Ear Flux

So Young But So Cold

This well-constructed compilation, is significant not only for opening up these sounds to a larger audience but also for putting a definite perspective on a music scene that was all too short.

It is the late Seventies in Europe. The political tensions of the Sixties are now manifest in the extremes of hedonism and direct action. Youth feels alienated once again, this time its worse with constant violence on the television and industrial upheavals at home.

Urban decimation and Postmodernism at its height, further isolating people from their surroundings. European identity has been eradicated in shame and frustration. But something is happening. Punk Rock in the United Kingdom has shown kids all over the world that its easy for them to release music on independent labels. Current technological trends make access to new electronic instruments (ARP and MS10 among others) easy. In France a new youth culture is born. So Young But So Cold illustrates that trend brilliantly.

It begins with the most poppy tunes and gradually goes back in time, as more instruments are added to each song and the experts (mostly influenced by and creating progressive rock) take over. The first half of the disc the instrumentation is sparse, consisting of drum machine or keyboard and vocals primarily. By the end of the disc the tracks get more (analog) synthesizer oriented and denser in construction.

1. Suis-Je Normale - Nini Raviolette 00:04:03
2. Euroman - J.J. Burnel 00:03:29
3. Roman Photo - Ruth 00:05:02
4. Disco Rough (Ivan Smagghe Edit) - Mathematiques Modernes 00:04:00
5. Carnival - Metal Boys 00:01:45
6. Person To Person - The (Hypothetical) Prophets 00:06:09
7. Wallenberg - The (Hypothetical) Prophets 00:06:18
8. So Young But So Cold - Kas Product 00:03:00
9. Synchro - Charles De Goal 00:04:00
10. MAE - Artefact 00:03:18
11. Switch On Bach - Moderne 00:03:08
12. Triangle - Jacno 00:03:29
13. Lighthouse - Tim Blake 00:06:47
14. The Force (Part I) - Droids 00:03:26
15. Welcome (To Death Row) - Bernard Szajner 00:06:14
16. Iceland - Richard Pinhas 00:09:38

Muito Bom!

The Hypothetical Prophets

I like Lead

Person to Person

Fast food

The fisherman’s friend

Around the world with

The White Zone

On the edge

Wallenberg

Back to the Burner

The (Hypothetical) Prophets were an ephemeral French coldwave band consisting of duo Bernard Szajner and Karel Beer. The band formed in 1980 and released a series of 12” singles and one full length record before their quick demise.

Despite a short discography, the band’s craft was unique. Singing in both their native tongue as well as English and alternating between male and female vocals, the the dozen or so songs recorded under this name are haunting minimal wave at its finest, a mixture of harsh electronic experimentation and catchy pulses of synth. more: Systems of Romance.blogspot

Rita Mitsouko began performing in the early 1980s in alternative spaces such as the Pali-Kao, a squatted factory building in Belleville, Paris.

The band first achieved major popular success in 1985, with the release of the second single from their first album: “Marcia Baïla” rose to number 2 on the French record charts that summer. Philippe Gautier directed a vibrant and widely viewed music video to accompany the record. “Marcia Baïla” is an homage to Argentinian choreographer and dancer Marcia Moretto, with whom Catherine Ringer had studied and performed in the 1970s. Moretto died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 32.

Rita Mitsouko was a creative and eccentric debut album, combining elements of punk, rock, synth pop and jazz. Coupled with the band’s colorful, wild, over-the-top image, it brought Rita Mitsouko to the attention of some important anglophone listeners.

American record producer and musician Tony Visconti produced the band’s next two albums, The No Comprendo and Marc et Robert, helping to polish and perfect their sound. These two albums feature both French and English lyrics. The most successful singles from these albums were “C’est comme ça” and ‘”Andy.”

The American band Sparks collaborated with Les Rita Mitsouko on Marc et Robert. Russell Mael sings lead vocals with Catherine Ringer on three of the album’s tracks, “Singing in the Shower,” “Live in Las Vegas,” and “Hip Kit.”

Jean-Baptiste Mondino directed most of Les Rita Mitsouko’s music videos in the 1980s.

Jean-Luc Godard’s 1987 feature film Soigne ta droite incorporates documentary footage of the band’s The No Comprendo recording sessions.

In 1993, the video of “Y’a d’la haine,” from the album Système D, was awarded Clip of the Year by MTV Europe.

On Système D Catherine Ringer sings a duet, “My Love Is Bad,” with Iggy Pop. Variéty also includes a vocal duo in which Ringer is joined by guest musician Serj Tankian (from System of a Down).

Les Rita Mitsouko’s album Variéty was released in 2007 in both French and in English (Variety) versions; it was produced by Mark Plati.

On Wednesday November 28th 2007, Fred Chichin died from cancer while the band had just cancelled their previous concert dates in Paris. He was only diagnosed with the disease two months before. wikipedia

Site officiel

The No Comprendo

Mais uma vez volto ao tema, essa senhorita que continua me impressionando. Este disco é de 2002, anterior ao que havia postado (Le Fil), algo menos experimental mas autenticíssimo ainda assim, lindo disco, bom para se intrometer no astral da francesinha; uma das coisas mais “do bem” que eu venho ouvindo ultimamente, bla bla bla bla bla. Atenção para Paris, La Demeure d`Un Ciel e Les Ex, belas musiquinhas para ouvir bem acompanhado.
O post, homenagem a uma sempre presente, muy querida e velha amiga minha…

Le Sac de Filles - Camille

Tracklist
1. One Two Three Listen Listen
2. Paris
3. La Demeure D’Un Ciel
4. Les Ex
5. Mon Petit Vieux
6. Ruby
7. La Sac Des Filles
8. Un Homme Deserte
9. Je Ne Suis Pas Ta Chose
10. Elle S’En Va
11. La Ou Je Suis Nee