2010's Autumn's leaves

A few more French kisses while trees are undressing their leaves. Only new young artists with beautiful voices.

Hindi Zahra, a new Moroccan singer singing in English, but living in France for 20 years (Handmade, 2010)

ZAZ - Je Veux (ZAZ, 2010)

Ben L'Oncle Soul - Soulman (Ben l'Oncle Soul, 2010)

Yann Tiersen's Dust lane

From Dust Lane, the great new album of Yann Tiersen.



Yann Tiersen - Palestine (2010)


Yann Tiersen - Dust Lane (2010)

What a French teenager is listening to in 2010? Sexion d'Assaut!

In 2010, a French teenager is likely to listen to Sexion d'Assaut. With 1,5 millions facebook fans (huge if you compare to the population of France, and the band doesn't have any international audience). The crew is definitely the greatest commercial success of 2010 with there first LP L'École Des Points Vitaux (and released on an small independent label). Their style is a very catchy rap, with dancing beats and lyrics with teenage appeal (but more clever than most radio hits), but still keep the flavor of the underground where they are from.

In October a polemic occurred about the (proven) homophobic content of the early lyrics and statements of some members of Sexion d'Assaut which lead to the cancellation of many of their shows.

Sexion d'Assault - Casquette à l'envers (backward cap). (2010)


Sexion d'Assaut - Désolé (sorry) (2010)

It was 50 years ago.

50 years ago, many African countries became independent from France and Belgium. To celebrate this important event, here's the famous anthem of the Congolese independence, and a great rap remix by Baloji.

Grand Kalle - Indépendance Cha Cha (1960)


Baloji - Le jour d'après/ Siku ya baadaye (2010)

Rock "without papers"

Some of you may have heard about it, but the President Sarkozy is trying to seduce the far-right vote with xenophobic acts and speeches, against migrants, French of foreign descent, French Muslims and recently against the romani people.

If I'm talking politics here, it's also because in 2 weeks will be held the show "Rock sans papiers" against Sarkozy's immigration policy, and especially an upcoming awful bill by immigration Minister Besson. And the musical selection of French musicians is really good! Dominique A, 113, Têtes raides, Tryo, Wampas, Daniel Darc, Jane Birkin, Jeanne Cherhal, Clarika, No one is innocent, Nosfell, Oxmo Puccino, Jacques Higelin, Sinsemilia, Cheb Bilal, Cali, Abd Al Malik....

Here's a playlist of those artists, with rock, pop, new chanson, rap, raï... with many of the best French artists from the past 15 years.

Never too late

I've been quite busy lately, but French music didn't wait for me. So I'm catching up with some nice songs of 2010!

The new single by the very young (17 years old) Camélia Jordana. She became famous with the TV contest La Nouvelle star, normally full of talentless wannabe singers. She has a very beautiful and moving voice and had the taste to chose good songwriter for her first album. Listen to the whole album there.

Camelia Jordana - Calamity Jane (2010)


The band praised as the spiritual son of Noir Désir.
Luke - Pense à moi (2010) (Think of me)


From Ivory Coast, the famous Tiken Jah Fakoly is back.
Tiken Jah Fakoly - Je Dis Non (2010) (I say No)

The new single by Féfé, of his 2009's album Jeune à la retraite (retired young)

From Kingston to Lyon

High Tone ft Pupajim - Rub a Dub Anthem (2010)

I'm melting

Sorry I don't have much time to upload the blog. And unfortunately, youtube deleted my account for having uploaded Brassens's video at the request of the INA...Sorry for the dead links you may found.

Whatever, somes interesting French music of 2010 according to my favorite French blogs:

Buzy - Au bon moment, au bon endroit

Univers Zéro - Clivages

Arnaud Fleurent-Didier - La reproduction

Clara Clara - Confortable Problems

Arno - Brussld

Rocé - L'être humain et le reverbere

Casey - libérez la tête

La Fine Equipe & Mattic - Fantastic Planet

High Tone - Out Back

Mathieu Boré - Frizzante

Louis Ronan Choisy - Rivière de plumes

You can also check the nice musical selection of Radio France.

Bad Reputation

Georges Brassens is to my opinion the best French singer-songwriter musician of the XXth century. And actually most of people who love French music think the same and I can't explain why he's so less famous outside France than Gainsbourg, Brel or Edith Piaf. So you can imagine how pleased I am to welcome the release of a CD of Brassens sung in English. It's called Bad Reputation, Pierre de Gaillande Sings George Brassens and features Keren Ann. Pierre de Gaillande is Franco-american and has worked, among others, with the great Vic Chesnutt. Both translation and music are very good. In stores June 8th 2010!

A nice quote that can be found on Barbès' website: "He [Brassens] is both a national outcast and hero in France, yet most of us don't know him on this side of the Channel. His lyrics were more subversive than Dylan orthe Sex Pistols and he wrote better tunes than either." Alex Kapranos, of Franz Ferdinand. quoted in The Guardian October 2006

A few more:
"A few years ago, in the course of a literary discussion, someone asked who was the best poet at the moment in France. I responded without hesitation: Georges Brassens."
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel Prize for Literature 1981

"I believe it is a mortal sin not to listen to Brassens."
Jacques Brel, songwriter

Welfare Heart

He sings in English deep and beatiful folk songs. His sound is all but what's done in France in 2010. All his LPS can be downloaded for free. Check out his myspace

Ernesto Violin - Seasons Of the Sun

From Time Bomb to the 2010

To start with 2010's music, some hip-hop. Oxmo Puccino and Booba were singing together in the underground crew Time Bomb back in the 90's. Now they are both very famous but as you can see, their styles have nothing in common.

Oxmo Puccino - Quitte Moi (leave me)




Booba - Foetus

And an other track of a good French rap album of 2010: Rocé - Si peu comprennent ('l'être humain et le réverbère)