dinsdag 14 maart 2006

Emilie (2)


If you saw the Oscar-winning documentary March of the Penguins in the US, you missed the glacially beautiful music by Emilie Simon - that was inexplicably cut from the film. When she heard about it, she thought she was told a really bad joke. But it wasn't a joke. Damn you, yankees! In parts of the world where the original music was kept Emilie became a genuine star. Japan has been very kind to her, as you know they would. On her new album Végétal, Emilie sings in French and in English (songs on March of the Penguins are in English too) - she's not the best lyricist in English, so I'm not very enthusiastic about that decision. Probably made with one eye on the international market. Oh well.
The French songs are wonderful, triphop might be a out of date style nowadays, it still works for Simon. Electronics make a perfect, snowwhite bed for her gentle, childish voice. She produced the album all by herself, and did all the programming. I love the sound of an open fire, that she used for a beat (inna Matthew Herbert-stylee) in closing song En Cendres.

Emilie Simon - Vieil Amant

Emilie Simon - En Cendres

8 opmerkingen:

  1. Thank you, Thank you...Wow some new tracks! I agree that her version of The March of the Penguins is sensational...the U.S. soundtrack is boring in comparison! It's also very hard to find her music (or other contemporary French singers) in the States - everything I've gotten has come from overseas or via the internet. That's one reason why J'adore your blog! ;

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  2. she so CUUUUUUUTE!
    When I saw March of the Penguins on DVD in France last year before it came out in the UK I was so tempted to buy it but I held off because I wanted to hear the "grandfatherly" voice of Morgan Freeman do the narration.
    et maintenant, je regret.

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  3. wow, thanks for these! i was mortified to learn her soundtrack was replaced - i can't understand it at all.

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  4. big yawn: workmanship without craft, wannabe-art without magique. not all filles sourires are worth posting. J'adore your blog as well. The Fruitbat

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  5. In French, Emilie (oooh, those eyes) is as magical as Merlin's magic stick. In English, she gets a little too Björk-y.

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  6. The recording of that fire crakling is cool. When a man produces everything himself, no one mentions it, as it is considered 'normal' for men ;-)

    As for a guy who sings in English and French as a native of both and who got cut off in the opening sequence of a movie, I give you Canadian Rufus Wainwright in Moulin Rouge. He's not a girl, he's just gay.

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  7. Thanks for the new emilie tracks, I've been searching for them unsuccesfully.
    I don't understand the replacement issue, they were afraid their music might incite them to think?
    Oh well... Thanks.

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  8. I bought the new album and its just amazing! :-)

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