 | By: Keren Ann Label: EMI/Virgin France Released: 26 Mar 2001 RRP: Average Rating:  |
It is easy at first to think - judging by the first three songs that Keren Ann started as a French Nelly Furtado, but it's on songs like track 4, 'On Est Loin' & track 6, 'Peut-Etre', that you quickly realize what eternal qualities her music has. This album must have sold a lot - every song is ultra catchy, the production is tip-top, it has plenty of quirky sounds that bring to mind artists like Beck or Morcheeba, but at the best moments Keren Ann manages to move you in the same way alll the greatest French Chanson singers used to do.
It is no wonder that the veteran French singer Henry Salvador, chose her as the main songwriter for his comeback album. However, it is surprising that 'Jardin D'Hiver' (track 9) was the song that won her the French Grammy for best song, & that this song was the highlight of Salvadore's much talked about, & hugely successful, comeback. It is a very nice song, but it certainly doesn't stand out, if anything, it feels like a little Bosa-Nova filler, which is mainly there to add some variety.
Anyway, if you've never listened to French music before, this could be a very good place to start with. International, but very Parisian, modern, contemporary, but classic too, in French but you don't need to necessarily understand the lyrics in order to relate to it. Pop music at its best.
After the French electronic revolution you could expect French pop would soon follow. And it does. There is a new string of great talent coming from Paris, one of the brightest is Keren Ann. Born in Israel to a Dutch mother & an Israeli father Keren Ann follows the footsteps of Francoise Hardy with a new trip hop sensibility that makes her sound like Paris in the autumn. If you understand the lyrics you get an extra treat. Dimanche en hiver is one of the best winter songs ever. P.s. please notice Keren Ann wrote the songs on the Henri Salvador comeback record.
Her light, yet remarkable voice & intelligent lyrics have been used to sharp effect on an album that, if written in English, could have seen her even replace Dido & Beth Orton on the folk-pop pedestal. "Dimanche en Hiver" is a wonderful folk track which shows the wonder & sadness of winter (the line for example - "Le printemps ne viendra plus, peut-etre il dort"), & "Seul" mixture of sadness & hope rings in your head alll day. "Aeroplane" is a wonderful piece of observation & critique, & even with rock guitars the mood never changes.
The album shifts between happiness, meloncholy & hope in a way perhaps only bettered by REM`s Automatic For the People. While Keren Ann's voice & arrangement are a charm & pleasure to behold, the real force behind this album is its lyrical content, which is remarkably simple yet deep & witty. Keren Ann Zeidel seems to have taken the best lessons from Serge Gainsbourg & the Beatles & infused them into her own unique style of expression. Dido would never understand it.
I do hope that Madame Zeidel gets the recognition that she deserves. I discovered her album in 2001 & must say that it beat people like Badly Drawn Boy, & Goldfrapp to be my album of the year. A must for anyone's album collection.
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