Tag: Saint Etienne (Page 2 of 2)

LOLA DUTRONIC Everyone’s A Star

20 October 2012 /

Following on from the Jean Luc Goddard soundtrack in the 21st Century mini-album of ‘Musique’ featuring the dreamy Martin Rev co-write ‘Whisper’, LOLA DUTRONIC’s new long player ‘Everyone’s A Star’ develops on their established JANE BIRKIN meets SAINT ETIENNE template.

The album’s lead single ‘Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead’ features backing vocals from Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of TOM TOM CLUB and TALKING HEADS fame. Of LOLA DUTRONIC’s exquisite German vocalist Stephanie B, Weymouth said: “I wish she were our singer!”

The song itself is a bittersweet roll of honour wryly reflecting on society’s obsession with flawed deceased characters. Michael Des Barres, one time live vocalist of THE POWER STATION and co-writer of ANIMOTION’s international smash ‘Obsession’ commented: “Premature deaths may mean legendary status but there’s a down side – you’re dead! This witty, poignant song and clever video has a dual purpose – to entertain and enlighten. It does both”.

Continuing a theme from previous EP ‘New York Stories’ which featured five CBGB era covers such as BLONDIE’s ‘In The Sun’, ‘Everyone’s A Star’ contains a trio of reinterpretations including a monotone take on DIRE STRAITS ‘Sultans Of Swing’ in the style of TRANS-X’s ‘Living On Video’, a cute girl rendition of ‘Girl On A Carousel’ and an atmospheric electronic update of ‘L’Amour Est Bleu’, a Gallic pop tune which first found prominence by coming 4th in the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest.

 

Performed by Greek songstress VICKY LEANDROS for those perennial contest cheats Luxembourg, she eventually won the 1972 contest with the ultimate guilty pleasure ‘Apres Toi’. Over the years, the Grand Duchy have engaged the services of Frenchman SERGE GAINSBOURG, Spanish maidens BACCARA and Belgian punk PLASTIC BERTRAND in their various attempts to win!

All the other songs are original tracks written by LOLA DUTRONIC main man Richard Citroen. Of those, there is the sublime ballad ‘On My Radio’, the sweet VANESSA PARADIS twirl of the title track and the breathy piano based dance grandeur of ‘Last Night A DJ Ruined My Life’.. Meanwhile, ‘Happy Birthday’ sweetly borrows the chord progression from Pachelbel’s ‘Canon’ à la ‘Go West’.

Call it electro Yé-yé, LOLA DUTRONIC happily continue their heavenly tradition of chouchou et chichi sophistication on ‘Everyone’s A Star’.

With thanks to Marty Thau

‘Everyone’s A Star’ released by Red Star Digital Music as a digital download and CD

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LOLA-DUTRONIC/80232595392

http://www.myspace.com/loladutronic

http://www.redstarmusic.net

Text by Chi Ming Lai
20th October 2012

LOLA DUTRONIC Musique

9 October 2010 /
Boys Are Just So Silly Sometimes

LOLA DUTRONIC are Lola Dee and Richard Citroen, a charming duo who divide their time between Berlin, Toronto and Paris.

Although the brand has already released several albums, their present guise has only been together since 2008 with the album ‘In Berlin’ which featured DAVID BOWIE’s renowned pianist Mike Garson.

Aided by the use of lush electronics, their sound is a chichi homage to classic French and British artists such as SERGE GAINSBOURG, FRANÇOISE HARDY, PETULA CLARK and JOHN BARRY. This nostalgia-tinged soundtrack inevitably recalls the Nouvelle Vague imagery of ALAIN DELON and BRIGITTE BARDOT in a JEAN-LUC GODARD cinematic classic.

With a new single ‘Whisper’, featuring the talents of SUICIDE’s Martin Rev as co-writer, their seven track ‘Musique’ EP has now been relaunched to the wider public. Originally released in May, it features reworkings of LOLA DUTRONIC’s better known French and English language tracks plus some new songs. In all, it is a marvellous musical showcase with lots of stark beats and warm synths accompanying Lola’s sexy, breathy vocals.

Opening song ‘My Radio (French Disco Mix)’ is the sort of Eurocentric tune that PET SHOP BOYS’ Neil Tennant used to refer to as a Princess Stephanie record, a concept that he and Chris Lowe adopted with EIGHTH WONDER’s ‘I’m Not Sacred’.

Earlier single ‘Brigitte Bardot (Retro Future Mix)’ is revamped into a bleepy midpaced shuffle with a gorgeous accented monologue and “la-la-la-la-la” refrain which turns out to be a bit of a LOLA DUTRONIC trademark. An amusing tale of dealing with the fragile male ego, Lola just shrugs her shoulders at a disco where the DJ plays music that no-one can dance to and exclaims “Some boys have some very silly ideas about music don’t they?”.

Recalling SAINT ETIENNE and INTASTELLA, another brilliant new composition ‘Beautiful World (Slight Return)’ does exactly what it says on the tin. ‘The Stranger (Imaginary Bond Mix)’ hints at MARC ALMOND’s ‘Only The Moment’ but with synthesized backing while ‘Chanson D’ete (Summer Of Love Mix)’ is the type of cute uptempo pop that Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Peter Wiggs always did so well. Finally, the drum machine of OMD’s ‘Enola Gay’ is mashed up with ERASURE’s ‘Blue Savannah’ for the EP’s wonderful closer ‘Best Years Of Our Lives (Electro Mix)’. Lyrically, it’s a close relative to PULP’s ‘Something Changed’.

‘Musique’ is a superb introduction to the lounge friendly stylings of LOLA DUTRONIC. Those with sophisticated aural tastes will certainly appreciate the neo-Gallic romanticism and elegance alongside la musique electronique.

With thanks to Marty Thau

The ‘Musique’ EP is available now on Red Star Digital Music

www.myspace.com/loladutronic

www.redstardigitalmusic.com

Text by Chi Ming Lai
9th October 2010, updated 1st July 2017

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