French — All Formats  

An unusual Chicago record from the 50s – a guide to eating out in French restaurants!

Great French grooves from the 60s – a host of female-led rockers, most of which have a harder edge than you might expect! The mode here is similar to Paris pop that you might know from the "yeh yeh" generation, but the sound's a bit grittier too – proof that the garage reference in the title is well-placed, especially on the more guitar-heavy numbers! If you dig the sounds of France Gall or Francoise Hardy, you'll find plenty to love here – a treasure trove of rare tracks that includes "Le Restaurant Chinois" by Janny L, "Au Temps Des Princes Charmants" by Marjorie Noel, "Le Boa" by Clothilde, "Ma Moto" by Kathy, "Oh Dis Moi" by Les Princesses, "Un Petit Rien" by Tonia, "Une Question Qui Se Pose" by Evy, and "Mais Qui Que Quoi Donc Ou" by Les Cheries.

A gem of a record – one of a few Brazilian sides cut in Paris during the 60s by Laura Villa – an Italian singer by birth, but one who does a wonderful job here with bossa nova! The set's got all the complex charm of a Brazilian classic on Elenco or Forma – with arrangements that are large, but never too full – and which often feature some great work on accordion from the legendary Sivuca, whose tones add an extra layer of brilliance to the set. But even without his work, Villa would still sound great – a singer with just the right balance to take on these bossa classics – using a touch of European sadness, yet never too much melodrama. Production is beautiful – a hint of echo that reminds us of some of the moodiness of our favorite French soundtracks – and titles include "O Vento", "Errinho A Toa", "Nunca Mas", "Barquinho", "Chica Chica Boum", "O Bossa Nova", "Nos E O Mar", and "Rosinha".