Alain Bashung: Immortels

A previously unrelease Alain Bashung track has emerged, Immortels was written by Dominique A and it comes ahead of a posthumous album later this year.

The posthumous album can be an artistically risky affair. Fans of an artist will always appreciate the chance to hear 'new' work, but as often as not the work that was left on a shelf was left there for a very good reason.

Maybe it's because the standard of Bashung's work was so high that this was left aside. Whatever the reason, it's magnificent.

In 2011 a  cover of Serge Gainsbourg's L'homme à tête de chou album was released, the only prior posthumous collection of unreleased Bashung material. It was originally intended as the soundtrack for a ballet, and recorded by Bashung for a performance in 2009.

The songs on the new collection were recorded around the time of his 2008 Bleu pétrole album and were mostly in a guitar and voice only form. They were worked on by producer Édith Fambuena, who had previously collaborated with Bashung, most noteably on his  1998 album Fantaisie militaire. She workedd with Bashung's widow, singer and actress Chloé Mons, to create sympathetic arrangements for the original recordings.

2019 marks the tenth anniversary of Bashung's death and the new collection of 11 unreleased recordings seems an appropriate way to mark the occasion.

En amont is released on November 23.

Thomas Dutronc: Love

Thomas Dutronc releases a cover of the John Lennon song Love ahead of the release of a new acoustic live album due out next month.

While the son of French pop legends Jacques Dutronc and Françoise Hardy, Thomas Dutronc has carved out a very different musical identity, informed more by gypsy guitar than by yé-yé, more jazz than chanson.

His forthcoming album is released on legendary heavyweight jazz label Blue Note records France. His last release was 2015's Éternels jusqu'à demain, which reached the top five in France.

The album was recorded live during a recent tour, and features 50% unreleased songs as well as some of his solo material, all presented acoustically.

The video for the song is a low key but appropriately tasteful affair.

Live is Love is released on September 7. He's got three live dates in Paris at the beginning of October.

Christine and the Queens: New album and tour

Some great news from the Christine and the Queens damp today, with confirmation of a new album later this year along with the announcement of live dates including shows in the USA as well as Paris and London.

Her second album must be one of the most anticipated French releases in recent years given the immense success of Chaleur Humaine, one of the landmark albums of recent years.

A final date has not yet been confirmed for the release, but an exectuve for her record company has described it as "sounding fantastically good, it's going to be slightly different."

There are four live shows scheduled for later this year, with LA on October 27, New York on October 31 and the Eventim Apollo in London on November 20. She plays at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris on December 18.

I'd be very surprised if the shows are not accompanied by a considerable amount of promotion on TV and in the media, and I suspect these four gigs come ahead of a fuller schedule of live dates in 2019.

Tickets for her forthcoming shows go on sale on Monday.

DJ Pone - Highways (feat. Jaw)

A new video for the track Highways by DJ Pone, featuring an appearance by Oxmo Puccino.

The track comes from an EP of four remixes of Highways, featuring versions of the track by Skyway, as well as by Apollo Noir, Ughett and Irene Dressel.

It originally featured on his Radiant album which came out in late 2016.  It's a striking and haunting piece of work, with the cinematic video reflecting this nicely.

DJ Pone plays at la Maroquinerie in Paris on February 10.

Gaspard Royant: Wishing You a Merry Christmas

Can it be that time of the year already?

Yes, that time when a strikingly dressed man comes from a cold part of the world with gifts for all the good girls and boys.

It certainly is, and Gaspard Royant, the king of the Haute Savoie Doo Wop Garage 'n' Roll scene is the man of the season again.

His new collection Wishing You a Merry Christmas features the hit (C'mon Baby) It's Christmas Time - which, like Gaspard's other work, should be a hit by the time you read this along with a bunch of other festive favourites.

Gaspard's released Christmas tracks over the past few years, and this collection brings them together in a fine Christmas bonus.

You can find it on a variety of digital platforms to stream or download and with a few weeks to go until the festive season proper, you've got plenty of time to replace those Mariah Carey tunes in your playlist.

Shaka Ponk: Wrong Side on C à vous

An appearance on France 5 TV show C à vous for Shaka Ponk, following the release of their new album The Evol,

Shaka Ponk are one of France's most distinctive rock acts, taking elements of punk rock, dance, funk, hip hop and world music, making the kind of colourful and energetic racket that can't help but entertain.

They've been around since 2004, and have the kind of following that propelled their last two albums, 2014's The white pixel ape and The black pixel ape - which were released simultaneously - into the top ten.

In many ways they take up the challenge set by bands like Mano Negra, producing a music that reflects the cultural kaleidoscope that is present-day Paris.

As a live act Shaka Ponk have a formidable reputation, and are touring arenas around France from the end of January and play Bercy in Paris on March 23.

Rencontres Trans Musicales de Rennes 2017

Today sees the 2017 Rencontres Trans Musicales de Rennes kick off in full,  the Breton city hosting
acts in both the Parc Expo on the outskirts of the city and at the Ubu and at Le Liberté and other venues in the city centre.

While some acts performed last night, the main event at the Parc Expo opens up, with acts playing into the early hours.

If there's a headliner tonight it's probably Yuksek with a set at the Parc Expo just after midnight.

There are acts from France as well as a well-curated selection of international acts on the bill. Timer permitting I'll take a look at as many of the French acts as I can over the next couple of weeks.

One act getting a significant platform over the weekend is Fishbach, getting a similar showcase enjoyed by  Benjamin Clemintine and  Jeanne Added in recent years.  Fishbach is of course no stranger to this blog, a label mate of Moodoid and Grand Blanc, two other acts whose performances at the Trans Musicales helped establish their reputations.

With free shows and acts touring towns in the area in the run up to the festival, it's a particularly accessible event for what is in essence a festival with a focus on emerging acts.

There is much to see and enjoy. Some of it will emerge on video over the weekend and in coming days, so I'll hopefully post some of it here.

Savages: Hyundai Mercury Prize nomination

An announcement today of the shortlist for this year's Hyundai Mercury Music Prize, and while most of the attention goes to the inclusion of David Bowie's final album Blackstar, it was the inclusion of the album Adore Life by Savages that got our ears up.

They're a London based four piece, which no doubt gets them their place in the Mercury prize's UK and Ireland focused shortlist, but it's the presence of singer Jehnny Beth - or Camille Berthomier as her family knew her - that particularly interests us.

She was or course previously the singer with much-loved French indie duo John and Jehn who released two albums before becoming involved in Savages. John and Jehn founded the Pop Noire label, which has also released material by Lescop, whose video for La Foret was directed by Jehn.

Johnny Hostile, the other half of the duo, produced both Adore Life and their debut album Silence yourself . That collection was released to massive acclaim in 2013, reaching the top 20 of the UK album charts. Like Adore Life, it was shorlisted for the Mercury Prize.

Last year the Mercury Prize was won by Benjamin Clementine, a London-born artist who lives in France. This year hopefully it will be won by a band featuring a French songer who lives in London.