A song I've intended to mention for a while here but just have not got round to doing so far is the song Emma by Têtes Raides, featuring Jeanne Moreau.
Têtes Raides have been active since the 1980s, and the track comes from their 2011 album L'an demain.
Their debut album Not Dead But Bien Raides was released in 1989.
While very much in the loose tradition of French chanson, Têtes Raides approach it from the angle of alternative rock. By using recognisably traditional elements to their sound they come up with something that goes beyond the usual frontiers of rock music.
The late-night down at heel latin jazz vibe in this number reminds me of Tindersticks, a band very much influenced by French music.
Jeanne Moreau is of course one of the biggest female figures in French cinema. Along with iconic roles in Nouvelle Vague films like Jules et Jim and Lift to the Scaffold her filmography reads like a history of French cinema in the 20th century and beyond, encompassing the work of some of the greatest directors.
She has also had a career as a singer, although she is less well known outside France for her musical endeavours. In this song she reminds me of Marianne Faithful in her later work, who although of a similar vintage to Moreau, is as equally unafraid of collaborating with musicians from a younger generation.
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