Leaving aside the two Cali tracks that don’t quite fit, the accent in today’s French sound (according to this compilation) is firmly on evoking relaxed moods. Benjamin Biolay has tempted Fran�oise Hardy back into the studio for the opener, Mon Amour M’a Baise, which has some Pretenders influences within its broad and sweeping soundscape. Keren Ann has a lingering quality and a shift of pace into dreamy and floaty vocals that evoke all our preconceptions about female Gallic romanticism, and a trio of tracks midway from Camille, Coralie Clement and Rose extend these feelings. A strong instrumental from Raphael closes a set that shows breadth and interest for many.
The 60s collection touches many of the bases you would expect. Michele Arnaud’s Les Papillions Noirs also has Serge Gainsbourg’s unique vocals on his own song, while Liz Brady’s Partie De Dames is much tougher with fuzz guitar. Alice Dona gets three tracks, including a very Motownish one and another that leans heavily on the melody of The Night Has A Thousand Eyes. Most interesting are the three songs from Les Roche Martin, where they manage blend Swingle Singers and Pet Sounds influences to evoke a contemporary Stereolab feel. Tr�s int�ressant et recommandable.
