Friday's French music break - Claire Denamur, "Bang bang bang"

Friday's French music break this week has more than a hint of the US to it

Claire Denamur's "Bang bang bang" features an hypnotic twanging guitar, a country music-influenced rhythm and a simple, catchy chorus, which should all go a fair way to making it a hit.

Claire Denamur (screenshot from official clip)

Even before its release it had been receiving a fair amount of airplay, and should get something of a boost when the recording Denamur made for the television music show Taratata is broadcast in October.

The 27-year-old apparently spent a chunk of her childhood in the States and that has heavily influenced her music and style described as, "characterised by very text-based gender relations and intimate country folk acoustic music sung with a slightly rough and ready - or 'broken' - voice."


Of the quality of her voice, she's quoted as saying in a recent article about her music in the national daily Libération, "It's that of a heavy smoker who knows the joys of bourbon!"

And that's not too far off the mark.

Distinctive? Yes.

Unpleasant? Most definitely not.

And very Blues.

Plus she write her own material which has to be the mark of a true "artiste" doesn't it?

"Bang, Bang, Bang" is the first track to be released from her second album "Vagabonde" - also well worth a listen.

Check out a review of that album on the French radio station France Inter and zap over to her official website for concert dates.

In the meantime, here's "Bang, bang, bang".

Cool video.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da5e1ni2MzE&ob=av2n

Friday's French music break - Eddy Mitchell "Avoir 16 ans aujourd’hui"

Friday's French music break this week is something of a surprise - and a welcome one at that given the failure, once again, of the country's entry at this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

It's proof that French music isn't so bad after all and comes from one of the country's ageing rockers in the proverbial twilight of his career.

Eddy Mitchell's "Avoir 16 ans aujourd’hui" is a delicious touch of nostalgia.

Eddy Mitchell (screenshot from YouTube video of duet "On veut des légendes" with Johnny Hallyday)

Eddy Mitchell (it isn't his real name of course but perhaps Claude Moine didn't have the same potential ring of fame to it) has been around the block - and then some for more decades than he probably cares to count.

Singer, songwriter and actor, his music - and there's been a lot of it since the 1960s with over 30 studio albums - is a combination of rock 'n' roll, country, country rock, variété française (French popular music) and ballads.

So something for everyone, although not always particularly appealing.

Indeed one track on 2009 album Grand Écran was a particular awful rendition of "Over the rainbow" with Melody Gardot (only click on the link with your hands clapped firmly over your lugholes).

But the 68-year-old more than makes up for that "earache" with "Avoir 16 ans aujourd’hui", a track from his confusingly-titled 2010 album "Come back".

Confusing, because as Radio France Internationale points out in its biography of Mitchell (long but well worth the read if you have a few moments) the "Brillcreamed Hair Rock'n'Roller" announced his tour, which began in October last year and wound up in April, would be his farewell one.

Hmm. How often have we heard that from someone in showbiz?

Anyway, treat yourself to a little nostalgia and take a listen to "Avoir 16 ans aujourd’hui".

This version is just an extract from the song.



Not bad - huh?

If that's left you wanting to hear more, then just click here.