French music

One of the major highlights of living in France is the chance to discover new French music, and also see some of my favourite acts live. Here are some of the artists I’ve been recommending to anyone who will listen. Links are to reviews of the concerts I have seen.

Top five French artists

•    Alain Bashung
•    Anais
•    Benabar
•    Francis Cabrel
•    La Grande Sophie – coming soon in concert, 17 November.

A-Z guide

Alain Bashung – The French Leonard Cohen, and sadly, no longer with us.
Favourite songs: Comme Un Lego; Hier à Sousse ; Je T’ai Manqué ; Je Tuerai La Pianiste ; La Nuit Je Mens ; Madame Rêve ; Nights in White Satin ( !) ; Résidents de la République ; and his version of Suzanne.

Anais – angry grrrl music.
Favourite songs: Christina; I Love You; Le Premier Amour; Mon Coeur Mon Amour; Peut-etre Une Angine.

Benabar – in the tradition of chanson francaise, with amusing lyrics. Would have married him if someone else hadn’t gotten there first.
Favourite songs: Everything! But for a starting point: Dis-lui oui; Le Diner; Le Coup du Lapin; Sac à Main; Ou T’etais Passé ; Tu Peux Compter Sur Moi; Bruxelles.

Blankass – Hard rock, with accordions ! I have only seen them live in concert once, at an outdoors stage in Lille a dozen years ago. Would love to catch them again.
Favourite songs: I had their first album on high rotate when I lived here back in 1996/97, so it is songs from that time that stick out for me. La Couleur Des Bles; Danse Avec Les Vieux ; Leon ; Le Garagiste ; but also L’ere de Rien ; Pour La Lumiere ; Mondiale Idee ; and their cover of Another Brick in the Wall, which I just discovered while writing this.

Carla Bruni – Mrs Sarkozy, quoi. I think marrying him was actually a bad thing for her career, as her albums now attract ungenerous critics, and she can’t play live any more due to the security risk. She does have a breathy style which can get on your nerves, but I like her. If you shut your eyes and don’t think of Le Petit Nicolas himself, her crooning love songs are actually very romantic.
Favourite songs: Quelqu’un M’a dit; Le Plus Beau du Quartier (hope she’s being ironic here).

Charles Aznavour – In a family tree of French musicians, FNAC described him as Edith Piaf’s cousin. I would agree, but just add, ‘from the cheerful side of the family’. Adorable for his soundtrack of Paris in a golden era.
Favourite songs: To prove he can do gloomy as well : Que C’est Triste Venise ; Je Hais Les Dimanches. But he really swings with La Boheme; Mes Emmerdes; Paris Au Mois D’aout; and one of my all-time favourite French songs, For Me Formidable.

Les Cowboys Fringuants – Actually French-Canadian, but they squeak in because they will in my mind forever be the soundtrack to a brilliant weekend in Auvergne. Modernised folk music with a rock edge, and an ecological message. More accordions!
Favourite songs: Ti-cul ; 8 Secondes ; Plus Rien; Camping Ste Germaine.

De Palmas – Folk/pop singer-songwriter.  
Favourite songs: Une Seule Vie ; J’en Reve Encore ; Tu Finiras Toute Seule.

Edith Piaf – Obligatory if you live in Paris, and wander the streets in tragic/romantic mode. And La Mome made me cry buckets. But my first real memory of her is our slightly camp French teacher taking us line by line through “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien” in fourth form. Hilarious.
Favourite songs: Where to start ? L’accordéoniste; Les Trois Cloches; Padam, Padam, La Vie En Rose; Hymne a l’Amour ; Sous Le Ciel de Paris.

Francis Cabrel – The French Dave Dobbyn. Maybe not quite the same sound, but has kept going, churning out still-fresh albums, with beautiful hooks and a social conscience, for over 30 years.
Favourite songs: Um, again, everything. Best albums to start with: Samedi Soir Sur La Terre, and Hors-Saison. For something a bit different, try Also Mas Amor, for his songs in Spanish.

Jacques Brel – Belgian singer-songwriter, but adopted by the French, and died just north of Paris. Grim – definitely not recommended on a rainy Sunday afternoon unless you have a strong constitution.
Favourite songs: Les Bourgeois (savage parody) ; Le Plat Pays ; Amsterdam ; Bruxelles ; and of course, the original, Ne Me Quitte Pas.

Keren Ann – Dutch/Israeli singer-songwriter. Haunting vocals and lyrics. Not over-the-top, not showy, just some lovely songs. Almost makes my top five.
Favourite songs: Lay Your Head Down ; Between the Flatlands And The Caspian Sea

La Grande Sophie – girl rock ! Paris concert 17 November!! And queens of the clever videos.
Favourite songs: Du Courage (guaranteed to always cheer me up); Martin (about a boy who is going to lose the girl because he can’t make up his mind); Parigot (taking the piss out of the stereotype of Paris inhabitants, incorporating local slang); Psy Psychanalyste; T’es comment (about a boy she’s got a crush on – what are you like with your parents? / what are you like when you’re fed up? / what are you like – in my arms?) Aujourd’hui On Se Marie (sweet song which could be about an actual wedding); and their version of These Boots Were Made for Walking (Zese boots wh‘ere made for walkin).

La Rue Ketanou – started out as street musicians in La Rochelle, mix of traditional French style and bouncy pop, almost punk. More accordion!  Check out the live album Ouvert à Double Tour to get the energy of their live shows.
Favourite songs: Personne N’a Le Prenom de Ma Femme ; Qui Dit Mieux

Louise Attaque – how could I not love the French version of the Violent Femmes?
Favourite songs: Pour Un Oui, Pour Un Non, Manhattan ; See You Later Alligator ; La Valse.

Manu Chao – “French Latin folk singer of Basque and Galician origin” – the result is Latin-infused world music. Am disappointed I didn’t catch him at a music festival this summer, but there’s always next year.  
Favourite songs: Clandestino ; Bongo Bong ; Je Ne T’aime Plus ; Mala Fama ; Welcome to Tijuana.

Madeleine Peyroux – American, but included here for her versions of J’ai Deux Amours and La Vie En Rose, and the fact that she served her time busking on the streets of Paris. I have mixed feelings about Madeleine Peyroux. She’s one of those rare artists that I prefer to hear doing covers than her originals.
Favourite songs: See above, also Walking After Midnight ; I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter; You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go; Dance Me To The End Of Love.

Presque Oui – Quirky duo from the North of France, reduced to one member, after the female singer died tragically young of lung cancer.  I only have one EP, called J’aime Pas La Dentelle (I don’t like lace – the North is well known for producing lace).
Favourite songs: Le P’tit Pompier (about a fireman who poses for calendars), Il M’a Vu Nue (cover of old music-hall song by Mistinguett, about a man who surprises a girl skinny-dipping – lots of innuendo)

Renaud – a giant of French popular music for the last 30 years, for his social commentary and catchy songs.
Favourite songs: Mon beauf’ (slang for my brother in law – also meaning a dolt, cf Homer Simpson) ; Ma Gonzesse; Dans Mon HLM; Hexagone; Morgane de Toi; Manhattan Kaboul (comment on 9/11 and invasion of Afghanistan).

French artists to investigate further

...when I get around to it!

Barbara – apparently there are two kinds of people in the world – those who have seen Barbara live, and the rest.
Indochine and Telephone – two grand classiques of 80s French pop.
Renan Luce – did the theme tune to the recent movie of Le Petit Nicolas
Benjamin Biolay - just put out a new album, but I can't see what the fuss is about yet.
Johnny Halliday – I was cynical, but Gabrielle might have turned me around.
Rose Stanislaus
Amel Bent
Jennyfer
Christophe
Christophe Mae
Laurent Voulzy
Christophe Willem (the first French Pop Idol, but actually quite talented)