Carla Bruni-Sarkozy prepares a new album

It's time for music fans to pin back their lugholes once again.

France's multi-gifted first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, has confirmed that she's working on a new album - her fourth - and if reports are to be believed is ready to return to the recording studio early next year.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (source Wikipedia, author - Remi Jouan)

The news came last week as she and her husband, the French president Nicolas Sarkozy, hosted the annual Christmas tree ceremony at the official presidential residence, the Elysée palace.

According to the French media, Bruni-Sarkozy has written and composed most, if not all, the songs herself - reports vary.

Although no fixed date has been given either for her return to the studio or the subsequent release of an album, one or other could coincide with a timely announcement from her husband that he's seeking a second mandate.

Rumours have been rife for some time now that Bruni-Sarkozy was preparing to treat her fans to another delightful and delicious dose of her gasping, rasping and breathlessly sensuous ("Get down Shep") voice.

And there were suggestions that advisors to the French president had asked delay her planned musical comeback (Bruni-Sarkozy's last album, "Comme si de rien n'était" was released in July 2008).

That didn't stop her from making a return to the studio earlier this year, albeit as a composer, when she penned "Je chante le blues" on the latest album from one of this country's first "girls of rock 'n roll" and now a long-established star of the French musical scene, Sylvie Vartan.

Bruni-Sarkozy's most recent venture into the studio though was to record a cover version of David Bowie's 1986 hit "Absolute beginners".

She was one of many artists to record Bowie tracks for a double album paying tribute to one of rock and pop's undisputed greats.

Unfortunately for France's first lady her rendition was panned by many (including that arbiter of great taste, Britain's Daily Mail) as "Absolutely awful".

Here's wishing the soon-to-be 43-year-old (whose birthday is on December 23) more favourable (musical) reviews in the New Year.


Carla Bruni - Absolute Beginners
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Carla Bruni-Sarkozy sings David Bowie

Music fans, pin back your ears. France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, has been back in the recording studio.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, screenshot from YouTube video of Top of the Pops performance on France 2 television

She's one of many artists to be found on a new double album to be released next month paying tribute to one of rock and pop's undisputed greats, David Bowie.

The album is due for release next month with all proceeds going to the charity War Child which is a "network of independent organisations, working across the world to help children affected by war".


Bruni-Sarkozy's contribution is a cover of Bowie's 1986 hit "Absolute beginners" and, as Britain's Daily Mail reports, the 42-year-old former model-turned singer and now first lady is being "mocked mercilessly in France after having recorded arguably the most dreadful David Bowie cover of all time".

While that's perhaps being a little harsh and a tad exaggerated (there have been some positive reviews to her interpretation) to be absolutely frank it's not a patch on the original.

But there again Bruni-Sarkozy, with three albums under her belt, isn't exactly in the same category as Bowie.

In her rendition, Bruni-Sarkozy proves to be true to her "style" with the same simple production as can be heard on her previous recordings and of course that delightful rasping, gasping, sensuous voice.

Once again though, perhaps it's best to judge for yourself with this clip, courtesy of Dailymotion.

Enjoy.


Carla Bruni - Absolute Beginners
envoyé par sue_ellen123. - Regardez plus de clips, en HD !

And just in case you've forgotten how it really SHOULD sound...here's the master himself.