Tag Archives: French

Wovenhand: Refractory Obdurate

Leave a comment

On April 29, 2014, “Glitterhouse Records” and “Deathwish Inc.” labels released “Refractory Obdurate”, the seventh Wovenhand studio album. It was recorded in 2014, and was produced by Sanford Parker.

Personnel:

  • David Eugene Edwards – vocals, guitar, banjo
  • Chuck French – guitar
  • Neil Keener – bass, synth
  • Ordy Garrison – drums
  • Sanford Parker – engineer, mixing
  • Collin Jordan – mastering
  • Neil Keener – artwork
  • Jacob Bannon – design

Track listing:

All tracks by David Eugene Edwards, except where noted.

  1. Corsicana Clip
  2. Masonic Youth
  3. The Refractory
  4. Good Shepherd
  5. Salome
  6. King David
  7. Field of Hedon
  8. Obdurate Obscura – David Eugene Edwards, Chuck French
  9. Hiss
  10. El-Bow – David Eugene Edwards, French, Ordy Garrison, Neil Keener

Charles Aznavour

Leave a comment

On October 1, 2018, Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian aka Charles Aznavour died aged 94. He was singer, lyricist, actor, public activist and diplomat, regarded as one of the most popular and respected French music artists. In his career long more than 70 years, he wrote and co-wrote 1000 songs, and recorded more than 1200 songs. In 1998, “CNN” named Aznavour “Entertainer of the Century”. In 2017, he was awarded star on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame”.

Magma: Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh

Leave a comment

In December 1973, “Vertigo” label released “Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh”, the third Magma studio album. It was recorded in 1973, and was produced by Giorgio Gomelsky. The French edition of “Rolling Stone” magazine named the album the 33rd greatest French rock album.  In 2015, the same magazine ranked the album at number 24 on its list of the “50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time.

Personnel:

  • Klaus Blasquiz– vocals, percussion
  • Stella Vander– vocals
  • Muriel Streisfield– vocals
  • Evelyne Razymovski– vocals
  • Michele Saulnier– vocals
  • Doris Reinhardt– vocals
  • Claude Olmos– guitar
  • Jean-Luc Manderlier– piano, organ
  • Benoit Widemann– keyboards
  • Jannick Top– bass
  • Christian Vander– drums, vocals, organ, percussion
  • René Garber– bass clarinet, vocals
  • Teddy Lasry– brass, flute
  • Eddie Sprigg, Gilbert, Gilles Sallé, Simon Heyworth, Steve Michell, Tom Rabstener– engineer
  • Loulou Sarkissian– stage manager

Track listing:

All tracks by Christian Vander.

  1. Hortz Fur Dëhn Štekëhn Ẁešt
  2. mah Sürï Dondaï
  3. Kobaïa Ïss Dëh Hündïn
  4. Da Zeuhl Ẁortz Mëkanïk
  5. Nëbëhr Gudahtt
  6. Mëkanïk Kömmandöh
  7. Kreühn Köhrmahn Ïss Dëh Hündin

Joan Baez: Joan

Leave a comment

In August 1967, “Vanguard” label released “Joan”, the eight Joan Baez album. It was recorded April – June 1967, at “Vanguard Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Maynard Solomon. The cover photo was by French photographer Alain Gaveau.

Personnel:

  • Joan Baez– vocals, guitar
  • Peter Schickele– arrangements, conductor

Track listing:

  1. Be Not Too Hard – Donovan, lyrics: Christopher Logue
  2. Eleanor Rigby – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  3. Turquoise – Donovan
  4. La Colombe (The Dove) – Jacques Brel
  5. Dangling Conversation – Paul Simon
  6. The Lady Came from Baltimore – Tim Hardin
  7. North – Joan Baez, Nina Dusheck
  8. Children of Darkness – Richard Fariña
  9. The Greenwood Side – traditional
  10. If You Were a Carpenter Tim Hardin
  11. Annabel Lee – Don Dilworth; lyrics: Edgar Allan Poe
  12. Saigon Bride – Joan Baez, Nina Dusheck

Jacques Brel

Leave a comment

On October 9, 1978, Jacques Romain Georges Brel died aged 49. He was a Belgian singer, songwriter and actor, widely considered a master of the modern chanson. He recorded most of his songs in French and in Dutch, but he became a major influence on English speaking songwriters and performers such as David Bowie, Alex Harvey, Leonard Cohen, Marc Almond and Rod McKuen. The English translations of his songs were recorded by many famous performers including Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra, Judy Collins, John Denver, the Kingston Trio,  Scott Walker and Andy Williams. Having sold over 25 million records worldwide, Brel is the fourth best-selling Belgian recording artist of all time.

Sonic Youth: SYR7: J’Accuse Ted Hughes

Leave a comment

Syr7

On April 22, 2008, “SYR” label released “SYR7: J’Accuse Ted Hughes”, the seventh Sonic Youth’s release in the “SYR” series. It was recorded 2000 – 2003, and was produced by  Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Kim Gordon and Steve Shelley. As the rest of the “SYR” series, “SYR7” liner notes are in foreign language, in this case, Arpitan, a French regional language.

Personnel:

  • Lee Ranaldo – vocal, guitar
  • Thurston Moore – vocal, guitar
  • Kim Gordon – vocal, bass
  • Steve Shelley – drums
  • Deanne Franklin – recording
  • Aaron Mullan – recording
  • Jim O’Rourke – mixing
  • John Golden – mastering
  • Chris Habib –design
  • Edd Westmacott – photography

Track listing:

  1. J’Accuse Ted Hughes
  2. Agnès B Musique

Daft Punk: Homework

Leave a comment

Daftpunk

On January 20, 1997, “Virgin” label released “Homework”, the debut Daft Punk studio album.  It was recorded from 1993 -1996, at “Daft Punk Studio” in Paris, and was produced by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. The albums certified 2 x Platinum in Canada by “Music Canada”, Platinum in France by “SNEP”, Platinum in New Zealand by “RMNZ” and Platinum in UK by “BPI”.

Personnel:

  • Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo – vocals, guitar, synthesizers, keyboards, bass, drums, programming, mixing, design concept, logo  design
  • Thomas Bangalter – vocals, synthesizers, keyboards, guitar bass guitar, vocoder, programming, mixing, design concept
  • Nilesh Nilz Patel – mastering
  • @ Magic Design – layout, additional artwork
  • Serge Nicolas – layout, additional artwork
  • Nicolas Hidiroglou – photography
  • Philippe Lévy – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo.

  1. Daftendirekt
  2. WDPK 83.7 FM
  3. Revolution 909
  4. Da Funk
  5. Phoenix
  6. Fresh
  7. Around the World
  8. Rollin’ & Strachin”
  9. Teachers
  10. High Fidelity
  11. Rock’n’Roll
  12. Oh Yeah
  13. Burnin’
  14. Indo Silver Club
  15. Alive
  16. Funk AD

Air: Moon Safari

Leave a comment

Moonsafari

On January 16, 1998, “Virgin” label released “Moon Safari”, the debut Air studio album. It was recorded April to June 1997, at the “Around the Golf” and “Studio Gang” in Paris, and “Abbey Road” in London, and was produced byJean-Benoît Dunckel and Nicolas Godin . “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 93 on its list of “Best Album of the Nineties” ; the French edition of the same magazine, ranked  “Moon Safari” at  number 65 on its list of the “100 Greatest French rock albums”.

  • Jean-Benoît Dunckel – vocals, keyboards, synths, organ, piano, pan pipes, hand claps, glockenspiel
  • Eric Regert – organ
  • Patrick Woodcock – guitar, trombone
  • Nicolas Godin– vocals, bass, synths, guitar, hand claps, harmonica, glockenspiel, piano, organ, pan pipes, drums, percussion
  • Marlon – drums
  • Alf (a.k.a. Stephane Briat) – hand claps
  • Caroline L. – hand claps
  • Beth Hirsch– vocals
  • Enfants square Burcq – vocals
  • David Whitaker– string arrangements, conducor

Track listing:

All tracks by Air, except where noted.

  1. La femme d’argent
  2. Sexy Boy
  3. All I Need – lyrics by Beth Hirsch
  4. Kelly Watch the Stars
  5. Talisman
  6. Remember – co-written by Jean-Jacques Perrey
  7. You Make It Easy – lyrics by Beth Hirsch
  8. Ce matin là – co-written by Patrick Woodcock
  9. New Star in the Sky (Chanson pour Solal)
  10. Le voyage de Pénélope