Just in time for Bastille Day on July 14th, an impressive list of Australian musical talents are tackling an equally stunning mix of French music for the release of Mélodie Française.
Qu’est-ce que vous dites? Mélodie Française is a new compilation album that sees Aussie bands and artists going all Francophile in an initiative between record labels Original Matters and Sydney indie Inertia and French based music streaming service Deezer.
The first taste of the Gallic-inspired album first came in April, when Oh Mercy’s Alexander Gow and ARIA nominated songstress Gossling revealed their rendering of ‘La Minute de Silence‘, a song popularised by French singer Michel Berger about taking the a moment to contemplate lost love. The heralding Mélodie Française single also saw the pair flown to Paris to film the music video for their French song.
The second single from the album prompts another unique collaboration, with Sydney beat combo Deep Sea Arcade partnering with Washington for a duet of ‘Bonnie And Clyde’. The 1968 Serge Gainsbourg song, which the lothario recorded with actress Brigitte Bardot, and based on a poem written by infamous bankrobber Bonnie Parker before she was gunned down with Clyde Barrow, gets a rocking transformation via Deep Sea Arcade’s psychedellicaly-tinged backing and Megan Washington’s expressive vocals.
‘Bonnie And Clyde’ arrives ahead of the album’s official release on August 16th, but the full tracklisting shows an impressive mix of bands and covers that “showcases a serious depth of talent,” says Colin Daniels, Managing Director of Inertia, in a press release issued today. “I am equally impressed by the songs that each artist has chosen and the undertaking of the artists to learn French in such an accomplished fashion,” says Daniels.
The compilation album saw the musical acts working with French language tutors in the studio (and even over Skype!) to perfect their diction and delivery to record faithful renditions that the French wouldn’t turn their nose up at. “I am equally impressed by the songs that each artist has chosen and the undertaking of the artists to learn French in such an accomplished fashion.” – Colin Daniels, Inertia
Among the covers recorded for the album are Melbourne indie-twosome Big Scary covering Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin’s sexually charged classic ‘Je t’aime… moi non plus’, Dappled Cities tackling Air’s ‘Sexy Boy’, Husky taking on French maverick Camille and her tune ‘Le Berger (the Shepherd)’, The Jezabels performing ‘Morgane de toi’, and Vance Joy recording a version of ‘La Mer’.
Other duets on Mélodie Française include Jinja Safari and Okenyo teaming up for Françoise Hardy’s ‘Le temps de l’amour’, and The Walking Who roping in French kook SoKo (of ‘I’ll Kill Her’ fame) to sing Jacque Dutronc’s ‘Mini, mini, mini’.
Edith Piaf inevitably gets a look in, with emerging singer-songwriter Thelma Plum doing a stunning take of her signature ‘La Vie En Rose’ while Katie Noonan (formerly of Geroge) and her band Elixir performs ‘Les feuilles mortes (Autumn Leaves)’.
Last but not least is Lisa Mitchell interpreting ‘Bang Bang’, the tune made famous by Nancy Sinatra (and arguably, it’s appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill) and originally performed by French singer Sheila. ”
“I remember singing this song for my school play nearly 8 years ago!” says Mitchell, “I only found Sheila’s version through searching for a French version! The story is a little different, but the essence the same. I adore the overly-dramatic ‘BANG, BANG!’ refrain and how it lends itself to such an epic atmosphere.”
Re-visit Alexander Gow and Gossling’s Parisian video for ‘La Minute De Silence’ and scope the final tracklisting below. We personally would have like to see some Daft Punk and Phoenix getting the cover treatment, but c’est la vie.
Mélodie Française is out August 16th through Original Matters via Inertia and will an exclusive album stream from Deezer is available soon.
Mélodie Française tracklisting
1. Gossling & Oh Mercy – La minute de silence
2. The Jezabels – Morgane de toi
3. Thelma Plum – La Vie en rose
4. Dappled Cities – Sexy Boy
5. Kate Miller-Heidke – Il n’y a pas d’amour heureux
6. Husky – Le Berger
7. Deep Sea Arcade feat. Megan Washington – Bonnie and Clyde
8. Lisa Mitchell – Bang Bang
9. Big Scary – Je t’aime… moi non plus
10. Jinja Safari feat. Okenyo – Le temps de l’amour
11. Elixir feat. Katie Noonan – Les feuilles mortes
12. Edward Deer – Belles! Belles! Belles!
13. SoKo & The Walking Who – Mini, mini, mini
14. Vance Joy – La Mer
