[coll]: FRANCOPHONE SINGLES, NOVEMBER 2005

Here are the best of the French singles we received in November from the Francophonie Diffusion network. Musically, this really belongs in General: it’s mostly rock & pop this month, and all from France rather than other French-speaking lands. 10 tracks from 7 discs.

FO’S PICKS: 1, 3, 4, 6, 10

1. Birdy Nam Nam – “Jazz It at Home,” from Birdy Nam Nam (5:59)
This band is a quartet of DJs!: fun chopped-up glitchy/soul-jazz groove.

2. Birdy Nam Nam – “Abbesses,” from Birdy Nam Nam (6:27)
Med/uptempo: a bit dubby, accordion, military drum, synths, holds steady.

3. Cali – “Qui se soucie de moi,” from Menteur (3:30)
Straight-up pop, deadpan male vocal, cute clap-along beat, soaring break.

4. Julien Clerc – “Double enfance,” from Double enfance (3:01)
Quirky folk-pop: marching beat, heartfelt male vox, banjo & slide guitar!

5. Gérald De Palmas – “Elle habite ici,” from Un homme sans racines (3:08)
Catchy, unassuming pop-rock for the masses. Perhaps more KFOG than KZSU.

6. Indochine – “Alice & June,” from Alice & June (3:46)
Like an alt-rock hit from the late 80s: driving guitars, smooth male vox

7. Louise Attaque – “Depuis toujours,” from A plus tard crocodile (3:22)
Engaging, upbeat, acoustic guitars, sly male vox, flute-like keyboard.

8. Outrage – “L’ampleur des débats,” from Irrecuperable (1:13)
Ska-punk band: starts with relaxed guitar/vox, then big guitars & horns.

9. Outrage – “Contagieux,” from Irrecuperable (2:36)
Fast, with pissed-off vox, quick ska-punk riffs, short guitar solo.

10. Outrage – “Cramer à petit feu,” from Irrecuperable (3:10)
Percolating intro, fun horns (lots of trumpet), filtered vox, guitar breaks.

[Fo] 12/1/05