Putumayo Recordings - Paris Album Review

Paris
Album Review

Highlighting artists from the Nouvelle Scene (New Scene), Paris features modern takes on classic French chanson.

Leafy boulevards, café culture and a passion for la bonne vie have always driven French society. Now Putumayo records have lovingly collected the best of La nouvelle énergie musicale for your listening pleasure. The passion of Paris and the swaggering chanson have been fused with more modern influences to give a musical snapshot of the modern French music scene and its ever evolving culture riche.

Opening the album is a track from one of the leading artists of the nouvelle scène, Thomas Fersen. On "Au Café de la Paix," Fersen channels the spirit of famed 60s chanson artist Serge Gainsbourg with darkly ironic lyrics over a sweet, bubbly melody. On its surface innocent and simple, the song takes a turn toward the twisted as the delusional author confuses a lover he's never met and a house they've never lived in with a woman from his past The song ends with Fersen wishing the woman would come visit him in his new home — underneath a bridge.

Soft and lovely, the acoustic track "Quelqu'un M'a Dit" glows with the same beauty as its composer — supermodel Carla Bruni. Her crooning lyrics confirm why the French are often said to be among the most passionate people in the world: "I'm told that our lives aren't worth much/ Passing in an instant, like wilting roses/ Yet someone told me that you loved me still/ Could that be possible?"

Heartbreak and passion are a recurring theme in this collection, but the group Tryo offers a welcome lighthearted interlude. With catchy rhythms and melodic hooks, Tryo writes songs for their fans to "whistle in the shower." On "Serre-Moi," this intention is fulfilled through a unique blend of French chanson and acoustic reggae.

Many of the nouvelle scène artists work similar global fusions into their music. Brazilian and Latin rhythms, stirred up with chanson and electronica, prove an excellent recipe for songs by Pascal Parisot. His lounge-y vocals, humorous lyrics and swinging rhythms on "Je Reste Au Lit" are reminiscent of the very mod 60s sound. The breezy samba-flavored track from Keren Ann displays her global influences and shows off the songwriting style that has been the cornerstone of her successful career. And on "Samba de Mon Cœur Qui Bat" Coralie Clément embraces the same alluring style with a breathy timbre that drifts elegantly over samba piano runs and trombone riffs.

Tareck Ghoneim