World > Latin World > PIAS UK/Sony DADC

Advantages: Good Music
Disadvantages: Needs improvement

An interesting album of cover tracks. The band are from France and have recently made it onto the scene in the last few years. Some songs are better than others. I would recommend this album as an easy listening record. It's something you can relax to in the evening. Tracks JOY DIVISION : Love will tear us apart (feat. Eloisia) DEPECHE MODE : Just can't get enough (feat. Eloisia) TUXEDOMOON : In a manner of speaking (feat. Camille) THE CLASH : ...
...not a) love song (feat. Melanie Pain) DEAD KENNEDYS : Too drunk to f**k (feat. Camille) THE SISTERS OF MERCY : Marian (feat. Alex) XTC : Making plans for Nigel (feat. Camille) THE CURE : A forest (feat. Marina) MODERN ENGLISH : I melt with you (feat. Silja) THE UNDERTONES : Teenage Kicks (feat. Melanie Pain) KILLING JOKE : Psyche (feat. Sir Alice) THE SPECIALS : Friday night, saturday morning (feat. Daniella D'Ambrosio) ... Read review

Advantages: Melodic, tranquil and beautiful.
Disadvantages: A few songs..

This is a spectuacular album, brought together from the concept band Nouvelle Vague. Basically, without being too 'cover disasterous', this band have manipulated songs from other artists and subverted them to the Bossa Nova style. Infact, in some cases in a quite different, atmospheric style. 'Fade to Grey' (originally by Visage), consists of a low tempo, isolated array of whispers and accordian, it stretches far beyond any stereotypicial bossa nova ...
...and stylistic compositions that totally overthrow the original. Making you wish 'Vague produced it first. Of course, there are other great points to make about this album, and that is that you can buy this as an impulse buy. I purchased this, hearing nothing about the band, apart from a review in a musical magazine boasting it's splendor. They were correct, it truly is the most perfect thing to put on, especially on a sunny sunday. ... Read review

Advantages: composition, vocals
Disadvantages: none

Anybody can recognize "The Girl From Ipanema", it's a classic. But where did it come from? Where did Bossa Nova spread its roots? Pianist Tom Jobim is credited for the composition of most of the classic Bossa Nova standards, but is was João Gilberto who took these standards, and interpreted on the guitar what we now identify as Bossa Nova. By harmonizing the chords on the guitar with the traditional Brazilian Samba rhythm, Gilberto evolved Jobims' ...
...virtuous, but what really captures me is his voice. He sings with a "blown" quality as if he is blowing air from his gut, which produces an intimate close-to-the-microphone sound. It's possible to hear his lips smacking dryly during the pronounciation of certain words, and he has an excellent vocal amplitude, using mostly low-pitched but well chosen notes. This album is fun to compare to his other work, as over the years his performances have become ... Read review