Alain Bashung: Immortel

 I make no promises, but this blog might be in danger of becoming an Alain Bashung stan blog. 

I recently got a hold of Bashung's Immortel complete studio recordings collection (24 discs!) at a ridiculous price (under £20!) online. Perhaps one of the few advantages of French artists being almost unknown in the UK is the occasional opportunity to pick up items like this at giveaway prices. It's always worth holding on to any vouchers you get at Christmas and checking regularly.

But I digress. I was familiar with some of Bashung's work, and a huge fan of it - albums like Fantaisie Militaire, Bleu Petrole and Play Blessures. Bleu Petrole, in particular, I considered a work of a major artist. But the complete works box gave me a deeper dive, and let me listen to material I was unfamiliar with - as well as material I already knew - in its more complete context.

The box has all his studio albums, including Cantique des Cantiques with his wife Choe Mons. The posthumous collections L'Homme A Tete de Choux and En Amant, two discs of instruments, four of duos and rarities, and a disc each for bonus material from Osez Josephine and Fantaisie Militaire. There's a lot to listen to, and I've still not reached the end of it yet.

Immediate follow-up? I picked up the Bashung Live 1985-2009 at an equally bargain price. 

I may be here some time.