Talking about the most consistently great, front-to-back alt-pop/rock albums of this century... this one is in the conversation.
This came out 10 years ago now but has always been one of my favourite 21st century French albums. Perfect, smooth French pop, with a twist. The video for 'L'homme a la peau musicale' is delightful.
Cécile Corbel - "Songbook Vol. 2" (2008) sings in English on this one, mostly she sings in her native French "Mary"
Some of my personal favourties have already been posted (Air, Daft Punk, St Germain) - here is another example of how strong French electronic music was in the late 90s, early 00s. Laurent Garnier from his 'Unreasonable Behaviour' album:
Melissa Mars got signed to Polydor as a Lolita singer but her mother, and lyricist, hated men and, by her second album, she was really into Marilyn Manson so anyone buying the album for a cheap thrill was in for a shock.
La Femme - Psycho Tropical Berlin (2013) The album is solid from start to finish , quirky and unconventional, I've been listening to it regularly .
Another track from Cécile Corbel Songbook Vol 2 (2008) Beautiful Breton harpist, songwriter, balladress - May appeal to fans of Steeleye, Fairport, Loreena
Maxime Le Forestier - Maxime Le Forestier (1972) Maxime ! quel bonheur de l'entendre ! Maxime's songs resemble Paul Simon's early work, musically, but they have also something of Bob Dylan's political edge.
I definitely agree , this CD reminds me of the "New Wave" era of the late 70s and early 80s. I say a really solid album, with typical ''French rock electro pop songs'', full of energic and positive vibe !
I never expected to see one of my favourite albums of the last five years making it to the SHF, the last time I checked Recto Verso was one of the most wanted albums on record on Discogs, it’s a shame they split up shortly after releasing the album. Pierre Rousseau is still very active though having produced the last Nicolas Godin album as well as the second brilliant album by Moodoïd (Cité Champagne) I am a French pop music obsessive so great to see some discussion here on SHF.
Except for Serge Gainsbourg, I'd dare to say the all-time greatest french language albums are by Québec's Robert Charlebois who got freaky and into Hendrix and Zappa all the while worshipping Elvis. He sold out in the last 70s-80s to do bad pop but his first decade is stellar. Lindberg is the place to go to. Fu Man Chu too. He also did DEEP PSYCH ROCK with a single called Beige Neige.
One of the biggest selling albums of the last decade in France. Rumours of a new album coming later this year.
100 French Rock Essential albums (Rolling Stone) 2010 01 - Alain Bashung - Osez Joséphine 02 - Noir Désir - Tostaky 03 - Téléphone - Dure Limite 04 - Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson 05 - Jacques Higelin - BBH 75 06 - Johnny Hallyday - Rivière ouvre ton lit 07 - Les Rita Mitsouko - The No Comprendo 08 - Mano Negra - Puta's Fever 09 - Alain Bashung - Fantaisie Militaire 10 - Noir Désir - Veuillez rendre l'âme (à qui elle appartient) 11 - Trust - Répression 12 - Noir Désir - 666.667 Club 13 - Téléphone - Au coeur de la nuit 14 - Serge Gainsbourg - Initials B.B. 15 - Jacques Dutronc - The EP collection 16 - Alain Bashung - Live 85 17 - Téléphone - Crache ton venin 18 - Eddy Mitchell - Sur la route de Memphis 19 - Alain Bashung - Pizza 20 - Les Rita Mitsouko - Rita Mitsouko 21 - Noir Désir - Du Ciment sous les plaines 22 - CharlÉlie Couture - Poèmes Rock 23 - Stephan Eicher - I Tell This Night 24 - Léo Ferré - Amour Anarchie 25 - Johnny Hallyday - La Génération perdue 26 - Nino Ferrer - Enregistrement public 27 - Jean-Patrick Capdevielle - Les Enfants des ténèbres et les Anges de la rue 28 - Serge Gainsbourg - L'Homme à tête de chou 29 - Jacques Higelin - Alertez les bébés 30 - Téléphone - Téléphone 31 - Christophe - Les Paradis perdus 32 - Mano Negra - Patchanka 33 - Magma - Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandoh 34 - Johnny Hallyday - Insolitudes 35 - Jacques Higelin - Champagne pour tout le monde, caviar pour les autres... 36 - Bernard Lavilliers - Les Barbares 37 - Les Garçons bouchers - Les Garçons bouchers 38 - Marquis de Sade - Rue de Siam 39 - Michel Polnareff - Love me, please love me 40 - Alain Bashung - Chatterton 41 - Kat onoma - Stock phrases 42 - Rachid Taha - Made in Medina 43 - Les Négresses Vertes - Famille nombreuse 44 - Eddy Mitchell - Eddy in London 45 - Christophe - Les Mots Bleus 46 - Alain Bashung - Bleu Pétrole 47 - Étienne Daho - Pour nos vies martiennes 48 - Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine - Dernières balises (avant mutations) 49 - Air - The Virgin Suicides 50 - Serge Gainsbourg - Aux armes et caetera 51 - Ronnie Bird - Ronnie Bird 52 - Bérurier Noir - Concerto pour détraqués 53 - Christophe - Live à l'olympia 54 - Nino Ferrer - Métronomie 55 - Jean-Patrick Capdevielle - /2 56 - Gérard Manset - La Mort d'Orion 57 - Jean-Louis Murat - Mustango 58 - Kat Onoma - Cupid 59 - Eddy Mitchell - Rocking in Nashville 60 - Noir Désir - Des visages, des figures 61 - Mano Negra - King of Bongo 62 - Bernard Lavilliers - 15ème round 63 - Serge Gainsbourg - Love on the beat 64 - La Souris Déglinguée - La Souris Déglinguée 65 - Air - Moon Safari 66 - Bijou - Danse avec moi 67 - Manu Chao - Clandestino 68 - M - Live, En tête à tête 69 - Stephan Eicher - Tour Taxi Europa 70 - Arno - Ratata 71 - Dogs - Too Much Class for the Neighbourhood 72 - Paul Personne - Barjoland 73 - Ange - Au-delà du délire 74 - Les Innocents - Fous à lier 75 - Starshooter - Mode 76 - Au Bonheur des Dames - Twist 77 - Tanger - La Mémoire insoluble 78 - Variations - Nador 79 - Johnny Hallyday - Johnny, reviens ! Les Rocks les plus terribles 80 - FFF - Free For Fever 81 - Dashiell Hedayat - Obsolete 82 - Vigon - The End of Vigon 83 - Parabellum - Gratuit : 2 morceaux en moins ! 84 - Triangle - Anthologie 1969 - 1974 85 - Alain Kan - Heureusement en France, on ne se drogue pas ! 86 - Les Satellites - Du grouve et des souris 87 - Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine - Soleil cherche futur 88 - Daniel Darc - Crève coeur 89 - Dogs - Legendary Lovers 90 - Le Cri de la mouche - Le Cri de la mouche 91 - Elli & Jacno - Tout va sauter 92 - Dionysos - Western sous la neige 93 - OTH - Sur les charbons ardents 94 - Les Wampas - Simple et tendre 95 - Taxi Girl - Cherchez le garçon 96 - Bérurier Noir - Abracadaboum ! 97 - M - Qui de nous deux ? 98 - Indochine - Paradize 99 - Niagara - Quel enfer ! 100 - Plastiscines - About Love
Agree, Zaz is a great singer and a sassy performer. Love her stuff, especially this album from 2014. She too just announced a new album coming out later this year.
Feu! Chatterton -Ici Le Jour (A Tout Enseveli) 2015 Feu! Chatterton is an oasis of elegance created by young dandies from Paris.
