Help me find French or French-Canadian indie music.
October 21, 2008 10:45 AM Subscribe
MusicFilter: I'm looking for more French-language music I can enjoy while keeping up my (very poor) French. I like April March, Les Sans Culottes and Bonjour Brumaire. Who else can I listen to?
To give an idea of the sort of music I like, here are some English bands I listen to a lot: Sloan, Rilo Kilo/Jenny Lewis, The Decemberists, Amy Winehouse, Radiohead, Guided by Voices, The Flashing Lights, Arcade Fire, Feist, Death from Above 1979, Modest Mouse, Muse, The Bird and the Bee, Sarah Harmer. Basically, indie/alternative pop/rock. Extra cool if it's French-Canadian.
To give an idea of the sort of music I like, here are some English bands I listen to a lot: Sloan, Rilo Kilo/Jenny Lewis, The Decemberists, Amy Winehouse, Radiohead, Guided by Voices, The Flashing Lights, Arcade Fire, Feist, Death from Above 1979, Modest Mouse, Muse, The Bird and the Bee, Sarah Harmer. Basically, indie/alternative pop/rock. Extra cool if it's French-Canadian.
Best answer: I recommend Amadou et Mariam's album Dimanche à Bamako. It's currently one of my favorites.
posted by arjuan at 10:57 AM on October 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by arjuan at 10:57 AM on October 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
Autour de Lucie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci3dbmz7xuM
posted by No New Diamonds Please at 11:06 AM on October 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by No New Diamonds Please at 11:06 AM on October 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
Malajube are amazing, though the lyrics are a little fast, so not sure how helpful as a learning aid. (They're not the slightest bit Death-Metal though, despite their Myspace genre.)
posted by gregjones at 11:08 AM on October 21, 2008
posted by gregjones at 11:08 AM on October 21, 2008
Best answer: Les Cowboys Fringants! And they just brought out two new albums! La Grande Messe is awesome. Also, Last.fm is excellent at finding similar artists.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:09 AM on October 21, 2008
posted by blue_beetle at 11:09 AM on October 21, 2008
Jean Leloup is one of my favourite Quebecois singers. Even if I can't forgive him for giving up the Wolf name.
posted by Lemurrhea at 11:16 AM on October 21, 2008
posted by Lemurrhea at 11:16 AM on October 21, 2008
Best answer: MC Solaar!
Jean Leclerc (previously Jean LeLoup) is Québécois. Not exactly in line with your tastes, but you might like.
I found while studying French that listening to (and trying to translate on the fly) older french music was really helpful. Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, Yves Duteil, etc etc.
(On preview, what Lemurrhea said, though Leclerc is his current stage name, which might make tracking his stuff down easier.)
posted by SpiffyRob at 11:17 AM on October 21, 2008
Jean Leclerc (previously Jean LeLoup) is Québécois. Not exactly in line with your tastes, but you might like.
I found while studying French that listening to (and trying to translate on the fly) older french music was really helpful. Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, Yves Duteil, etc etc.
(On preview, what Lemurrhea said, though Leclerc is his current stage name, which might make tracking his stuff down easier.)
posted by SpiffyRob at 11:17 AM on October 21, 2008
Best answer: léo ferré - , oh my god, so beautiful, poetic, lovely. Listen to his song Vingt Ans, and if you like it, get more. (He doesn't fit into your criteria, but you should be listening to him anyway). And, of course, Francis Cabrel.
posted by Auden at 11:17 AM on October 21, 2008
posted by Auden at 11:17 AM on October 21, 2008
Best answer: If you want to find out about Quebecois indie artists, you should start listening to Bande à Part and their podcasts.
posted by Johnny Assay at 11:19 AM on October 21, 2008
posted by Johnny Assay at 11:19 AM on October 21, 2008
Indie guitar guy Raphael sings tuneful French pop.
posted by jeffmshaw at 11:29 AM on October 21, 2008
posted by jeffmshaw at 11:29 AM on October 21, 2008
Best answer: I know it's obvious but Serge Gainsbourg is the greatest french-language rock musician and needs to be worshiped accordingly.
Etienne Charry is a very good weird solo artist. Recommended= 36 Erreurs
More recently, Yelle and Omnikrom may not teach you anything, but they will make your ass shimmy.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 11:35 AM on October 21, 2008
Etienne Charry is a very good weird solo artist. Recommended= 36 Erreurs
More recently, Yelle and Omnikrom may not teach you anything, but they will make your ass shimmy.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 11:35 AM on October 21, 2008
Best answer: Surprised no one's mentioned him yet - Yann Tiersen does more than soundtracks. I haven't heard a lot, but I really like his live CD, "On Tour."
I was guided to Debout sur le Zinc, Ariane Moffatt, Dobacaracol, and some interesting French rap by Al Iman Staff by some French-Canadian friends.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:08 PM on October 21, 2008
I was guided to Debout sur le Zinc, Ariane Moffatt, Dobacaracol, and some interesting French rap by Al Iman Staff by some French-Canadian friends.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:08 PM on October 21, 2008
Stereo Total - A French and German duo with many good songs in French.
Blonde Redhead also has some good French songs.
posted by Lapin at 12:12 PM on October 21, 2008
Blonde Redhead also has some good French songs.
posted by Lapin at 12:12 PM on October 21, 2008
Totally MC Solaar. I think I still have "Les Nouveau Western" on petty high rotation in iTunes.
As a general tip, if you set your iTunes country settings to Canada you can browse their French-language music selection. You probably need a Canadian address & credit card to purchase, but you can get some ideas just browsing there.
posted by GuyZero at 12:12 PM on October 21, 2008
As a general tip, if you set your iTunes country settings to Canada you can browse their French-language music selection. You probably need a Canadian address & credit card to purchase, but you can get some ideas just browsing there.
posted by GuyZero at 12:12 PM on October 21, 2008
Best answer: If you like April March, then you will probably also like Keren Ann (same producer, similar sound).
Also, Louise Attaque (their self-titled album is their best by far), anything by Noir Désir, and Manu Chao (who is very much loved by French people).
And of course Serge Gainsbourg, who many of your favorite bands would no doubt cite as an influence - as well as people whose work he has been involved with, such as Françoise Hardy, France Gall, Jane Birkin, Anna Karina, etc..
This might be obvious, but you'd probably like Jacques Brel. I got into Brel because I was a huge Scott Walker fan before I realized that most of his songs are translated versions of Brel songs.
Assassin is a great French hip-hop group (whose work was featured in the film La Haine).
As for French-Canadian stuff, check out Xavier Cafeine. He's not well known, but he's well liked by the French Canadians I know.
As mentioned by others: Stereolab, Stereo Total, Les Cowboys Fringants are all great suggestions too.
posted by helios at 12:29 PM on October 21, 2008
Also, Louise Attaque (their self-titled album is their best by far), anything by Noir Désir, and Manu Chao (who is very much loved by French people).
And of course Serge Gainsbourg, who many of your favorite bands would no doubt cite as an influence - as well as people whose work he has been involved with, such as Françoise Hardy, France Gall, Jane Birkin, Anna Karina, etc..
This might be obvious, but you'd probably like Jacques Brel. I got into Brel because I was a huge Scott Walker fan before I realized that most of his songs are translated versions of Brel songs.
Assassin is a great French hip-hop group (whose work was featured in the film La Haine).
As for French-Canadian stuff, check out Xavier Cafeine. He's not well known, but he's well liked by the French Canadians I know.
As mentioned by others: Stereolab, Stereo Total, Les Cowboys Fringants are all great suggestions too.
posted by helios at 12:29 PM on October 21, 2008
Oops, actually, I think that it might be Coralié Clement who has the same producer as Keren Ann. In any case, if you like April March, then I think you'll like both of the above - just make sure to buy Keren Ann's French albums.
posted by helios at 12:34 PM on October 21, 2008
posted by helios at 12:34 PM on October 21, 2008
Best answer: Camille - not mentioned yet??
Saez
MC Solaar
Yael Naim
BB Brunes
Indochine
Renan Luce
Rose
Keren Ann
Benjamin Biolay
Coralie Clement
Check out Filles Sourires too.
posted by fire&wings at 12:43 PM on October 21, 2008
Saez
MC Solaar
Yael Naim
BB Brunes
Indochine
Renan Luce
Rose
Keren Ann
Benjamin Biolay
Coralie Clement
Check out Filles Sourires too.
posted by fire&wings at 12:43 PM on October 21, 2008
Helios beat me to suggesting Coralié Clement, so seconding her.
Also, France's very own première dame Carla Bruni has several CDs out, including a very recent release.
And absolument Jacques Brel!
posted by johnvaljohn at 12:48 PM on October 21, 2008
Also, France's very own première dame Carla Bruni has several CDs out, including a very recent release.
And absolument Jacques Brel!
posted by johnvaljohn at 12:48 PM on October 21, 2008
Some French-language artists I first heard by plugging Charlotte Gainsbourgh's name into last.fm: Keren Ann, Benjamin Biolay, Emily Loizeau, Renan Luce, Autour de Lucie, Daniel D'arc, Francoiz (sic) Breut.
posted by goofyfoot at 1:39 PM on October 21, 2008
posted by goofyfoot at 1:39 PM on October 21, 2008
Carla Bruni is very good, and might be particularly good for learning because she enunciates very clearly.. lots of French hip hop is great but there is SO much slang, I can barely follow some of it myself. Though I do like & recommend Disiz La Peste esp J'Pete les Plombs it is old, but is a treat.. Mokobe "Mon Afrique" I like as well as Keny Arkana.
Also.. Brigitte Fontaine.. and what about Rai? [Cheb] Khaled, Rachid Taha for starters, have some songs in French.
posted by citron at 10:02 PM on October 21, 2008
Also.. Brigitte Fontaine.. and what about Rai? [Cheb] Khaled, Rachid Taha for starters, have some songs in French.
posted by citron at 10:02 PM on October 21, 2008
Best answer: Benjamin Biolay is one of my absolute favourites. He used to write with Keren Ann. Make sure to go right back to her first album, La Biographie de Luka Philipsen. Her later ones after La Disparition are increasingly in English.
With your profile you may enjoy some 60s stuff too, ye-ye is awesome and quite upbeat poppy style. Have a listen also to Jacques Dutronc and Michel Polnareff, Antoine, France Gall. One plus with these is that they sing quite clearly.
Speaking of English acts, Jarvis Cocker was on the Polnareff tribute album a few years back.
I listen to this kind of stuff just about more than anything else.
posted by wingless_angel at 3:05 AM on October 22, 2008
With your profile you may enjoy some 60s stuff too, ye-ye is awesome and quite upbeat poppy style. Have a listen also to Jacques Dutronc and Michel Polnareff, Antoine, France Gall. One plus with these is that they sing quite clearly.
Speaking of English acts, Jarvis Cocker was on the Polnareff tribute album a few years back.
I listen to this kind of stuff just about more than anything else.
posted by wingless_angel at 3:05 AM on October 22, 2008
Philippe Katerine
Jeanne Cherhal
Richard Desjardins
ORthey
posted by nicolin at 4:19 AM on October 24, 2008
Jeanne Cherhal
Richard Desjardins
ORthey
posted by nicolin at 4:19 AM on October 24, 2008
Best answer: And someone answered to your question three years ago today. Bande a part seems nice. In France, public radio has some interesting podcasts.
You could try this : sous les étoiles (podcast at http://radiofrance-podcast.net/podcast/rss_10218.xml). Extended chat and a few tunes by growing or recognized artists. Chanson Boum is dedicated to French song (http://radiofrance-podcast.net/podcast/rss_10975.xml). Equinoxe is devoted to world music (http://radiofrance-podcast.net/podcast/rss_10047.xml). Interview French (podcast : http://radiofrance-podcast.net/podcast/rss_10921.xml) is also devoted to French groups, but the tone is teenage oriented (or immediately post teenage). Frankosonic is also part of the projects of French public Radio (click on the arrow next to "j'écoute maintenant").
posted by nicolin at 6:48 AM on October 24, 2008
You could try this : sous les étoiles (podcast at http://radiofrance-podcast.net/podcast/rss_10218.xml). Extended chat and a few tunes by growing or recognized artists. Chanson Boum is dedicated to French song (http://radiofrance-podcast.net/podcast/rss_10975.xml). Equinoxe is devoted to world music (http://radiofrance-podcast.net/podcast/rss_10047.xml). Interview French (podcast : http://radiofrance-podcast.net/podcast/rss_10921.xml) is also devoted to French groups, but the tone is teenage oriented (or immediately post teenage). Frankosonic is also part of the projects of French public Radio (click on the arrow next to "j'écoute maintenant").
posted by nicolin at 6:48 AM on October 24, 2008
Here's another link for Je vous emmerde, which has been deleted in the Philippe Katerine post.
posted by nicolin at 7:18 AM on October 24, 2008
posted by nicolin at 7:18 AM on October 24, 2008
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posted by medpt at 10:56 AM on October 21, 2008