tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66987397302214180622024-03-14T13:03:17.057+00:00vive le roqJohn Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.comBlogger2098125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-9102654635289887242024-01-08T17:28:00.002+00:002024-01-08T17:28:43.342+00:00Christine and the Queens - Stayin' Alive! <p>An electronic version of the disco classic <i>Stayin’
Alive</i> sees Christine and the Queens start 2024 in style. Safe to say the Bee
Gees song is totally owned by Héloïse Letissier and friends.</p>
<p>The drama
plays out on the streets and canals of Venice, a place no stranger to masked
theatricality, in a video that Chris directed.</p>
<p>It perhaps
marks the turning of a page. 2023 saw the release of his <i>Paranoïa, Angels, True Love </i>album, an ambitious collection of work
that might not have had the commercial success of earlier releases, but certainly
made up for it in artistry. The year also saw performances including Coachella
and Rock en Seine festivals as part of a world tour, but also the cancellation
of the end of that tour.</p>
<p>It’s not the
first time Christine and the Queens have dropped a jaw-dropping cover version, think
of their version of <i>Paradis perdus </i>on
<i>Chaleur Humaine </i>or <i>Freedom ’90 </i>on the<i> Joseph </i>EP.</p><p>I wouldn't be surprised if some found <i>Paranoïa, Angels, True Love </i>a bit too challenging, but it's a rewarding and rich album and one that will be looked back on favourably. But for those who didn't quite get the album when it came out, this new release will remind tem exactly why Christine remains an essential artist.</p><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/nlIYME8iQ1Y?si=Ultku3SbyxT1M_2F" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-29148895285349613902024-01-03T18:20:00.003+00:002024-01-03T18:20:42.837+00:00Slimane: Mon Amour live at the Arc de Triomphe<p> A landmark performance from Slimane on New Year's Eve in Paris, with a version of the song <i>Mon Amour </i>live from the Champs-Elysées in the heart of Paris for La Grande Soirée du 31 de Paris on France 2.</p><p>The song will be France's entry into this year's Eurovision, with Slimane performing the track in Malmo in May. It's always a bold move when a country puts forward an established artist to represent them in the competition, as a poor showing might reflect badly on their career. </p><p>But equally an artist who already has an international following is also more likely to gather votes from other countries familiar with his output. However he does, the song's a strong enough one to win over new fans and Slimane's a big enough star to be undiminished if he's not the winner. 2024 looks like it will be a big year for the former winner of The Voice in 2016 and this is just another event in what looks like a key year for his career.</p><p>It will be better than the UK's entry that's for sure.</p><p>As for Slimane, he's off on tour across France and beyond for most of 2024 supporting his <i>Chroniques d'un Cupidon</i> album from 2022 - a number-one album in France that produced the singles <i>Des Milliers de je t'aime, </i><i>La Recette</i> and <i>Chez Toi. </i>He's at the Accor Arena in Paris on March 1 although it's already sold out like many of the dates have. Another show's been added there on January 8 2025 regardless of Eurovision success or failure.</p><p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/i9kferMKIWI?si=7Of8WU_5MLfP0W1k" width="480"></iframe></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-73643139308887814042024-01-02T14:51:00.000+00:002024-01-02T14:51:11.708+00:00Beauregard Festival 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb__WODxpj7f1klgtBFQ5wzcxzVmCI7whLXfGZLlF4jACfMok-HD6PlQHhbQp2R7RbKakLeO03YHWwy50wRMWVxlLIf7tekFNMfQXW9hnkMM5FeL874UrXxRTP3mIxQNhhAg6d6QrJZfTL9OrWPi57xhj4yRV4kavgY_MvgJnBYyoUBpxNuEN5lWguTuGw/s1080/beauregard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb__WODxpj7f1klgtBFQ5wzcxzVmCI7whLXfGZLlF4jACfMok-HD6PlQHhbQp2R7RbKakLeO03YHWwy50wRMWVxlLIf7tekFNMfQXW9hnkMM5FeL874UrXxRTP3mIxQNhhAg6d6QrJZfTL9OrWPi57xhj4yRV4kavgY_MvgJnBYyoUBpxNuEN5lWguTuGw/s320/beauregard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Over the holidays we had details released of the lineup for the 2024 Beauregard festival in Normany in July, with some very interesting names on the bill.<p></p><p>While anglophone acts like Massive Attack, LCD Soundsystem and Bring Me The Horizon are big names that grab the headlines, there's much more than just that going on, with a strong representation of French home-grown acts.</p><p>Rappers Bigflo and Oli are probably the biggest commercial concerns, but the likes of Etienne Daho, Yodelice and Veronique Sanson broaden the range of acts and styles on offer. Etienne De Crecy teams up with Boombass, formerly of electronic legends Cassius, and L'Imperatrice is one act we've featured here in the past that's gone on to well-deserved success.</p><p>We're particularly excited to see Justice make an appearance and can't wait for their new studio album that's expected this spring, their first in seven years. A snippet was previewed by the band in their New Year message.</p><p>As always, France is home to some of the best music festivals in Europe. Events like Beauregard fill the summer months across the country, with some of the biggest names internationally as well as French acts playing to massive audiences. </p><p>We'll have more details throughout the year.</p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-13535334422115607482024-01-02T14:27:00.004+00:002024-01-02T14:27:54.491+00:00Welcome to 2024<p> So it's suddenly 2024. We managed a few posts last year, but looking ahead with our New Year </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCumwNxPUJT8Y0AS6_5zVgAsEvek1R0qZx4FKpuxatrgwXcOwfVAuyLiDTOY8d3fVspmdAFXUN14oTCJTRxu7nyf_wHtp7wZHhuyWBwNKyPRO9p4yhU9oDmAXZgHUWeWsAsPneHV6SSCmoefg1zil1oUCADHO_pjsUdnguyTDD0Y-mh52hdY76P6oYR3d/s392/serge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="302" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCumwNxPUJT8Y0AS6_5zVgAsEvek1R0qZx4FKpuxatrgwXcOwfVAuyLiDTOY8d3fVspmdAFXUN14oTCJTRxu7nyf_wHtp7wZHhuyWBwNKyPRO9p4yhU9oDmAXZgHUWeWsAsPneHV6SSCmoefg1zil1oUCADHO_pjsUdnguyTDD0Y-mh52hdY76P6oYR3d/s320/serge.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>resolutions hat on, we're aiming for a bit more over the next 12 months. Can we do it? We'll certainly try.<p></p><p>There are a few other projects in development this year on the book front, that will hopefully bear fruit before the summer and possibly again later in the year. Obviously, we'll let you know when things shape up.</p><p>In the meantime, there's a mountain of festive cheese that won't eat itself, some strange drinks that need to be finished off and it's still officially a holiday here in Scotland on January 2. </p><p>It's been good to concentrate on more lengthy pieces in the past few months rather than just focusing on French music news as new things emerge, I'll aim to do a bit of both. </p><p>Meanwhile, it's an interesting year ahead, with Paris coming under international attention with the Olympics over the summer. Hopefully, this will mean some French music acts get a bit more international attention than usual. There's more than Gainsbourg, Hallyday and Eurovision - not that there;'s anything particularly wrong with these of course - and we'll be across as much of it as we possibly can.</p><p>I'm also aiming to spread the word about what we do here and hopefully establish this site a bit better. The old Blogger template was fine in the olden days (yes, we've been going that long!) but it might be time to finally look at a refresh. You'll know it when you see it...</p><p>I'll get the ball rolling and see where it ends up.</p><p><br /></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-20092864175759055052023-12-06T16:36:00.004+00:002023-12-06T16:36:50.476+00:00Shane MacGowan and Alan Stivell<p> There have been plenty of obituaries for Shane MacGowan over recent days, some good, some bad. All giving him the credit he deserved and probably could have heard more of during his career. </p><p>I saw The Pogues live a couple of times, and when living in Paris in the 90s was friendly with a mainly Irish crowd, for whom The Pogues - by then separated from MacGwan who was forging a career as a solo artist- were a landmark of recent Irish musical culture.</p><p>It was during these years that MacGowan would work with Alan Stivell, a French musician who was always ready to celebrate the celtic connections between Brittany, Ireland, and the other celtic nations.</p><p>Shane MacGowan appeared on two tracks on Stivell's <i>Again</i> album, a collection that saw him revisit earlier work, this time in collaboration with other artists. Three tracks featured MagGowan, <i>Tri Martelot, </i><i>Suite Sudarmoricaine </i>and <i>The Foggy Dew.</i></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/3pOIeLOE4tw?si=KXeKDLbO05LgDB70" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3pOIeLOE4tw/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></p><p>Many artists who worked with MacGown or who knew him have paid tribute to his unique talent, Stivell among them. </p><p>He wrote: "<i>It was a great gift he gave me, and for me a tip of the hat to these punk musicians to whom we owe their participation in a new Celtic wave that was about to emerge. </i></p><p><i>"His iconoclastic way of interpreting Irish songs, the opposite of an almost classical polished approach, seduced me like many people." </i></p><p>They worked together shortly after MacGowan parted from The Pogues, the collaboration probably being a welcome opportunity for him in what was no doubt an uncertain time. </p><p>If it's a footnote to an extraordinary career and the life of a unique artist, it's a worthy one.</p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/M6gGXMBJX-o?si=_nLGervciawhU01o" width="480"></iframe></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-42350945567252855442023-12-05T11:52:00.000+00:002023-12-05T11:52:29.109+00:00David Hallyday sings Johnny Hallyday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ws6h25sXUXAr9BUABJB7Cy0UuiJ8CGfqf9EKcsCi4SFlVY5GFJ86x0I7nFGYsbLMCIh8EVDMStbdEV8qr7YqaxwdlldxDhsEDpQpTUTkRfXTb9zimr5j5KdeM4U21wWUnoiKf7vkTSkWOP7jCj-2F8W0E5pFBftjju1oHILLdLiZvhpDNNaXQn0KbqvR/s2048/hallyday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ws6h25sXUXAr9BUABJB7Cy0UuiJ8CGfqf9EKcsCi4SFlVY5GFJ86x0I7nFGYsbLMCIh8EVDMStbdEV8qr7YqaxwdlldxDhsEDpQpTUTkRfXTb9zimr5j5KdeM4U21wWUnoiKf7vkTSkWOP7jCj-2F8W0E5pFBftjju1oHILLdLiZvhpDNNaXQn0KbqvR/w200-h200/hallyday.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />With
the previously unreleased track <i>Un Cri, </i>the
collection of later years' songs <i>Made in Rock‘n’Roll,</i> and a major exhibition opening in Paris later this month, Johnny Hallyday’s presence in French music remains a towering one despite his death six years ago today.<p></p>
<p>There’s not been an artist since who has come close to filling the space he occupied, and while posthumous releases, repackages and live recordings have fed the
demand for new material, there’s not been any heir to his throne. Maybe now it’s time, and maybe the successor to Le Roi is the obvious one after all. Six years is, after all, a decent enough time for things to move on, for Johnny’s legacy to be celebrated and to continue.</p><p>David Hallyday's website makes the unambiguous claim: "Only one man can claim the legitimacy and talent to re-light the fire on stage and pit the name “Hallyday” back in the hearts of millions of fans."</p><div>Step forward the son of Johnny Hallyday and the equally legendary Sylvie Vartan, with a cover of one of his father’s best-loved songs and the confirmation of a major tour by Hallyday (Jr) next year, preceded by an album of covers of Hallyday (Sr)’s songs.</div><p>If there’s any question of whether or not David Halliday has the right to this kind of project, it’s worth remembering his involvement in Johnny’s 1999 <i>Sang Pour Sang</i> album, arguably one of Johnny’s finest later collections. David Halliday co-wrote every song on it, from some of Johnny’s best-know later works like the title track, <i>Vivre Pour le Meilleur</i> and <i>Un Jour Viendra</i>, as well as lesser-known classics like <i>Quelques Cris.</i> Johnny Hallyday’s discography can be an intimidating one that’s difficult to approach on account not only of its size but also of the occasional lapses in quality that often plagued his work, but <i>Sang Pour
Sang </i>is beyond reproach.</p>
<p>David Hallyday has a long-established career as a singer stretching back to the mid-80s, his first album <i>True Cool</i> emerging in 1988. He’s sustained that career since, his most recent <i>album Imagine Un Monde </i>released in 2020. While there’s no denying that his heritage may have opened a few doors for him early in his career, his success has been largely on his own terms. Few other offspring of household-name musicians have enjoyed careers as long as David Hallyday has done.</p>
<p>Earlier this year he unveiled the song <i>Le Plus Heureux des Hommes </i>as a homage to his father, the song one he had originally written for his father to perform. The original plan was for this and other songs he had written for an abandoned follow-up to <i>Sang Pour Sang </i>to be included on David Hallyday’s next album, but the
project subsequently evolved into an album of covers of well-known Johnny Hallyday numbers rather than ones that were left on the shelf.</p>
<p>The new version of <i>Requiem Pour un Fou </i>is lightly updated with a modern electronic flavour, but at its heart doesn’t stray far from the original. It’s made
clear that David has a voice that, albeit very different from his father, can carry the song. No small task with one of Johnny’s best-known power ballads.</p>
<p>David Hallyday’s album, also titled <i>Requiem Pour un Fou</i>is expected sometime in 2024, and a tour will take place in November and December. A
date in Paris at the Dôme de Paris - Palais des Sports is scheduled for November 12 2024. It’s a venue his father knew well, with numerous live albums
recorded there over his career. </p><p>If there’s to be a new chapter in the Hallyday
story to be written, David Hallyday is more qualified than anyone else to
author it.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/cu8Kcshg4nE?si=l4dhJNDbeHdYYRN0" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-88186470127518228582023-12-04T16:34:00.001+00:002023-12-04T16:34:10.560+00:00Gwendoline: Conspire<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvXxSB8fX9l_wUR1d1LdunmsjIZuXI8JQctasZXeHLL3JdzdrU4dnZvCFJQSf9vpYJ_TydYIwAmEImcpfe_VVzF_Y-V0S6fPPF7Vi7AE-HPsVaMcsvORNuBvMhxn9yMhvmtNuH03d8V2fX2PcXWQQ8H4-r6qFc4-Vv8lR-2JO_GO94B4gPIXBiatBIjTY/s522/conspire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="520" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvXxSB8fX9l_wUR1d1LdunmsjIZuXI8JQctasZXeHLL3JdzdrU4dnZvCFJQSf9vpYJ_TydYIwAmEImcpfe_VVzF_Y-V0S6fPPF7Vi7AE-HPsVaMcsvORNuBvMhxn9yMhvmtNuH03d8V2fX2PcXWQQ8H4-r6qFc4-Vv8lR-2JO_GO94B4gPIXBiatBIjTY/w199-h200/conspire.jpg" width="199" /></a>A quick summing up of where we are at the end of 2023 and
where we might be going in 2024 from Gwendoline.</p><p></p>
<p>The track comes from the forthcoming second album <i>C'est à moi ça </i>from the Breton duo of Pierre
Barrett and Mickaël Olivette, a piece where cold wave synths collide with a dispassionate
narration and a punk attitude, irony and
anger. They describe it as a “Gloomy inventory and review of the setbacks of a
kamikaze humanity which seems to be heading straight towards catastrophe.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Meanwhile, the video - a whirlwind of images that bears
repeated watching in case you missed anything, manages to look simultaneously
like a slickly produced marketing campaign and a hand-made video collage made from
flicking through cable TV channels.</p>
<p>The notes on the video contents make a pretty detailed read: </p>
<p><i>Millitary parade at
the Kremlin, military parade in North Korea, 14<sup>th</sup> July military
parade, influencers in Dubai, abattoirs, Amazon deforestation, self-defence
classes, Patrick and Isabelle Balkany (Former mayor of Levallois-Perret who was
sentenced to four years in prison for tax evasion),
the CRS (French riot police) in Burger King, champagne in a night club, rich
people in Courcheval, the CRS in the Jungle camp in Calais, the CRS with the Gilets
Jaunes, military parade in China, the G7, security guards in France, the war in
Iraq, Americans and pollution, pollution in India, the worst prisons in America,
the Ku Klux Klan, America’s passion for firearms, women in Saudi Arabia, the Le
Pen/Darmanin debate, Black Friday in France, England and the USA, fights
outside night clubs, jet skis and yachts, Russians fighting, Donal Trumo
visiting the Queen of England, Altice (French media/communications company) on
the stock market, boat party, Cop 27, famine in Africa, Palestine, Didier
Lallement (politician and former Paris Chief of Police) , Syria, refugees on
the Turkish border, the CRS, (former Prime Minister) François Fillon</i></p>
<p>Gwendoline’s debut LP <i>Après C’est Gobelet! </i>was released in 2020 and re-issued two years
later, with<i> Saint-Valentin</i> released as a stand-alone track in February
this year.</p>
<p><i>C'est à moi ça </i>is
released on March 1 2024. Keep a note of it for your album of the year list for this time next year.</p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/v5OZp_Y5pdw?si=ukmwqCwbR-83Txnq" width="480"></iframe>
John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-16342725616645381542023-10-24T17:27:00.002+01:002023-10-24T17:27:31.768+01:00Jane Birkin: Oh! pardon tu dormais... Le live <p> A final release from the much-missed Jane Birkin, with a double CD
and DVD <i>Oh! pardon tu dormais... Le Live</i> released next month.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She had been scheduled to return to live performances in Paris
last summer at L’Olympia and La Cigale, but her shows were cancelled for health
reasons. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Birkin died in her Paris home in July last year aged 76. Few have ever
achieved the kind of iconic status she attained.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Her last album <i>Oh! Pardon tu Dormais</i> was released in 2020, the documentary <i>Jane by Charlotte, </i>directed by her
daughter, came out the following year.</p><p>The new release documents a live show that followed the release of her last studio album.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_dfyNsTIvJIDn0tMs-Qj1JUIGvH9ppYmPZhkkrWlb7KfBrGS7JdQh8zxC44PPJYLQCsR7KEFLymMweoczMF5IpewvU3m9Sa_4nLk9Kem2VduJgbOlKUCySX26p-fLqrQRshyphenhyphenxvGSVzqCgb9MqcFgQnzCpiN_tm6byrh5WbtsAl2TnGn5jzopYgeaeDO3/s843/jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_dfyNsTIvJIDn0tMs-Qj1JUIGvH9ppYmPZhkkrWlb7KfBrGS7JdQh8zxC44PPJYLQCsR7KEFLymMweoczMF5IpewvU3m9Sa_4nLk9Kem2VduJgbOlKUCySX26p-fLqrQRshyphenhyphenxvGSVzqCgb9MqcFgQnzCpiN_tm6byrh5WbtsAl2TnGn5jzopYgeaeDO3/s320/jane.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-52249928695804140102023-10-24T16:36:00.004+01:002023-10-24T16:39:04.430+01:00FFF - Les Magazines<p> A return for French act FFF with their first album in 23
years expected at the end of November.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivbxadX9VtVUnFJLsA2c4f_KJMp9wnMdh-znMw5m9ZimS5RIw1x5hJ51ntu9xgutTG0HCKGyWbASXa6iT1k8dRY4SWsvHDdbREZ-Q_rMq0fvpHuli-28Otb2h-sOzq1yRBk2DeRHQDAlrq560y2r890WJFrdC3TPx66XGEgkPiDjsjWnLmj2DaQqLoqRP/s1440/fff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivbxadX9VtVUnFJLsA2c4f_KJMp9wnMdh-znMw5m9ZimS5RIw1x5hJ51ntu9xgutTG0HCKGyWbASXa6iT1k8dRY4SWsvHDdbREZ-Q_rMq0fvpHuli-28Otb2h-sOzq1yRBk2DeRHQDAlrq560y2r890WJFrdC3TPx66XGEgkPiDjsjWnLmj2DaQqLoqRP/w200-h200/fff.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p>FFF were huge in the ‘90s, their self-titled album and singles
<i>Barbès </i>and <i>Le Pire et le Meilleur</i> making
a massive impact, the band picking up a Victoire de la Musique award
in ’97. They called a halt in 2001, their most recent album until now <i>Vierge </i>coming out the
previous year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Marco Prince had been a judge on the TV music show <i>Nouvelle Star,</i> while Yarol Poupaud played
guitar with Johnny Hallyday, so they weren’t by any means idle over the years.<span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #282828; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There has been the occasional tour, and single in 2017, but
finally, a ten-track album <i>I Scream</i> is due for release next month. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The track <i>Les Magazines</i> has emerged to herald its arrival.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, there will be a tour in March and April next
year, with eight shows confirmed so far, with the first date in La Rochelle on
March 15 before going on to Nantes, La Roche sur Yon, St Lo., Istres, Montpellier,
St Etienne and the Olympia in Paris on April 3. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-hYUGsXe7aM" width="320" youtube-src-id="-hYUGsXe7aM"></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-47161799850068732272023-10-20T16:51:00.003+01:002023-10-20T16:57:36.832+01:00Taste: their new EP<p>W-a-y back in January this year I featured the track <i>Bang Bang Bang</i> by Taste, looking forward
to their</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6jyMif1YUFdt99oy30TRWnTVXnVv0kGDveqBKnacXi3iVgTIxx2zsmtI6eb9NI1-eQ1SXdsfOZEf_cj_I_82pmeAA3ILQbyKkI0VMTSr-1pRP_dZbMdpvYbI2XV9VnsOWUoRKyCQ_CrbYspbYwxGiqwAtuBtBaZuefA5M2_nBX8sUssa-sCP7UwPXc8P/s843/taste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="843" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6jyMif1YUFdt99oy30TRWnTVXnVv0kGDveqBKnacXi3iVgTIxx2zsmtI6eb9NI1-eQ1SXdsfOZEf_cj_I_82pmeAA3ILQbyKkI0VMTSr-1pRP_dZbMdpvYbI2XV9VnsOWUoRKyCQ_CrbYspbYwxGiqwAtuBtBaZuefA5M2_nBX8sUssa-sCP7UwPXc8P/w200-h200/taste.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>first release in February.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, in our absence Taste have been busy and delivered the
goods. The <i>Taste</i> EP emerged in
February, with both <i>Bang Bang Bang </i>and
its predecessor <i>Shame Game </i>along with
three other tracks<i> </i>hitting like
Depeche Mode fronted by Nick Cave let loose in a late ‘70s Berlin studio with some
of Kraftwerk’s leftover kit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Taste consists of La Mverte and Yan Wagner, both names you
should know for their dark electronica, reinforced with Guillaume Marnez and
Marc FKClub.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They’ve now delivered another EP, the charmingly titled four-track <i>Pants Shitters</i> that includes
both <i>Pile of Guilt</i> and <i>Walking Home</i>, two tracks released over
the past few months.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There’s something of the late ‘70s Bowie and Iggy Pop cool here,
with a dark menace not too far below the surface. It’s sophisticated and
polished, but at the same time unsettling, in the best possible way. It should be blasting out the speakers in the early hours of the morning through the dry ice of a haunted nightclub<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, the recycling of ‘50s American imagery is a
simple but effective way of juxtaposing the horrors, real and imaginary, of
society alongside the stylishly fantasized version. It may be retro, but it’s more
relevant than ever.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Taste’s good for sure.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wydIw_BuTNk" width="320" youtube-src-id="wydIw_BuTNk"></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-73735679581517984442023-10-20T10:17:00.000+01:002023-10-20T10:17:21.001+01:00Indolore: Way Home<p>Here's something pretty good.</p><p>A new single from Indolore released last week hit s a sweet spot, marking the artist's return to his native Paris from his adventure in Nashville earlier this year that produced the <i>Nashville </i>EP.</p><p>He's back on home turf for his forthcoming <i>Paris </i>EP, <i>Way Home </i>the first track to emerge,</p><p>There's no shortage of songs about Paris, but this one avoids the clichés and taps into a more universal and relatable situation. While a homage to the city, it also speaks of the realisation of who you are, where you need to be, and why you need to be there. It might be a simple song, but it carries some weight and carries it with ease.</p><p>And yes, maybe the cover image of him walking in a corner of Paris I have walked many times makes it seem all the more personal.</p><p>In bleak days like this, a bit of optimism is always welcome, and this hits like a ray of sunshine on a grey day. </p><p>Like any visitor with an exceptional guide, I'm looking forward to exploring the rest of <i>Paris.</i></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OZ0gxwZzBhg" width="320" youtube-src-id="OZ0gxwZzBhg"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-5308523084738374312023-10-19T17:35:00.006+01:002023-10-20T09:16:19.737+01:00Palestine, Israel, Zebda and Une Vie de Moins<p>There have been plenty of hot takes and opinions about the horror that's been unfolding in Israel and Palestine. No one's really been waiting for mine. </p><p>But needless to say, a massacre at a music festival was one of the most sickening acts of terrorism in recent years. Like the assault on the Bataclan or on Charlie Hebdo, this felt closer than it was. If hte victims were not people I know, they were certainly the kind of people I know. A friend would go to Tel Aviv to go clubbing, close family have been in Israel and Palestine several times. People I know will have family and friends there, on either side of the security fence. The world is a smaller place now than it ever was.</p><p>And so the second chapter begins; the war on Gaza. I have no doubt that Israelis have the right to live in peace and security, as we all do. And those responsible for the terrorist atrocity deserve to be punished. </p><p>But the deaths of the innocent shame us all. The only side we should back unequivocably in a conflict is the side of humanity. </p><p>Perhaps the Russian invasion of Ukraine unleashed the idea that absolute barbarism is now an acceptable face of conflict. It's not and it never will be. </p><p>Zebda released Une Vie de Moins in 2012, a song telling the story of a young life in Gaza. At the time it provoked the anger of the Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France, who said it promoted hatred toward Israel, but it gives no credit to extremists and doesn't defend the likes of Hamas. </p><p>Instead, it focuses on the life lived by young people in Palestine, from their point of view, where wanting a peaceful existence and wanting to leave isn't an option as the conflict too often comes to them with fatal consequences.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fDGR_1gYFtM" width="320" youtube-src-id="fDGR_1gYFtM"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-12338450770336982402023-10-19T17:12:00.003+01:002023-10-19T17:12:53.281+01:00Silmarils: Welcome to America (and welcome back!)<p>Digging through a box of old CDs
recently, I came across a copy of the debut album by Silmarils, a</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvVNurthftCCgXPnn_M3gZ_Pf_1wXrVtFtUPQdpuPASU-HnBb8oSzaJ3dlPPofEuEh4eJZivVH9GXWYJvSbAER-npsB44hXLw7Dqhbfp5Iu12IEV4KjE01hvGZO1-ond6K2n0OsKFTPerr00K6uCWibaiPMiiRoJBzAYkR5XTdycU8M3nzn1QxhmTmrx1/s599/R-26935907-1682891929-7788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="599" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvVNurthftCCgXPnn_M3gZ_Pf_1wXrVtFtUPQdpuPASU-HnBb8oSzaJ3dlPPofEuEh4eJZivVH9GXWYJvSbAER-npsB44hXLw7Dqhbfp5Iu12IEV4KjE01hvGZO1-ond6K2n0OsKFTPerr00K6uCWibaiPMiiRoJBzAYkR5XTdycU8M3nzn1QxhmTmrx1/w200-h198/R-26935907-1682891929-7788.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>self-titled
album released in ’95. they were from the Paris area, and if I remember it right, they gave a decent rock/rap crossover thing. I’d not listened to it in years, it had kind of fallen through
the cracks and I'd kind of forgotten the details of what it sounded like, but I knew I must have liked it as I’d held on to it since.<p></p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">So it was time I gave it a blast again.</p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">On first impression, it’s very much of its era, funk
metal in the style of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, and at its best Rage
Against The Machine but perhaps moving closer to rap. Pretty good, and the kind of stuff I was probably listening
to back then quite a lot. <i>Je ne jure de
rien </i>hits the spot, <i>Cours vite </i>and<i> Mackina </i>hit singles that probably
deserved to be. It’s a collection that has its charms, <i>Just be True </i>illustrating the glorious thing Mano Negro might have
been if they’d had some metal wallop behind them.<o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">In short, I was glad I'd held on to it.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">I remember seeing their album all
over the place at the time, even here in the UK so there must have been some
hope they’d make more of an impression. They were signed to EastWest Records
who would have had the budget. But it seemed that could have been the end of
the story. One album with a push behind it that didn’t ignite commercially and
a curtain comes down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">But no. I might not have followed what
they were up to from then, amid the deluge of work and other releases I took my
eye off them. But they persisted and released another four albums up to 2003, including
a live album featuring a Beastie Boys cover. A search online, while I was listening to their debut album, showed me I’ve got some homework to catch up with.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">And there was better news. Not only
is there a significant back catalogue, their three studio albums that were
originally on EastWest - their debut, 1997’s Original Karma and 2000’s Vegas ’76 were
re-issued on coloured vinyl this summer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">Better yet, Silmarils are still a
going concern. A single <i>Welcome to
America </i>was released in April this year. Older maybe, wiser perhaps, but absolutely
rocking for sure. They’ve been playing festivals over the summer including the Vieilles
Charrues and Hellfest, and have a new album out shortly. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">Looks like I’ve picked the right
time to catch up.<o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s9VQJvVWKTw" width="320" youtube-src-id="s9VQJvVWKTw"></iframe></div><br /><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-2207761279924562392023-05-25T18:10:00.000+01:002023-05-25T18:10:26.087+01:00A few thoughts on Jean-Louis Murat and Murat Live<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTCmPGIOeKyzM-If6rMDC50ASJXH1QgFs1-63JGW184g7n8_nJ3uFLAnw1VHlUsd5ggASjuLnRo64rJQAB84rl2HhVrIhZF3WidJJg7J1g-9Mg3k4ZAIfV28rK_H_55wrBjlefZg0LhqEed7jJmkzDbM6ErhjCFGU_Ieq1tPvKNu3OvKiCMtWE1VNSg/s237/murat.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="237" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTCmPGIOeKyzM-If6rMDC50ASJXH1QgFs1-63JGW184g7n8_nJ3uFLAnw1VHlUsd5ggASjuLnRo64rJQAB84rl2HhVrIhZF3WidJJg7J1g-9Mg3k4ZAIfV28rK_H_55wrBjlefZg0LhqEed7jJmkzDbM6ErhjCFGU_Ieq1tPvKNu3OvKiCMtWE1VNSg/s1600/murat.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Sad to hear of the passing of Jean-Louis Murat at the age of 71,
one of France’s finest singer- songwriters.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While his late 80s/early 90s releases <i>Cheyenne Autumn</i> and <i>>Le
Manteau de pluie </i> are rightly regarded as among his finest releases,
I’ve always loved <i>Murat Live</i>. I purchased it not long after it came out
and it’s probably the Murat album I return to the most often. I may not
have always kept up with his every release, but I have kept on coming back to <i>Murat Live</i> since I bought it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ll admit it was one of the albums that opened up the possibilities
of French music to me. I was already familiar with the likes of Trust from my
earlier metal listening years, and since then others ranging from Noir Desir to
Jarre via Gainsbourg and Christophe and Brel had broadened my musical horizons,
but when I came to <i>Murat Live</i> it
seemed to be exactly what I needed to be listening to.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By the time I picked it up - it must have been 1996 - I was well
into considering myself a musical sophisticate. I was into the likes of Nick
Cave and Leonard Cohen, I was informed by Dylan and Tom Wait, listening to jazz
and electronics. I’m pretty sure I picked up <i>Murat Live</i> in Paris the same day I bought the then-newly-released Klaus
Schulze <i>Are You Sequenced</i>. I had
eagerly graduated from metal to a broader taster in indie, prog, art rock, jazz
and the like through a thorough interrogation of the back catalogues of the usual
suspects.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was probably insufferable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Murat Live</i> turned my
head around. He had the style and the sound, delivering something that the
likes of Daniel Lanois had promised, a stripped-down organic rawness that while
uncluttered and direct wasn’t afraid to use a sophisticated colour palette where
it was needed. Combine this with poetry at a Cave or Cohen level and I was
intoxicated. While these ingredients could easily be combined into bland
sophistication or pretentious arrogance, the music retained a compelling
urgency and approachability.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXmsIpf4zT-VvCc4Blbd4M6Q1-5prY-FnM169Af3WUbHqwKMqlVw8EjUdTm0-JPXxe5SNvwNq3yDRYVo7MIxMR0bs8VKrIaDNWLtvArwMgs7oikWPtUbsYetQbctMH6Hehh-LOefwYZiymf6oHvgf2hmtsTAAXw0tu1rw8bzADn3sMZwn_VfOtFTgfw/s225/fan.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXmsIpf4zT-VvCc4Blbd4M6Q1-5prY-FnM169Af3WUbHqwKMqlVw8EjUdTm0-JPXxe5SNvwNq3yDRYVo7MIxMR0bs8VKrIaDNWLtvArwMgs7oikWPtUbsYetQbctMH6Hehh-LOefwYZiymf6oHvgf2hmtsTAAXw0tu1rw8bzADn3sMZwn_VfOtFTgfw/s1600/fan.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br />I can only think of a couple of times I’ve bought an album without
hearing it before and it’s had such an impact on me. <i>Scott Walker sings Jacques Brel</i> and <i>Miles Davis The Columbia Years</i> were two of those occasions. <i>Murat Live</i> was another. I’d heard his
cover of Cohen’s <i>Avalanche</i> on the Les
Inrocks-curated <i>I’m Your Fan</i> collection
and was curious to hear more, his French version taking one of Cohen’s more
enigmatically poetic works to another level and making it somehow his song.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The <i>Murat Live</i> album immediately
fascinated me. It still does. Seemingly without effort it outmanoeuvred my
youthful pretensions and challenged my assumptions. “You think that stuff you’re
listening to is cool? Check this out!” it seemed to say. “Here’s something you’ve
not read about in the NME that you’ll love” It added enthusiastically, like an
older brother with a mysterious collection of records you’ve never seen before
or heard on the radio. </p><p class="MsoNormal">There was no point being precious or acting superior
about music, <i>Murat Live</i> showed there
was something you’d probably love out there that you just hadn’t heard
yet. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That music like this existed almost without any recognition in the
anglosphere disappointed me, I would continue to return to <i>Murat Live</i> as proof of what seemed like a secret only a few of us
knew about, that music in France could be everything I was hoping music could
be. Another of the experiences that would eventually lead to me writing and
thinking about French music and trying to share this enthusiasm.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivafU99cEUTUAaYRQZMWT8R80rBGMojlQIV_uiAkVPXl6omWgXHKMOBXgF8Vm-nDUTey_NP4KYvtf9-B6vTsdS1ibNoX8vuiV4vHvV-G5XrSxHX0CGnkFHsA8auV2dky02OW9uxEUWJ6fR6qQYs700RRoxy8aA391y2l0TxWw8iPzJefXuZq9OMpJrdw/s4368/Jean-Louis_Murat,_Villiers-sur-Marne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2912" data-original-width="4368" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivafU99cEUTUAaYRQZMWT8R80rBGMojlQIV_uiAkVPXl6omWgXHKMOBXgF8Vm-nDUTey_NP4KYvtf9-B6vTsdS1ibNoX8vuiV4vHvV-G5XrSxHX0CGnkFHsA8auV2dky02OW9uxEUWJ6fR6qQYs700RRoxy8aA391y2l0TxWw8iPzJefXuZq9OMpJrdw/s320/Jean-Louis_Murat,_Villiers-sur-Marne.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">I may not have followed Murat’s releases with the loyalty one
might expect given my reaction to <i>Murat Live</i>
but I had a wider field now. What I knew before about music before wasn’t wrong,
but it was only the start. It would always only ever be the start of a movie with
no closing credits but with an incredible cast and no end of plot twists. </p><p class="MsoNormal">There
were artists like Dominique A, Alain Bashung, Grand Corps Malade, Damien Saez
as well as the likes of Louise Attaque as well as an exploding French rap scene
to dive into. Murat Live probably finally persuaded me that there was astonishing
work coming out in France, and I was unafraid to embrace it<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was surprised to read Murat had died at 71. He always seemed
younger than that, a bit older than me but far from old. But we’re all older
than we think. I’m no longer the young guy slouching from <i>disquaire </i>to <i>librairie
</i>in Paris. I’ll listen to the album again and rather than wallow in nostalgia for
those days, I’ll also listen to something new that’s come out in France that I’ve
never heard before.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #54595d; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.6px;"><i>Picture of Jean-Louis Murat in 2010 by Vincent Desjardins</i></span></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/pXJlhEYjcj4" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-70441625618716503222023-04-21T16:57:00.004+01:002023-04-21T16:57:23.614+01:00Flavien Berger's new video for Berzingue<p class="MsoNormal">An absolutely eye-popping new video from Flavien Berger for
the track <i>Berzingue</i>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> With its constantly
evolving images and organic fluidity, the video is reminiscent of the work
created by US artist Bruce Bickford for Frank Zappa in the 1970s. But it’s
taking psychedelic to a new level and rather than relying on Claymation it’s
reflecting and distorting artificial intelligence style imagery into a
whirlwind of sensory overload, sliding effortlessly between the mundane and the
surreal, the threatening and the friendly and the reassuring and the
bewildering. </p><p class="MsoNormal">We may see more videos like
this in the near future, but I’m uncertain they’ll be as good.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The clip is by Jamie
Harley, who was responsible for Berger’s <i>Vendredi </i>and <i>La Fête Noire</i> videos as
well as works by Koudlam, Judah Warsky and others.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Berzingue features on Berger’s recent <i>Dans Cent Ans</i> album,
his third album. Released on March 17, it’s a collection that features the
previous single <i>Feux Follets</i> and it makes clear the case that Berger's one of the most impressive artists working in electronic music at the moment, himself moving with a fluidity and fluency through innovative and previosuly unexplored regions.<o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Berger’s just started
an extensive tour that runs until mid-November, with two dates the Olympia in
Paris at the beginning of May and some festival dates over the summer including
the Francofolies in La Rochelle and Rock en Seine in Paris.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/Pfcs49i2Qic" width="480"></iframe></p>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-61631248560945595282023-04-20T21:43:00.004+01:002023-04-20T21:51:36.796+01:00Christine and the Queens new video: True Love <p>A new video drops from Christine and the Queens ahead of the release of a new album in June.</p><p>The track <i>True Love </i>features a collaboration with American rapper and singer 070 Shake, one of two tracks on the forthcoming collection she appears on. The new video follows the release of <i>To be honest </i>last month.</p><p>If Christine's last album <i>Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue) </i>didn't perhaps have the same impact as the 2014 <i>Chaleur Humaine </i>debut or the <i>Chris </i>follow-up, the tracks that have so far surfaced for Christine's forthcoming album <i>Paranoïa, Angels, True Love </i> shows an artist at the peak of their abilities, presenting work that is both immediately accessible and innovative at the same time.</p><p>The haunting <i>To be honest </i>probably ranks as one of his finest works so far, <i>True Love </i>suggests that <i>Paranoïa, Angels, True Love </i>might be one of the year's strongest releases by any artist. The new album is expected on June 9 and it includes three tracks featuring Madonna. </p><p>Ditching his Redcar alter-ego and returning to the 'Christine and the Queens' name, not even the 'Chris' identity of his second album, it seems Héloïse Letissier is back to using the name that established his position as one of the most interesting musicians to emerge in recent years. </p><p>The new album <i>Paranoïa, Angels, True Love </i>takes its inspiration from the award-winning play <i>Angels in America </i>by Tony Kushner, a work from the early 90s that was set in 80s New York at the height of the AIDS epidemic. It's a complex piece with intersecting storylines and some characters representing angels and ghosts as well as others in communities affected by the unfolding tragedy.</p><p>Christine and the Queens are touring extensively with a show at the weekend at the second round of Coachella in California, and are in the UK for dates in August and September including a show at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh on September 8.</p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/vOQLq5-c4Vk" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-10647700362079214942023-04-19T21:26:00.007+01:002023-04-19T21:36:19.625+01:00Moodoïd: Memories - My LIttle Paris session <p>We've been fans of Moodoïd here since we first came across him at the Les Transmusicales de Rennes almost ten (!) years ago, and his career since has been a rewarding one to follow. If his recent releases have seen him move on from the more overtly psychedlic pstylings of work like <i>Je Suis La Montagne</i> and his <i>Le Monde Möö</i> debut album, he remains an artist who deserves following, his universe continuing to expand in unexpected directions.</p><p>For this session he performs for My Little Paris an acoustic version of <i>Memories </i>at the Petit Palais musée des Beaux-arts de la Ville de Paris, an incredibly scenic and atmospheric location. They've run four previous sessions over the past few weeks, including Catastrophe and VOYOU, each one making the absolute most of the Paris locations alongside some very well-selected music.</p><p><i>Memories </i>features on Moodoïd's five track <i>PrimaDonna vol. 2 </i>EP which was released at the end of last month. Like its <i>PrimaDonna vol. 1 </i>predecessor, it features collaborations with other artists including Lottie P, Dora, Zombie Chang, Jane Perry as well as Olivia Merilahti who features in this session</p><p>For this session, he's accompanied by Olivia Merilahti, half of The Dø who also operates as a solo artist under the name Prudence. Since their 2014 <i>Shake Shook Shaken </i>album, a top ten hit in France, she and partner in Dø Dan Levy have been pursuing solo projects. </p><p>The other musician playing in the session, Paul Prier has just released his solo EP <i>Punctual Problems</i>, and recently played piano at the YSL Winter Collection launch at the Bourse de Paris, where he accompanied Charlotte Gainsbourg. I'll give him some more well-deserved attention soon on this blog.</p><p>In the meantime, Moodoïd demands your attention for a sophisticated and atmospheric moment of unashamed beauty.</p><p><br /></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/GwmBUf6OE_o" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-7262350964246143382023-04-18T16:49:00.002+01:002023-04-18T16:59:10.823+01:00Magma: Hakëhn Deïs <p>If you're a musical act that's been around since 1969 and only got around to making a video for a song in 2023, it's more about making history than just making a clip.</p><p>Step forward Magma, giants of French progressive music, with a video for Hakëhn Deïs, a track from their recent Kartëhl album.</p><p>Magma have never made any concessions throughout their career, an act who have followed the vision of Christian Vander regardless of the ebb and flow of musical fashion, a world unto themselves. Their music remains as extraordinary today as it did when they released their debut in 1969.</p><p>Two dancers from the Paris Opera, Loup Marcault and Ida Viikinkoski bring the track to life, their movements amid a swirl of further almost psychedelic changes. If the dancing was already beyond anything normal, the visual effects take things further without getting in the way of their performance.</p><p>That Magma are still capable of surprises like this, after a career of more than 50 years, is an extraordinary achievement. Maybe it's a sign that the 21st century has partially caught up with Magma.</p><p>Magma are supporting Porcupine Tree in Manchester on June 29, along with shows in Paris at the Salle Playel in October celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh album. </p><p>Dancing optional.</p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/UmgJkEajQUo" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-61985775760981060992023-01-26T14:31:00.004+00:002023-01-26T14:35:05.408+00:00Rock en Seine festival<p> Tickets go on sale today for this year's Rock en Seine festival, at the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud near Paris.</p><p>Billie Elish headlines the first night of the four-day event. Across the other three days acts like Florence + The Machins, Placebo, The Strokes and The Chemical Brothers have been confirmed.</p><p>It's more of an international music event, but there remains a significant French presence on the bill, with Flavien Berger and Bertrand Belin taking part.</p><p>More artists who are playing will be announced in the run-up to the festival.</p><p>Rock en Seine is taking place on August 23, 25 26 and 27.</p><p><a href="Tickets are available" target="_blank">Tickets are available here</a> and y tickets are available from 55 euros per day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfTeAl0TlLyEjL_Ou1HLl0LiXHf6tGo0TbU75YqGbBKD5oRXE7_RNrtZkEITU0aSHNSO2A_2lZ9ADprMmpY1RDJt8-oGpUn0lYX55rjgisa3AtAjlfXTnAswo4ORbRo-wN9w_likjPwtHT_E0vmpefAHD0oXOxtko_leHvYYdbiwZEp-zOe21epv9HQ/s1194/rock.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfTeAl0TlLyEjL_Ou1HLl0LiXHf6tGo0TbU75YqGbBKD5oRXE7_RNrtZkEITU0aSHNSO2A_2lZ9ADprMmpY1RDJt8-oGpUn0lYX55rjgisa3AtAjlfXTnAswo4ORbRo-wN9w_likjPwtHT_E0vmpefAHD0oXOxtko_leHvYYdbiwZEp-zOe21epv9HQ/w283-h400/rock.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-23344853563343569292023-01-23T22:02:00.005+00:002023-01-23T22:02:54.220+00:00David Crosby and Orléans<p>Sad to hear of the death of David Crosby the other day. I know for many Crosby was more a symbol of the 1960s, from the peace and love Woodstock generation to the problems in his later life, he was almost a metaphor for his times. </p><p>I was a fan of his music, perhaps not surprising given his considerable links to the Grateful Dead, particularly on his <i>If I Could Only Remember my Name</i> album. The collection his first solo album from 1971, featured contributions from many of the leading lights of the San Francisco scene, from CSNY collaborators Neil Young and Graham Nash to members of Santana, The Dead and the Jefferson Airplane. the musicians hung out at the Wally Geider recording studio in San Francisco and became a loosely affiliated group, the Planet Earth Rock 'n' Roll Orchestra, PERRO for short, who would work on this album as well as Airplane solo releases and a few casual gigs.</p><p>While songs like <i>Cowboy Movie</i>, <i>Tamalpais High</i> and<i> What Are Their Names </i>feature members of the Grateful Dead in as spectacular musical form as they ever were in the studio - Garcia's snaking guitar lead on <i>What Are Their Names </i>a particular stand-out - it's one shorter piece that concerns us here: <i>Orléans.</i></p><p>It's just under two minutes long, and a solo vocal piece from Crosby, but it's a spectacular one. It features the special brand of harmonies that Crosby could do, it's the kind of piece that defined his sound from The Byrds, to CSNY, to his solo career. Based on folk music and updated for the modern audience, but retaining its apparent simplicity and honesty.</p><p>It is of course originally a French folk song, a children's song dating from the 15th century <i>Le Carillon de Vendôme. </i>Crosby simplifies it, losing the (short) verses and repeating the chorus, a list of French towns that remained in the control of King Charles VII during the Hundred Year War. </p><p>Orléans, <br />Beaugency, <br />Notre-Dame de Cléry,<br />Vendôme, <br />Vendôme.</p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/o1jo1gI0kJI" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/o1jo1gI0kJI/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></p><p>It's an unashamedly beautiful piece of music. As time marches on and hearing deteriorates, it pleases me no end to have heard it.</p><p>But as is the way with folk music, songs get amended and passed down through generations and locations, words get changed to suit different circumstances. </p><p>So it is with this song. In 2011 the French band Justice released a song on their<i> Audio, Video, Disco</i> album <i>Ohio.</i> While the song is undeniably a Justice piece, there are more than a few similarities</p><p>Ohio, <br />Tennessee,<br />California,<br />Endlessly<br />Reign on</p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/XIE5quVkGlY" width="480"></iframe></p><p>It could be seen as a French band re-interpreting the Crosby version of the original, but using the names of American states instead of French towns. It's a simple but effective technique, both reclaiming it and adapting it, making a gesture to the American version of the song that introduced it to thousands who would probably never have experienced it had it not been for Crosby. Again, in true folk music style they adapt it for a modern audience. </p><p>The fact that <i>Ohio </i>was also the title of a (very different) CSNY song was, I suspect, not lost on Justice when they chose that state in particular as the title of the song.</p><div>Funny how the wheel turns. I'm sure Crosby dug it.</div>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-77281425145637947852023-01-19T19:40:00.005+00:002023-01-19T19:41:31.283+00:00Serpent feat. Lescop "Dysfunktion" : Jack live<div>An up-close-and-live-session performance of the song <i>Dysfunktion </i>by Serpent, the project fronted by Lescop.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's a funkier proposition than his previous releases, his self-titled debut from 2012 and its 2016 follow up <i>Écho </i>were much darker and more electronic propositions. Needless to say, we absolutely loved them</div><div><br /></div><div>Serpent has been a going concern since 2020, with the release of <i>Distant Call </i>the lead track from the<i> Time for a Rethink</i> EP. </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>There certainly seemed to have been a bit of a rethink, although it wasn't perhaps as dramatic as it first seemed. He hadn't - as they would have said in the late '70s/early '80s - "Gone disco", just expanded his musical horizons and the post-punk flavour that was at the forefront of his earlier releases is still there. </div><div><br /></div><div>Just look at the song titles: <i>Ice Age</i>; <i>Waiting in the Park</i>; <i>Love/Hate</i>; and even <i>Dysfunktion </i>could all be the names of obscure tracks from first-wave cold-wave acts, many of whom were not afraid to embrace funk, reggae and dance music. And they were all the better for it.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Dysfunktion </i>is the title track of a six-song EP released in May last year with <i>Don't Waste my Time </i>emerging as a single ahead of it.</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/30cZ1es-hPo" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-64065649302773453772023-01-18T11:30:00.002+00:002023-01-18T11:30:00.215+00:00Madonna: Two Paris shows in November<p>There are two nights at the Accor Arena in Paris for Madonna coming up this autumn, with shows on November 12 and 13.</p><p>The concerts are the only French dates of her Celebration Tour, marking the 40th anniversary of her career. The tour begins over the summer, with dates in North America before making its way to Europe, with shows in Rome, Milan, Copenhague, Cologne, Berlin, Lisbon and the O2 Arena in London.</p><p>It's not always been a celebration for Madonna to play in Paris, as her show at the Olympia in July 2012 made clear. During her MDNA tour she played the famous Paris venue, a much smaller hall than the arenas she played elsewhere on the tour. The intention of the show was to give her the opportunity to pay tribute to French artists and cinema, and how the country welcomed inspiring artists. She clearly included herself in that category. </p><p>Tickets were expensive and initially limited to fans before being made available to the public and the show was streamed internationally. It wasn't exactly without a hitch. </p><p>Despite a cover of <i>Je t'aime... moi non plus, </i>possibly the most obvious cover she could do in the whole history of French music, the 45-minute running time of the show was met with scorn by many who had paid almost 300 euros to attend the event. Water bottles were thrown at the stage with cries of "Recompense!" from the audience. It was not a happy ending to what she probably expected to be a warmly received intimate show in front of fans.</p><p>She commented later on her website: "Playing the Olympia was a magical moment for me and it was real treat to do this special show for my fans and be so close to them. Unfortunately at the end of the show – after I left the stage – a few thugs who were not my fans rushed the stage and started throwing plastic bottles pretending to be angry fans."</p><p>She added: "nothing can take away or ruin this very special evening for me and my fans. When I looked out in the audience, everyone I saw had a smile on their face. I look forward to having this wonderful experience again."</p><p>With two shows at the Accor Arena scheduled, she's unlikely to have the time to fit in a show at L'Olympia, but you never know.</p><p><br /></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/FBUpN99s1Hg" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-33226334233797713742023-01-18T10:00:00.001+00:002023-01-18T10:00:00.195+00:00Flavien Berger - Les yeux, le reste: A COLORS show<div>A sweet and low-key performance by Flavien Berger for COLORS.</div><div><br /></div><div><i> Les yeux, le reset </i>is his new single, and it's an effortlessly stylish one</div><div><br /></div><div>Last year his 2015 <i>Léviathan </i>album was re-issued, and the song <i>D'ici là</i> released as a single in November.</div><div><br /></div><div>Berger has an enviable position, where he's a popular artist but one who is able to release some genuinely experimental electronic work. Despite his incongruous appearance, there's some sharp work going on and a feeling that while he's pushing at artistic boundaries, he's doing it with a sense of humour and fun.</div><div><br /></div><div>Any new release by Flavien Berger is a real treat, and it's a pleasure to hear this one.</div><div><br /></div><div>He's playing L'Olumpia in Paris on 4 May and it's already sold out.</div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/gvY7VcZjiqI" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-81136984253480969542023-01-17T11:55:00.002+00:002023-01-17T11:55:31.849+00:00Spiderland play The Vaselines<div>So this is a Scottish-based blog that celebrates French music. How could we not be blown away by a French act that celebrates Scottish music?!</div><div><br /></div><div>Spiderland have been around since the 90s, and based in Douarnenez in Brittany, although their influences came from further afield. With their name obviously a nod to Slint, their sound was more in tune with some of the more interesting acts on the UK indie scene during that era. </div><div><br /></div><div>They released their self-titled debut album in '98. The band came to a halt a short time later, but members became involved in other acts including Kaiser Palace and Coude.</div><div><br /></div><div>Time moved on, and the members reconvened as Spiderland, releasing an EP <i>Milestone </i>in 2020. The album <i>A Gentle Breeze</i> followed last year. It's a great release, thoroughly worth investigating and enjoying. </div><div><br /></div><div>The new video is a cover of a song by legendary Scottish act The Vaselines. </div><div><br /></div><div>Spiderland announced the song as "A little present for the start of the year", adding "You're aware of our interest in Scottish music. BMX Bandits, Teenage Fan Club, The Pastels...and the Vaselines!"</div><div><br /></div><div>We just need to get them over here to play to a Scottish audience! Mono in Glasgow would be ideal...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/X7x10ut8QRQ" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X7x10ut8QRQ/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698739730221418062.post-79556892641515402842023-01-17T09:41:00.001+00:002023-01-17T14:45:22.748+00:00Bilbao Kung-Fu: New video - Oh !<div><div>What is it about Bordeaux producing decent rock bands?</div><div><br /></div><div>I hadn't come across Bilbao Kung-Fu until recently, and their effervescent punk pop is as catchy as it is fun. </div><div><br /></div><div>A live show would be a life-affirming and energetic experience, I reckon. Last year saw them gigging extensively in France, no doubt winning friends and influencing people around the country.</div><div><br /></div><div>Their new EP follows their <i>Arc en Ciel </i>debut EP which was released in 2021.</div><div><br /></div><div>The new video is (literally) a punchy interpretation of the song. Hard-hitting, so don't try it at home.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh! comes from the band's second EP, released on the Toulouse-based Kaa Productions. If 2023 is anything like their previous years, expect them to be playing live somewhere in France most of the time</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/Owk-0-4WKjI" width="480"></iframe>John Kilbridehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11397204433005185113noreply@blogger.com0