Review: Moodoïd - Le Monde Möö

I've been looking forward to the realease of Moodoïd's debut album Le Monde Möö for a while, since
I first heard their Je Suis la Montagne single last year, and it's with some pleasure that I can report it's lived up to expectations.

Psychedelic? Of course. And with  patchoiuli scent of progressive rock somewhere in the mix, but Moodoïd aren't just trying to recreate an interesting musical cul de sac from decades past.

Instead they take one of music's more experimental and fertile times as their starting ground and apply the open-minded musical attitudes of that scene to create something very much their own.

It's a rich and heady brew, and the kind of release that will inevitably reward repeated listening.

 There's a pop base  - it's not a heavy trip or a pastoral meander - but more the sound of a classic pop band pushing the boundaries and seeing where it takes them.

The world of Moodoïd certainly is an interesting place, inhabited by strange and colourful creatures and unfamiliar landscapes.

Well worth a visit.

Johnny Hallyday: Rester Vivant tour

Tour dates have been announced for the French music legend that is Johnny Hallyday, with shows to
promote his forthcoming Rester Vivant album.

Rester Vivant comes out in November, his first studio album since the massive success of his 2012 L’Attente album.

True, most of his studio albums in recent hears have reached number one, but L'Attente, which saw him work with Christophe Miossec  was a particularly strong commercial and critical hit.

His two subsequent live albums, On Stage which covered his L'Attente tour and Born Rocker Tour which  showcased his 70th birthday gigs in Paris both reached the top three in France.

With the new collection almost upon us, Johnny has announced some extensive tour dates to support it, beginning next year and into 2016.

The tour begins in Nimes on July 2, and there are three nights at Bercy in Paris in November. There are shows at the Francofolies de la Rochelle festival, the Sporting Summer Festival in Monaco and at the Big Festival in Biarritz.

Meanwhile, shows are scheduled at the Zénith arenas and stadiums around France.  Shows in Brussels and Geneva are the only gigs outside France so far, his last major tour bringing him to the UK and US among other places.

Before then there are five  (sold out) nights in Bercy next month with Eddie Mitchell and Jacques Dutronc.

Maska: Profiter de ma life

Rapper Maska has released a new single, Profiter de ma life, featuring fellow Sexion d'Assaut
member Black M.

The new track follows the realease of the track Prie pour moi, which featured  Maître Gims, another graduate from the  Sexion d'Assaut academy of major French rap stars.

Both Gims and Black M have enjoyed massive success with their solo releases, Gims' Subliminal album from last year being one of the biggest selling French releases of that year.

The status of Sexion d'Assaut as one of  France's most successful rap act ever is beyond doubt.
Maska featured in last years Les chroniques du Wati Boss compilation from the Wati B label with the track Leve ton verre.

A second volume of the collection was issued last month reaching the top five in the French charts.

Maska's solo album, entitled Espace temp is expected to be released on October 20.

Adrien Gallo: Crocodile

A new video by Adrien Gallo featuring Ella Walmann for the single Crocodile.

Gallo is best known as the singer of BB Brunes, and he released his first solo single Monokini in July this year.

The track comes from Gallo's  first solo album, which features duets with his partner Walmann, entitled Gemini, which comes out on November 3.

The collection is said to be inspired by French pop of the 1980s, artists like Etienne Daho and Jacno.

The last album by BB Brunes was 2012's Long Courier, but Gallo's successful solo career does not apparently suggest the end of the band.

He's worked before on other projects that have seen his songs interpreted by others, with Alizée among those he's written for.

He also wrote two songs on the album Love Songs Vanessa Paradis, including the single Mi Amor.

NLF3: Oui Love Exchange tour

Another look at the Oui Love Exchange tour, which got under way at the end of last month and
comes to Edinburgh tomorrow on Thursday October 2.

The shows features Andrea Balency and NLF3, two quite different but strikingly cutting edge acts.

I mentioned Andrea Balency previously on the blog, so I thought it only fair to give a mention to co-headliners NLF3.

They're a a rock band, but one that goes beyond any regular categories and venture into a territory more associated with contemporary electro acts.

They've been active since 2000, their debut album Part 1 - Part 2 coming out that year. The band consists of brothers Nicolas and Fabrice Laureau and since 2006 drummer Mitch Pirès.

Along with their albums, they've also performed live scores for silent films, their Music For Que Viva Mexico! album collecting their musical backing for the Sergei Eisenstein classic.

There are more details about the Oui Love Exchange tour on their Facebook page 

Mr Oizo: Machyne

A new track by French electro pioneer Mr Oizo ahead of the release of a new album.

Machyne comes from Mr Oizo's fifth album which will be entitled the Church and is to be released on Brainfeeder.

Oizo- Quentin Dupieux to his friends -  is of course best known for Flat Beat, a breakthrough track  from his Analogue Worms Attack album that reached number one in the UK in 1999.

Since then he's released another three albums, as well as directed film projects and music videos.

The new album is expected on November 18.

Editorial: October 2014

A  busy month in September, with another busy one ahead. 

Fortunately most of the busy things ahead involve French music, with a wealth of new releases ahead

I found myself a bit sidetracked in September with the Scottish Independence referendum and associated work occupying much of my time. It might not have gone as I had hoped, but such discussion is for elsewhere.

September also saw some key French acts playing in the UK, with Yann Tiersen, Moodoid, Orval Carlos Sibelius all playing. More are here this month, with the Oui Love Exchange Tour featuring Andrea Balency and NLF3  at venues across the UK, along with Etienne Daho and Lily Wood playing shows in London.

The pre-Xmas busy release schedule continues, with several significant releases scheduled over the next few weeks, and we'll hopefully be across most of these.

As always, I can be contacted on johnkilbrideAThotmailDOTcom, with the appropriate punctuation where you'd expect it to be. I'm always pleased to hear from record companies, PR companies and promoters, so do get in touch.

We're also on Twitter as @viveleroq or you can find me at @karnag

Thanks as always  to the good people at the French Music Office in London and to the Institut francais in London for their help and encouragement.

Merci et à bientôt

John K