![]() Fontaine’s intimate voice surrounded by dissonant horns, thumping tablas and slippery bass create a swaying uneasy experience that is hauntingly beautiful, and at times hallucinogenic. During some open spaces on the album, you may even catch similarities to Kim Gordon on Sonic Youth’s dreamier side. Although this album may only be considered to have a cult following, you can hear what would eventually inspire groups and singers like Björk and Laetitia Sadier/Stereolab. In 1969, experimental singer Brigitte Fontaine teamed up with the Art Ensemble of Chicago to create something far different from the predominant Yé-Yé artists preceding her. To sum up, with his unblemished catalog - and not to mention his marriage to the one and only Françoise Hardy - Jacques Dutronc is one of the most significant figures in French music and is a necessary component to any music fanatic’s collection. There isn’t a single stale moment on this LP. Dirty guitars, loud drums and vigorous tambourines fill this debut album with unbridled energy. Any fan of early garage rock groups such as The Sonics or The Seeds will have no trouble finding something to enjoy from Dutronc’s work. Dutronc had a quality about him and his music that was nothing short of compelling, sporting an unruffled persona and enthusiastic vocal delivery, as well as a garage rock sound that would later be adapted by groups like the Black Lips (who in fact covered one of his songs). One of the most notable being Jacques Dutronc. While female musicians primarily dominated the French pop/rock genre of the ’60s, there were many innovative male musicians during this period as well. This music is pure emotion with a great sadness that drapes itself over every word, and yet, leaves you with a warm feeling inside. Across the entire record, lush instrumentation provided by fragile pianos, guitars and orchestral strings sustain beneath Hardy’s delicate voice like a heavenly chorus of cherubs. Tracks like “Il n'y a pas d'amour heureux” sound like ethereal lullabies, but with further dissection and translation, you discover their despondent poetic nature. Much of the album covers themes of love, loss and dejection with a unique melancholy, even though some songs have an upbeat swing. Out of her countless releases, which are all fantastic, this one seems to stand out among new listeners and longtime fans. ![]() These qualities that made her an icon are demonstrated flawlessly on this very album. Her presence and alluring vocal delivery prove why she was a leading figure in the Yé-Yé movement. But fear not! This bundle of albums cover a majority of essential music to come out of France, both old and new that any novice listener should hear and ultimately own.įrançoise Hardy: Françoise Hardy (aka Comment Te Dire Adieu)Īmong the classic chanteuses, Françoise Hardy has remained in the forefront ever since her debut in 1962. However, trying to find an initial starting point with any form of music can be difficult, let alone music that’s from another country and not in your native tongue. Many modern artists are expanding on these classic sounds and creating something entirely new, yet just as wonderful. These artists have become staples in modern music and have inspired innumerable groups, which brings us to today. ![]() The genre was predominantly led by young female singers, or “chanteuses,” who to this day remain as popular figures in music and fashion. This genre is referred to as Yé-Yé, a term inspired by the phrase “Yeah! Yeah!” that was often exclaimed in the rock ’n’ roll music of the time. ![]() While this configuration of pop and rock ruled the airwaves and stole the hearts of the youth, an interesting reciprocal was forming within Europe, specifically France: A lyrically driven style of beat music with bubbly charm and innocent confidence, as well as heartfelt ballads with angelic reverberations that deliver chills upon first listen. ![]() Throughout the mid ’60s, “Beatlemania” and the British Invasion had taken over the world in one fell swoop. ![]()
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