A, DOMINIQUE Auguri (Lithium) cd 18.98
Monsieur Dominique A est un chanteur francais fantastique et nous aimons beaucoup la musique qu'il fait. How's that? Seriously Dominique A has a beautiful, distinct voice and on Auguri it is positively enveloping. His Remue album left many breathless and his others have pretty much the same effect.

A, DOMINIQUE Remue (Lithium) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Still more awesome French pop from the Lithium label. Dark, shambling minor key laments with spoken/sung French vocals. Shimmering guitars, muted trumpets and skittering drums. (We also have three of his other records, all of them great.)

AQUARIUS BUTTONS 2 x 1" buttons 1.00
Hey, we just got another batch of AQ buttons made up...
Spread the word! Show the world your true aQ colors! COOL COOL COOL aQ buttons, now in 5 different vibrant color combinations. 4 new color combos (blue on pink, red on black, dark blue on blue, and yellowish green on dark green) and a popular one we had previously (brown on yellow).
TWO FOR $1!!! Colors are random, but buy enough and you'll be guaranteed to get 'em all! And of course all feature our spiffy James Gang style logo!! So stylish!

BARDOT, BRIGITTE Show (Magic) cd 23.00
Some of you young'uns might not be familiar with this mighty blonde sexpot, but she sure set her fair share of hearts and loins aflame back in the sixties. Va va voom! She was perhaps less known for her singing than for her voluptuous physique, but she did indeed coo a few tunes back then, and did quite a fine job at it too. We just got this reissued Show album, and it showcases Bardot in all of her sweet and sexy glory. Kicky rocked up tunes, lusty slow orchestral ballads and saucy funky numbers, she did it all. This reissue includes the original fifteen album tracks plus four bonus cuts. Fab!
MPEG Stream: "Harley Davidson"
MPEG Stream: "Oh Qu'il Est Vilain"

BETSCH, BERTRAND BB Sides (Lithium) cd 14.98
While Bertrand Betsch's lovely previous album, La Soupe a la Grimace, was a sensitive singer songwriter affair, with heartbreakingly pretty hooks and whispered vocals, this record features the addition of 'beats' so it's a lot heavier and Bertrand rises to the occasion -- his voice is even more tortured, the guitar a bit more dissonant than before. Some of you will love the anguish, some will find his new direction distasteful, so listen to the soundclips and decide for yourself.
RealAudio clip: "La Folie des Hommes"
RealAudio clip: "J'entends plus la guitare"

BETSCH, BERTRAND La soupe a la grimace. (Lithium) cd 14.98
Wonderful! This French singer/songwriter's emotional, serious songs are delivered in a breathy, delicate manner that will DEFINITELY appeal to fans of Belle & Sebastian, although Bertrand's unique style isn't as sticky sweet. Highly recommended!

BIRKIN, JANE & SERGE GAINSBOURG s/t (Philips) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Reissue of the classic and highly controversial (at the time) record by Serge Gainsbourg and his wife, Jane Birkin. This CD contains some of Gainsbourg's (arguably) best works, from the sexually charged "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus" and "69 Annee Erotique" to playful classics ("Les Sucettes", "Elisa") to the beautifully orchestrated ("L'anamour", "Manon" & "Sous le Soleil Exactement"). Definitely a gem in the vast ouvre of Serge Gainsbourg!

BREUT, FRANCOIZ s/t (Lithium) cd 14.98
Bad Seeds or Tindersticks like songs with sultry French female vocals. Fellow Parisian Diminique A plays guitar, bass & keyboards all over the place. Very, very nice.

BREUT, FRANCOIZ Vingt A Trente Mille Jours (Lithium) cd 14.98
Francoiz Breut is the modern Brigitte Fontaine, with a healthy dose of Cat Power thrown in. Acoustic loops, soaring strings and skittering drums all frame absolutely beautiful songs, full of emotion and intensity. Breut's voice is husky and deep, the lyrics all in French, making the songs dark and dreamy and romantic.
RealAudio clip: "Derriere Le Grand Filtre"
RealAudio clip: "L'Origine du Monde"

BURGALAT, BERTRAND Meets A.S Dragon (Tricatel) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
More ultra suave pop from this smooth French gent who really should consider writing a few chapters in the how-to book of euro-flair. A most highly regarded and highly influential man of many hats in the hip lounge jet set, Monsieur Burgalat certainly has taught those Air boys a thing or two. But who is A.S Dragon and what happens when he meets them? Well, that's simply the name of the band backing him up on this record (who even have their own theme!), and actually it seems things get spiced up a bit. Less cocktail space age pad, and much more upbeat, swingin', guitar-driven retro-poppiness. Full of his handsome smooth vocals, but do keep an ear out for the occasional odd deep vocal turn here and there though. Still very groovy and dance-y though with its funky bass and organ lines. A perfect rocked up accompaniment to the recent Danger Diabolik soundtrack. Aaah, and it all comes complete with an adoring, applauding audience to boot. On his very own label.
RealAudio clip: "Sugar"
RealAudio clip: "A.S Dragon"
RealAudio clip: "Tears Of A Clown"

BURGALAT, BERTRAND Portrait-Robot (Hit Thing / Tricatel) cd 15.98
The euro-pop sounds of composer / solo crooner Monsieur Bertand Burgalat pleases many ears around the globe. Swirling strings, funky guitar and basslines, playful keyboards, horns, woodwinds, swooning male and female choruses -- it's charming in oh so many ways, elaborate and suave but not without levity and wit. If we have any complaints about Portrait-Robot, it would be that when on occasion Burgalat opts for programmed drum beats (versus live acoustic ones) such as on the song "Ripples" they're a bit... well, clunkily robotic and too upfront in the mix. When you take into consideration the album's title, you wonder if maybe be that was his intention, but it's oddly jarring when you take in the rest of the carefully crafted and composed smooth operatin' affair. The album features 19 lounge-ready songs, plus 2 bonus tracks and a video for "Spring Isn't Fair".
MPEG Stream: "Ripples"
MPEG Stream: "Spring Isn't Fair"

BURGALAT, BERTRAND The Sssound of Mmmusic (Emperor Norton) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This highly influential, euro-lounge-pop producer, composer, arranger, label owner (Tricatel) and performer extraordinaire finally sees the U.S. release of his solo debut (with three bonus tracks unavailable on the European version). Playful '60s flair a-plenty. He's worked with and/or remixed an eclectic array of artists including Air, Ladytron, Mick Harvey, April March (who actually pops up on this album to sing "Tsom"), Nick Cave, Einsturzende Neubauten, and Depeche Mode. Actually you may already be familiar with his connection to some of these artists via the groovy compilation "The Genius of Bertrand Burgalat" from last year. 17 fluffy flights of fancy evoking Bain de Soleil visions with a suave and glistening sheen. Fans of Air, Serge Gainsbourg, Kid Loco and ah yes, the cocktail hour just might find the debonair Monsieur Burgalat rather appealing.
RealAudio clip: "Tsom"

CHARLEBOIS, ROBERT Avec Louise Forestier (Unidisc Music) cd 14.98
These Unidisc Music reissues aren't necessarily new, but they are new to us here at AQ, and we've found them to be quite intriguing and enjoyable listens. On this 1968 album it's clear that Robert Charlebois' collaborative work with Louise Forestier were just as high on dramatics (and at times as loopy) as her solo albums... if not more so. The chemistry between Quebecois artists Charlebois and Forestier is not unlike two old friends getting together to bend a musical elbow over a glass of wine (or two or three). Heck, on songs such as "C.P.R. Blues" and "Egg Generation" they get downright unhinged -- lively frolics that verge on the mad or chaotic. You also get a duet version of the song "California" which appears as a solo-sung number on Forestier's Avec Enzymes album. Great!
MPEG Stream: "C.P.R. Blues"
MPEG Stream: "Egg Generation"

CLASSICAL M Bad Guys: The Complete Collection (Pacemaker / Lion Productions) cd 15.98
Nope, never heard of 'em before either. Glad we have now though! The oddly-named Classical M were a psych-pop trio (consisting of brothers Guy and Andre Maruani, and Henri Bratter) who flourished in France circa 1966-1970. Well, maybe flourished isn't quite the word. They did play on TV, and opened for Steppenwolf once, but only sold a meager number of the handful of singles they released, before heading off in separate musical or non-musical directions and disbanding. A crime really, since they were so good!! I mean, the singles tracks they left behind, as documented on this collection, are awesome. Songs like "Love, Love Is There", "Music Of The Rain", "Gog Magog" (with lyrics originally written with hopes of King Crimson using 'em!), "Such A Lovely Voice", and others are a '60s psych pop fan's dream. "Such A Lovely Voice" could be a lost Colin Blunstone/Zombies classic, and there's also a definite, well-put-to-use Beatles influence at play here. These tracks are intimate and adventurous, with Guy's strong voice and superb psychedelic instrumentation including flute, 12-string guitar, oud, violin, congas, a variety of exotic instruments.
It's interesting to note in Guy Maruani's confessional liner notes that they didn't do drugs, or even smoke or drink. "Music being for us perfectly psychedelic in and of itself". Hear hear. This disc convinces.
Vincent Tornatore of Lion Productions is especially thrilled about this release (saying Classical M are "perhaps the best, and certainly the most intriguing French band of all time"). Not sure if we can go that far (ahem...Magma) but we can see why he got so excited n' enthused when these tracks showed up out of the blue, the former band members soliciting a label for a reissue. Blown away is probably the size of it. What loveliness! What atmosphere! Press play and immediately be enthralled by the melody, the melancholy, the creativity this band displays.
Lion did an nice job packaging this, with a thick booklet of lyrics, notes on each song, photos, and reminiscences. There's 24 tracks total -- singles, demos, rehearsal recordings, live stuff. And the first ten or so with the English lyrics are the truly crucial cuts, almost all of 'em amazing... but nothing on here isn't at least enjoyable, the rest of the disc ranging from groovy, orchestrated French-language "chanson-pop" to ethnic improv stuff. Too bad they never got to do a real, entire album, but we're still lucky to have these tracks. Highly recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Love, Love Is There"
MPEG Stream: "Bad Guy"

COMELADE, PASCAL The Slang Of Noise (Les Disques du Soleil et de l'Acier) cd 16.98
Cult French songwriter/soundtrack composer Comelade's new album, on which he's joined by P.J. Harvey for two songs and Faust's Jean-Herve Peron for one (a remake of the Faust classic "The Sad Skinhead")!

EGGSTONE Ca Chauffe En Suede! Avec... (Tricatel) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

FONTAINE, BRIGITTE Brigitte Fontaine est... (Saravah) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
One of Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth's very favorite artists, Brigitte Fontaine did a kind of acid-folk French pop thing (from the early 70s) that's just delicious. These are reissues.

FONTAINE, BRIGITTE Je Ne Connais Pas Cet Homme (Saravah) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

FONTAINE, BRIGITTE Rue Saint Louis en L'ile (Virgin) cd 32.00
Attention les francophones!! If you've heard some of this new Brigitte Fontaine album, you may want to like it more than you actually find yourself doing so. If this is true, may we point you in the direction of Louise Forrestier? Please don't think we're simply generalizing when we say that stylistically there are many parallels between the music of Louise Forestier and Brigitte Fontaine. Much like that of chanteuse Fontaine, French Canadian actress/singer Forestier's music might initially strikes you as being fairly standard French Pop performed by seemingly straight-laced studio musicians, however listen closer / further to her Avec Enzymes album and you'll discover that's it's considerably more challenging and theatrical, at times drifting off into subtle eccentricities and some downright bizarre tangents. Quite campy but very cool.
If you're a die-hard Fontaine fan, you'll find her musical companionship with Areski here once again crafting futurist french pop tunes detailing her street and neighborhood. -- Very nice.

FONTAINE, BRIGITTE s/t (Saravah) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Brigitte Fontaine may get filed next to yeh-yeh girls like Francoise Hardy and Chantal Goya, but the eclectic avant-folk records she has been making with the help of percussionist Areski Belkacem since the seventies take the pop seed and mutate it far beyond the reach of any other French chanteuse. She cut a record with Art Ensemble of Chicago in 1971, and is making amazing records to this day, as evidenced by last year's excellent "Kekeland," featuring collaborations with the likes of Sonic Youth in addition to Areski. This is a reissue of her self-titled album from 1972, and it moves through the sounds of gorgeous pychedelic folk, string and organ-backed polyphonic liturgical-style chants advocating power to the people, medieval prog stylings, bizarre poetics, spoken word, barnyard avant-jazz, and the odd bout of screaming or anti-capitalist rallying. Her seductive voice grounds a kind of dada futurism that emerges alongside the deft navigation of styles, a hallmark of her work. Brigitte Fontaine's brand of cerebral pop experimentalism puts her in a strata attained by few artists. What reference points I can dig up-- Art Ensemble (of course), the best Os Mutantes records, Yoko Ono as a French situationist-- don't really suffice to explain Briggitte Fontaine's haunting oeuvre. Let me just say that listening to this album makes me giddy with joy (seriously!), and comes highly recommended, as does the reissue of 1971's "L'incendie."
RealAudio clip: "Brigitte"
RealAudio clip: "Marcelle"
RealAudio clip: "L'Eternal Retour"

FONTAINE, BRIGITTE / ARESKI L'Incendie (Spalax) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

FONTAINE, BRIGITTE / ARESKI Vous Et Nous (Saravah) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
An awesome, quirky slice of French hippy avant-pop with lots of ethno-electronic action. Allan's favorite of Fontaine's ouvre.

FONTAINE, BRIGITTE WITH ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO Comme à la Radio (Saravah) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
I somehow missed out on the first round of this reissue a little bit ago, but luckily for all of us, it's popped up again! This is an amazing collaboration between two totally incredible musical explorers, french chanteuse Brigitte Fontaine (with percussionist partner Areski) and avant-jazz greats Art Ensemble of Chicago, recorded during the Art Ensemble's stay in Paris in 1969. Though coming from very different backgrounds, each artist's idiosyncratic approach, commitment to experimentation, disregard for genre boundaries, and keen sense for improvisation and working collaboratively yields an album that pushes each performer to new heights. The blend of Fontaine's vocals, Areski's understated percussion, and the Art Ensemble's horns is really seamless, evoking the mysterious, intriguing sounds of lounge jazz in a dada cafe, or, well, an intellectual french chanteuse melding avant-folk with free jazz, which is exactly what it is. Brigitte Fontaine is becoming more and more cemented as one of my absolute favorite artists ever whith each reissue I get my hands on. So great, so recommended!
RealAudio clip: "Comme Á La Radio"

FORESTIER, LOUISE Avec Enzymes (Unidisc Music) cd 13.98
Here's one of several Unidisc Music reissues that aren't necessarily new, but are new to us here at AQ, and we've found them to be quite intriguing and enjoyable listens.
Avec Enzymes was originally released back in 1970. Now, on the language side of things, unfortunately we're not multilingual to the point of being able to tell the difference between Quebecois-French and France-French (although we wish we were!), so please don't think we're simply generalizing when we say that stylistically there are many parallels between the francophone music of Louise Forestier and Brigitte Fontaine. Much like that of chanteuse Fontaine, French Canadian actress/singer Forestier's music might initially strikes you as being fairly standard French Pop performed by seemingly straight-laced studio musicians, however listen closer / further and you'll discover that's it's considerably more challenging and theatrical, at times drifting off into subtle eccentricities and some downright bizarre tangents. I mean, just check out the album's title! A little odd, doncha think? She didn't stick to any one genre either, dabbling in rock, folk, pop and even rock opera! So campy and cool!
MPEG Stream: "California"
MPEG Stream: "Tzagadou"

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Aux Armes et Caetera (Mercury) 2cd 34.00

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Aux Armes Et Caetera (4 Men With Beards) lp 16.98
In a career of odd outings, this one is perhaps the oddest, but it works soooo well! This is Serge Gainsbourg's REGGAE DUB record from 1979. But this isn't just a bunch of French cats doing their own take on Jamaican reggae, this one is home-grown in Kingston using some of the finest session players: Sly and Robbie, Rita Marley, Ansell Collins, Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths, and Leroy Wallace doing a full on Compass Point / Lee Perry-style dub and dread burner. There's a story that most of the musicians who signed up for this session first cast a suspicious eye on the white man they were to be working for, but once they figured out this was the man behind "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus", a global make-out hit, the ice was broken and the players were fully on board. And what prevents this from straying into full on camp territory is Gainsbourg's allowance of his tunes to be transformed by the musicians while his vocals stay in the laissez-faire mode of being sort of chanted rather than being sung. Of all the later day Gainsbourg releases out there, this one is really worth your time!

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Comic Strip (Mercury) cd 15.98
This is the delightful pop themed volume of the fine retrospective compilation series of legendary French vocalist Monsieur Gainsbourg's extensive catalog. Recommended!

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Confidentiele (Philips) cd 22.00
Originally issued in 1964, Confidentiel takes on a new sound for Gainsbourg, stripping down the musical backing to simply electric guitar and upright bass (Eleck Bacsik and Michel Gaudry, respectively). Wonderful and relaxed jazz sounds here.

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Confidentiele (Philips) lp 16.98
Originally issued in 1964, Confidentiel takes on a new sound for Gainsbourg, stripping down the musical backing to simply electric guitar and upright bass (Eleck Bacsik and Michel Gaudry, respectively). Wonderful and relaxed jazz sounds here.

GAINSBOURG, SERGE du Chant a la Une! (Philips) cd 16.98
The first Gainsbourg album, originally issued in Sept. of 1958. Vocal jazz-pop, many tracks here were featured on the Du Jazz Dans le Ravin compilation (the bulk of said comp were actually culled largely from his first and fourth albums as well as the Confidentiele LP, some of which spilled over onto the Couleur Cafe compilation, which in turn was mostly taken from his second album and the Percussions LP!) Orchestrated by Alain Goraguer, also known for his brilliant score of La Planete Sauvage (Fantastic Planet)!

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Du Jazz Dans Le Ravin (Mercury) cd 15.98
Another great volume in the retrospective compilation series celebrating the work of legendary French crooner Serge Gainsbourg. This time it's jazzy Very recommended!

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Gainsbourg Percussions (Philips) cd 16.98
The sixth Gainsbourg album, originally released by Philips in 1964. A return to Alain Goraguer’s orchestration and the wonderful sounds produced on his second LP. Extremely lively and playful, this record definitely lives up to its title, as drums and percussion are the driving force behind the music here. Taking the Mambo influence of No2 and bringing forth other worldly influences from African and Latin cultures, Gainsbourg Percussions is a beautiful record, rich in sounds!

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Histoire De Melody Nelson (Light In The Attic) cd 16.98
Well it's about time!!!!!! After years of wallowing in the hazy convoluted mists of legend, hearsay, and hipster influence, only to be obtained through ultra expensive imports, rare bootlegs, or ripped vinyl blogs, this long unavailable but hugely influential work by Serge Gainsbourg finally sees its first domestic reissue almost forty years after its scandalous release.
You won't need a translator to understand the sublime perversity at the heart of this concept record, arguably Gainsbourg's most accomplished full studio album. Released in 1971, Histoire De Melody Nelson is a seven song suite about an underage English nymphet (the titular Melody Nelson) and the wealthy lecherous older Frenchman who, after nearly running over her in his Rolls Royce, takes her in, falls in love and eventually deflowers her. And of course, like most love stories, there is a tragic climax. While the story is largely lifted from Kubrick's cinematic version of Lolita, the concept was undertaken in actuality as a symphonic love letter to Jane Birken, the British actress and singer (she sings the part of Melody). Though, not underage when they began their affair, she was twenty years younger than Serge, and their relationship became controversial with the release of their 1969 duet "Je t'aime....mon non plus" (originally recorded with Brigitte Bardot) with its sounds of a simulated female orgasm.
But Melody Nelson is not only Gainsbourg's finest moment, its musical reputation would be nothing without the orchestral arrangements and progressive grooves of Jean-Claude Vannier (see our review of L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches, to get some highly praised background). The underlying score is less obviously song-oriented and more atmospheric than previous Gainsbourg outings, yet deceptively simple. The opening and closing tracks each at nearly eight minutes mirror each other with a sinewy descending bass groove and classic drum breaks (sampled heavily by De La Soul, David Holmes and Dan The Automator), which set the stage for acid-y guitar fills, swooning strings and Serge's own seductive speak-singing. The closing track ("Cargo Culte") ups the transcendent quality of the climax by adding a mass choir and full orchestra to the swirling tower of sound. In between these two tracks are shorter but artfully arranged pieces of folk-groove, French chanson, acid rock, and cinematic sonic bliss that move the story forward. It's one of those records that slowly grabs you, lures you into its spell, and eventually hooks you, so you'll want to keep listening to it over and over.
Though it was a flop on its initial release - Gainsbourg was largely a singles artist before this point, and the leap from that to concept album, especially one of this perverse nature, was perhaps too wide for French audiences - Histoire De Melody Nelson has gained a significant cult following over the years, perhaps reaching its greatest influence in the nineties with bands like Portishead (Dummy), Pulp (This is Hardcore), Massive Attack (Protection), Radiohead (The Bends), Air (Moon Safari), Blonde Redhead (Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons) and Beck (Sea Change), nearly lifting the basic sonic template of this album wholesale.
This awesome, nicely packaged reissue comes with a beautiful booklet of drawings, essays and interviews, outlining not only the full extent of the making of this amazing work, but charting its larger cultural impact as well.
Reissue of the year!
MPEG Stream: "Melody"
MPEG Stream: "Ballade De Melody Nelson"
MPEG Stream: "En Melody"

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Histoire De Melody Nelson (Light In The Attic) lp 26.00
Now on Vinyl!!
Well it's about time!!!!!! After years of wallowing in the hazy convoluted mists of legend, hearsay, and hipster influence, only to be obtained through ultra expensive imports, rare bootlegs, or ripped vinyl blogs, this long unavailable but hugely influential work by Serge Gainsbourg finally sees its first domestic reissue almost forty years after its scandalous release.
You won't need a translator to understand the sublime perversity at the heart of this concept record, arguably Gainsbourg's most accomplished full studio album. Released in 1971, Histoire De Melody Nelson is a seven song suite about an underage English nymphet (the titular Melody Nelson) and the wealthy lecherous older Frenchman who, after nearly running over her in his Rolls Royce, takes her in, falls in love and eventually deflowers her. And of course, like most love stories, there is a tragic climax. While the story is largely lifted from Kubrick's cinematic version of Lolita, the concept was undertaken in actuality as a symphonic love letter to Jane Birken, the British actress and singer (she sings the part of Melody). Though, not underage when they began their affair, she was twenty years younger than Serge, and their relationship became controversial with the release of their 1969 duet "Je t'aime....mon non plus" (originally recorded with Brigitte Bardot) with its sounds of a simulated female orgasm.
But Melody Nelson is not only Gainsbourg's finest moment, its musical reputation would be nothing without the orchestral arrangements and progressive grooves of Jean-Claude Vannier (see our review of L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches, to get some highly praised background). The underlying score is less obviously song-oriented and more atmospheric than previous Gainsbourg outings, yet deceptively simple. The opening and closing tracks each at nearly eight minutes mirror each other with a sinewy descending bass groove and classic drum breaks (sampled heavily by De La Soul, David Holmes and Dan The Automator), which set the stage for acid-y guitar fills, swooning strings and Serge's own seductive speak-singing. The closing track ("Cargo Culte") ups the transcendent quality of the climax by adding a mass choir and full orchestra to the swirling tower of sound. In between these two tracks are shorter but artfully arranged pieces of folk-groove, French chanson, acid rock, and cinematic sonic bliss that move the story forward. It's one of those records that slowly grabs you, lures you into its spell, and eventually hooks you, so you'll want to keep listening to it over and over.
Though it was a flop on its initial release - Gainsbourg was largely a singles artist before this point, and the leap from that to concept album, especially one of this perverse nature, was perhaps too wide for French audiences - Histoire De Melody Nelson has gained a significant cult following over the years, perhaps reaching its greatest influence in the nineties with bands like Portishead (Dummy), Pulp (This is Hardcore), Massive Attack (Protection), Radiohead (The Bends), Air (Moon Safari), Blonde Redhead (Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons) and Beck (Sea Change), nearly lifting the basic sonic template of this album wholesale. Reissue of the year!
MPEG Stream: "Melody"
MPEG Stream: "Ballade De Melody Nelson"
MPEG Stream: "En Melody"

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Initials B.B. (Philips) cd 16.98
This is a collection of non-LP singles released between 1965-1968. Featuring many of the tracks which make up the Comic Strip collection released here in the States. Classics include: "Bonnie and Clyde" & "Comic Strip" (both with Brigitte Bardot), "Ford Mustang", "Qui est In’ Qui est Out’", "Bloody Jack" and "Docteur Jekyll et Monsieur Hyde", among others. Not necessary for those who already own the Comic Strip collection, but definitely essential Gainsbourg!

GAINSBOURG, SERGE L'etonnant (Philips) cd 16.98
Third album, again orchestrated by Goraguer. Originally issued in April of 1961. Strangely enough, barely any of these tracks made it onto any of the American comps, save for "Les Amours Perdues", which made an appearance onto Couleur Cafe. Another Gainsbourg classic, "La Chanson de Prevert" appears here alongside many other whimsically beautiful songs perfect for Spring.

GAINSBOURG, SERGE L'Homme A Tete De Chou (4 Men With Beards) lp 16.98
More long unavailable Gainsbourg gems are available once again, which always makes us happy around here! In 1976, Serge Gainsbourg returned to the concept album format, he had begun with the exceptional Histoire De Melody Nelson. While that story was perverse without being explicit, L'Homme A Tete De Chou (The Man With a Cabbage Head) is downright x-rated and violently surreal, not that you could necessarily understand that if you don't know French. This is another love story gone wrong about an obsessive trist with a black shampoo girl who is beaten to death, but her attacker ends up in the psych ward convinced his head has turned into a cabbage!?! The music is less focused than on Melody Nelson, venturing into a wide range of genres including cafe rock, jazzy prog, disco and most notably reggae and funk (which he would explore more fully a couple of years later on his record Aux Armes Et Cetera - reviewed elsewhere on this list)! It's also not as immediately engaging as Melody Nelson, but it's still one of the weirder French pop concept records this side of J.P Massiera!

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Les Annees Psychedeliques 1966-1971 (Le Smoke Disques) 2lp 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
If you have any way to listen to vinyl, you should definitely buy this, like right now! Very few items in our store require such minimal convincing that they are absolutely essential, as we've seen this flying off of our shelves as soon as we got them. What more could you want to know: Serge Gainsbourg! Psychedelic Years! Double vinyl! Totally Affordable!
Ok, Ok, some of you need some further convincing. Probably some of you have some Serge in your collections and want to know what exactly is on here, and it's good to know because it's not really that obvious. The title says "Psychedelic Years", but this isn't a greatest hits collection, and probably only a couple of songs will be familiar to casual Gainsbourg fans ("Bonnie and Clyde" and "En Melody" from Melody Nelson). The bulk of the tracks are from French films and TV soundtracks between 1966-1971 and are arranged by either Jean-Claude Vannier (Histoire de Melody Nelson) or Michel Columbier (Initials B.B.), two of Gainsbourg's greatest collaborators. Each providing smoky and stony grooves, some with sexy femme backing vocals, for such films as Cannabis, Anna, Le Pacha, Vidocq, Manon 70, Ce Sacre Grand-Pere, La Horse, Mister Feedom and Si J'etasi Un Espion. Three tracks even contain bonus beats for you record heads. There is not one bad cut on here. So don't miss out as we're not sure how long this will be available. Did we say that THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GAINSBOURG, SERGE Mauvaises Nouvelles des Etoiles (Mercury) 2cd 34.00

GAINSBOURG, SERGE No. 2 (Philips) cd 16.98
The second, untitled Gainsbourg album, originally issued in June of 1959. Brilliantly orchestrated by Alain Goraguer, with playful Mambo flair which dominated the style found on the Couleur Cafe compilation! Features a hilarious take on the American Western musical (think Oklahoma), "Jeunes Femmes et Vieux Messieurs"! Wonderful and lively.

GAINSBOURG, SERGE No. 4 (Philips) cd 16.98
The fourth Gainsbourg album, originally issued by Philips in May, 1962. Orchestrated once again by Alain Goraguer. No4 is a bit slicker in production and slightly darker in tone than Gainsbourg's previous efforts -- just a taste of what's to come. Many tracks here were featured on the Jazz and Couleur Cafe collections.

HJARNIDAUDI Pain:Noise:March (Paradigms) cd 12.98
Way back in 2002 we listed a record by Norway's Hlidolf, who whipped up (or, er... down) a slow motion swirl of spacey, dark, drifty, deep, and droney doom sludge. Channelling Earth 2, SUNNO))), Lustmord, Klaus Schulze and the like. Obviously it was a huge AQ fave. Unfortunately that release seems to have faded and disappeared into the ether, but thankfully we now have this epic three track disc from Hjarnidaudi, who are the rightful sonic heirs to the space doom drone throne once occupied by Hlidolf (due in no small part to this being the new project of Hlidolf's Vidar Ermesjo). But where Hlidolf was all darkness and doom, winter and wastelands, Hjarnidaudi is white hot light and blinding bursts of fuzz and sparkle, like the impossible birth of a new universe. Sure it's still slow and doomy, but much like the recent Fleshpress III record, this is a doom band moving beyond the confines of pure doom. Huge expansive stretches of majestic slow moving melody, a sort of doom certainly, but instead of murky downtuned gurgling sludge, these doomscapes are constructed from jagged buzzy brittle slabs of crystalline guitars, brief explosive smears of almost ambient fuzz, held together by an impossibly glacial rhythm section. Sunroof! by way of Esoteric, a shoegazer SUNNO))), a WAY less propulsive Jesu, or Skepticism broadcast through the M83 soundsystem. A gloriously thick and rich, warm and shimmering expanse of stretched out buzzing guitars, dreamy melodies, minor key and melancholy, but with a strangely warm embrace. If most sludge-doom-death-drone is like dunking your head in a tarpit, the world a dripping black dirge, Hjarnidaudi is like falling into the Sunn, hot and blinding, the world splintering into a million tiny sparkling pieces.
Limited to 750 copies, packaged in a mini lp style sleeve wrapped in a hand stamped brown paper outer sleeve.
MPEG Stream: "One"
MPEG Stream: "Two"

JOLY, RENE Chimene (Magic) cd 19.98
One of our favorite reissues and new/old discoveries of last year was the passionate and powerful work of Gerard Manset. We immediately fell hard for his rich and textured songs which showed the more intense side of '60s and early '70s French Pop. So we were immediately intrigued by this collection of songs by Rene Joly when we saw that the orchestration was credited in part to Gerard Manset. But once we listened, it turned out to be Joly's voice that grabbed our attention right away. Full of drama, fire and beauty we couldn't believe that this was the first time his amazing voice had made it into our ears. It made us think of what Antony & The Johnsons might have sounded like if they were from France in 1970, or maybe Bryan Ferry doing Edith Piaf covers.
Even some of our friends who grew up in France had not heard of Joly so we don't feel quite as bad for not hearing him until now. How glad we are that this gem of French orchestral psychedelic pop has finally risen to the surface, brought to us by the same label that brought us the great Pop Made In France compilation highlighted last time. Prog fans will even want to check this out for the great King Crimson cover "La Cour Du Roi Musicien" (The Court Of The Crimson King). Majestic sounds filled with cinematic flair, and bubbling with grandeur and rich color. Joly's commanding voice sweeps us off our feet every time we listen. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Chimene"
MPEG Stream: "La Cour Du Roi Musicien"
MPEG Stream: "L'Amour Fut Doux"

MANSET, GERARD La Mort D'Orion (World Psychedelia Ltd.) cd 17.98
Last year one of our favorite reissues came in the form of the strong and passionate voice of Gerard Manset. A French mastermind musician who has been crafting iconoclastic and lush sounds since the late '60s. The release we first heard last year titled 1968 quickly became an AQ favorite and made us think of Manset as a French incarnation of Caetano Veloso. We went from barely knowing anything about Manset to wanting to try to find out as much as we could about him, as that release reeled us in so strongly with its elegant and charged melodies.
La Mort D'Orion was recorded a couple years after that release in 1970 and finds Manset in a much more avant setting, but with equally stunning results. Created as one multi-part suite, the record is filled with strings, the music moving from small scale moments to sweeping epics, beautiful melodies everywhere, all colored with rich instrumentation and of course there's Manset's elegant voice.
This is the perfect antidote to fluffy ye-ye pop. With La Mort D'Orion, Manset created a piece of challenging and brooding symphonic pop akin to the best work created by the likes of Robert Wyatt, Scott Walker and Franco Battiato. Accented with shots of prog, psychedelia and modern classical, Manset displays his amazing ability to pull together a wide range of elements in creating such a monumental and rewarding piece of music. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "La mort d'Orion: 2. La mort d'Orion"
MPEG Stream: "Ils"
MPEG Stream: "La mort d'Orion: 3. Où l'horizon prend fin"

MANSET, GERARD 1968 (Xenon) cd 11.98
Gerard Manset is an underground French treasure, recording records since the late '60s but always avoiding the public spotlight, refusing to do interviews, appear on TV or play any of the other silly games often required to attain mainstream success. With a totally seductive voice, and lush arrangements that are as powerful as they are beautiful, this album recorded during the student riots in Paris in 1968 has become one of those discs we can't stop listening to! There is an urgency and passion in these songs rarely heard in modern music. Manset has the same kind of presence and elegance as folks like Serge Gainsbourg, Caetano Veloso, Michel Polnareff and Scott Walker. This is not ye-ye fluffy French pop. Don't get us wrong we love that stuff, but what makes Manset so damn great is how his songs are so melodic and catchy while also being so sensual and impassioned. Totally smart arrangements that will appeal to both psych and pop lovers. We recently learned that Manset has an extensive back-catalog and we can't wait to start getting our hands on as much of it as possible, but until then let's all get swept up in 1968!
MPEG Stream: "Animal On Est Mal"
MPEG Stream: "L'Arc En Ciel"

MENDELSON L'avenir Est Devant (Lithium) cd 14.98
Acoustic and dark and really beautiful. Mendelson are like a French Nick Drake, or maybe more accurately, a French Belle And Sebastian (who are of course, obsessed with Nick Drake). Long stretches of gently plucked guitars, minor key strings, mumbled vocals, and sparse percussion. Absolutely stunning.

MENDELSON Quelque Part (Lithium) cd 14.98
Mendelson's second record is a little more aggressive, taking their Nick Drake / Belle And Sebastian sound and drenching it in electric guitars and reverb, adding some roughness to their dark crystalline sound. And this time around, the vocals are more spoken, less sung, making a lot of this record sound like a French Arab Strap. You feel like, if you understood French, you would realize these beautiful songs were actually crushing tales of impotence and drunkenness and loneliness. Nice
RealAudio clip: "Le Brouillard"

MINIERE, JEROME La Nuit (Lithium) 2cd 15.98
Beautiful and lush, late-night electro-pop / hip hop. Dark mumbled, whispery vocals, looped minor key piano, shuffling jazzy drums, stuttering samples. Like a mix of Massive Attack, MC Solaar and the occasional touch of Magnetic Fields. Nice.
RealAudio clip: "Merveilleux Comme Ca"

OPHIUCUS s/t (Lion Productions) cd 16.98
Lion Productions brings us another super obscure psych/prog reish that's pretty darn cool. France, 1972: the dawning of Ophicus, an astrologically inclined band staffed by some serious musicians from the French rock/pop scene, including a former member of Zoo. They certainly had a lot of promise, this debut album of theirs being a gorgeous and eclectic (and sometimes experimental) stylistic mix, encompassing everything from lilting acoustic folk to lush symphonic pop to raw backporch blues to heavy fuzz acid rockin' grooviness (Francais Metal de Proto ooh la la!). Sublime string orchestration, lovely vocal arrangements, and memorable melodies contribute to the wonderful moody atmosphere that pervades this album despite its diversity.
There's a lot to like here. This disc's 20 tracks include eight bonus cuts taken from a unreleased second album, among them several English language versions of songs from the debut meant for international release. And Lion (as is typical of them) provides a fairly hefty cd booklet into the bargain, full of photos, lyrics, and brand new liner notes from the band themselves, including commentaries on each track (for example: "'Darbouka' was meant to silently convey the feeling of oppression and the impossibility of expressing where it comes from"). If you liked the previous Lion reissues from France (Classical M, Ilous & Decuyper) you definitely should check out Ophicus, likewise if you've been digging that Pop Made In France comp we highlighted recently.
MPEG Stream: "Prenez, Donnez"
MPEG Stream: "Darbouka"
MPEG Stream: "Ne Cherche Plus"