noir (live)
Barbara Carlotti - Les Italiens
Elsa Lunghini - Ce qui n'existe pas

Mareva Galanter

The new album by Mareva Galanter (out Oct 20) is called Happy Fiu, and features a few songs in English. See the video for Miss U here. You probably feel the same as me when you hear that song: wa'happened to the ukelele-lovin', ex-Miss France who frolicked through the French sixties wearing a very tight dress? Well, she met Britrockband Little Barrie, and made an album with them. She still cites Serge & Jane as her main influences, but the English songs I heard so far weren't as brilliant as, say, her version of Pourqoui Pas Moi. Or the French song (yes, there are French songs on Happy Fiu) posted here.

Mareva Galanter - La Vie d'Artiste

Carla, merci!

'ieperdepipe 'oera, we got permission to put this song on Filles Fragiles 2 ! We thought it could not be done, but we were wrong! Champagne!
(ps: that same song live, with vocals by Melissa Mars, is even hotter)

Manu

I love a rockband with fullblown guitars, and on top of that a fille fragile. Dolly was such a band. Popular in France, but fairly unkown elsewhere. They broke up following the tragic death (carcrash) of bassplayer Mickaël Chamberlin in 2005. Next week, the first soloalbum by Dolly-singer Emmanuelle Monet aka Manu is released. It features guitars, but mostly solid rock songs that show that Manu really has a sweet voice. She takes her foot off the fuzz pedal more than once, mind you. Not every song is a-okay, but single Tes Cicatrices (see here) and albumtrack Cow-Boy are really great.

Manu - Cow-boy

Not a girl, but a tad fragile, is my current French flavour of the week: Toi + Moi by new artist Gregoire. He got a deal 'cause a few thousand donors paid at least ten euros to make his album happen (not via Sellaband, but Mymajorcompany). See clip here. MyMajorCompany do have some filles in their roster, like Joyce Jonathan and Margaux.

Gregoire - Toi + Moi

Birkin vs Pussycat Dolls

Boebis and Cansei de ser me already wrote about this, but I think it's so remarkable that I have to blog about it too: Jane Birkin (and Mickey 3D) are sampled on the new Pussycat Dolls-album. Yes, you read that correctly. What I think about that? I think it's rad! Missy Elliot is on guestvocals - this might be the start of more French music sampling. They used the banjo-melody from Je m'appelle Jane (from Rendez-vous). See Jane sing that song here.

Jane Birkin & Mickey 3D - Je m'appelle Jane
Pussycat Dolls - Whatcha Think About That