Although I mentioned it before it came out, and featured the track Terrible Angels when the video emerged, I thought the release of Charlotte Gainsbourg's Stage Whisper collection merited a more detailed mention.
The album is not entirely new material by any means, collecting live versions of tracks from her two most recent releases 5.55 and 2009's IRM.
The unreleased material continues the sound she developed with Beck, her collaborator on IRM, a cool and intelligent electro pop that has helped establish her as a credible artist in her own right rather than a singer in the shadow of her father's massive reputation.
The live material on disc two focuses on her two recent albums, and a cover of Dylan's Just Like a Woman, a track she recorded with Calexico for the 2007 I'm Not There biopic.
While interesting to hear the live versions, I can't help feel that with just a bit more the studio material could have stood up in its own right as a full new release. Eight tracks may have been not enough, but the quality here is superb and despite being described as 'out takes' they really are as good as anything she's ever released, as Terrible Angels, Paradisco or Memoir testify.
Instead of one double album that's an add-on to her discography, I can't help but think that there really should be two separate albums here, both of which would have their own merits.
Still, a fine release, and one that certainly keeps us waiting for a new album proper from Ms Gainsbourg.
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