Belinda Carlisle - Voila
ARTIST.....: Belinda Carlisle
TITLE......: Voila
LABEL......: Rykodisc (USA)
URL........: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7355517
RIP DATE...: Apr-03-2007
STORE DATE.: Apr-06-2007
GENRE......: Rock
QUALITY....: VBR / 44.1Hz / Joint-Stereo
SIZE.......: 79,9 MB
Track Listing:
cd1
01 - Ma Jeunesse Fout Le Camp 03:15
02 - Bonnie Et Clyde 05:14
03 - Avec Le Temps 04:07
04 - Sous Le Ciel De Paris 04:41
05 - Des Ronds D Ams Leau 02:55
06 - Pourt Ant Tu M Aimes 03:27
07 - Ne Me Quitte Pas 03:17
08 - La Vie En Rose 04:23
09 - Contact 02:56
10 - Merci Cherie 03:35
11 - Jezebel 03:18
cd2
01 - I Still Love Him 03:27
02 - La Vie En Rose 04:23
03 - Bonnie And Clyde 05:14
04 - If You Go Away 03:18
─────
cd1: 41:08 cd2: 16:22
Release Notes:
Personnel: Fiachna O'Braonain (vocals, guitar); Segat Guirey
(flamenco guitar); Winnie Horan (violin); Julian Wilson (strings,
piano, Hammond b-3 organ, keyboards); Sharon Shannon, Graham
Henderson (accordion); Brian Eno (keyboards); Clare Kenny (bass
instrument); John Reynolds (drums, programming). Belinda Carlisle
has followed an interesting trajectory over the years, from
youthful garage punk to new wave-pop diva (fronting the Go-Gos) to
adult contemporary solo artist. Given her many phases, it
shouldn't be too much of a curveball to learn that VOILA,
Carlisle's first solo album in 10 years, is an homage to the
French chanson tradition. Yet it's somehow odd to hear Carlisle
singing entirely in French, and taking on the songs of Edith Piaf,
Francoise Hardy, and Serge Gainsbourg. But Carlisle pulls the
project off with panache: VOILA is executed with sophistication
and skill. The excellent selection of material is the bedrock of
the album (Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas," for example, is a
highlight), but the genre-splicing arrangements, and guests like
Brian Eno and Hothouse Flowers, keep things fresh. Still, it's
Carlisle's show, and her interpretations of these French classics
make this unique album a worthy listen.
Her first studio album in 10 years, this is a labor of love sung
in French. Brian Eno guests on keyboards on several tracks.
Belinda Carlisle's career has had several twists and turns, but
none has been quite as interesting as her 2007 album Voila, a
collection of luxurious covers of classic French pop tunes, all
sung in French. Certainly, the very concept of the former new wave
queen singing French pop qualifies as one of the more intriguing
projects in her solo career, but it's also interesting that she's
chosen this idea for her first solo album in ten years. Given that
long gap between new albums, it's clear that Voila is no stunt or
novelty, it's a passion project for Carlisle and it plays that
way: it has the complexity and richness of a labor of love. Which
doesn't necessarily mean that this album is filled with surprises,
apart from its very existence. Brian Eno may contribute keyboards,
but that doesn't mean that these are radical reinterpretations,
nor are the selections necessarily left-field: there are a pair of
Serge Gainsbourg songs, a Jacques Brel, and a few other songs that
should be familiar to rock and pop listeners with a fairly deep
grasp of '60s and '70s pop. Those listeners who were raised on
punk, new wave, and alt-rock, but with a deep love of the '60s,
are clearly the target audience for Voila, and the best thing
about the album is that it will not disappoint. This is an
elegant, stylish collection of adult pop, gliding by on its sleek
synth textures and cabaret atmosphere. Even when it dips into
Eurodisco -- as it does on occasion, as on Edith Piaf's "La Vie en
Rose" -- it does so gracefully, and there's an appealing sly
decadence to the feel of Voila; it may be a decadence sculpted out
of films, LPs, and old photos, one that's knowing but
affectionate, but that doesn't mean it's not an alluring,
effective mood for the album, particularly because Carlisle
sustains it from beginning to end, a problem that she didn't
manage to conquer on her big hits of the late '80s. That is a
change for her, but the true revelation of Voila is her singing:
it's relaxed, assured, and nuanced, the best vocal performance
she's had on record. She delivers these songs so smoothly, it's
like she's been a chanteuse her entire life, and it's that deep
musicality that makes Voila not just a rewarding detour but one of
her best albums -- and, with any luck, the first chapter in a new
phase of her career.