REVIEW – LARA FABIAN: BEST OF LARA FABIAN

I like a lot of this.

Review here: rockfort: Best of Lara Fabian

Considering their subsequent paths, comparing her’s and Céline Dion’s Eurovision appearances is interesting.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 2010

An extraordinary amount of great new things released this year, and some great reissues too.

Three other albums could also have been here as I heard them for the first time in 2010, but they’re not from this year and are nonetheless landmarks: Röövel Ööbik: Ringrada (Universal/UMBLU, 2009); La Grande Sophie: Des Vagues et des Ruisseaux (AZ, 2009); Catherine Major: Rose Sang (Productions De L’Onde, 2008).

After the initial ten or so, the order becomes irrelevant (which is why there are no numbers). The first five are expanded on here: theartsdesk Year Out / Year In: New Music

NEW STUFF

Susanne Sundfør: The Brothel (EMI)
Arnaud Fleurent-Didier: La Reproduction (Columbia/Sony)
MGMT: Congratulations (Columbia)
Our Broken Garden: Golden Sea (Bella Union)
Sylvie Vartan: Soleil Bleu (RCA)
Jane Weaver and Septième Soeur: The Fallen By Watch Bird (Bird)
Kyrie Kristmanson: Origin Of Stars (No Format)
Rose Elinor Dougall: Without Why (Scarlett Music)
Clare Diterzi: Rosa la Rouge (PIAS)
Hjaltalín: Terminal (Borgin Music)
K-X-P (Smalltown Supersound)
Janelle Monáe: The ArchAndroid (Bad Boy/Wondaland)
Françoise Hardy: La Pluie Sans Parapluie (Virgin)
Disappears: Lux (Kranky)
Le Prince Miiaou: Safety First (lpm)
The Concretes: WYWH (Something In Construction)
Islaja: Keraaminen Pää (Fonal)
Mark Ronson & the Business Intl: Record Collection (Columbia)
Frankie Rose and the Outs (Memphis Industries)
Dungen: Skit I Allt (Subliminal Sounds)
Agnes Obel: Philharmonics (PIAS)
Ólafur Arnalds: …And They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness (Erased Tapes)
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti: Before Today (4AD)
Efterklang: Magic Chairs (4AD)
Field Music: Measure (Memphis Industries)
Her Name Is Calla: The Quiet Lamb (Denovali Records)
The Besnard Lakes: …are the Roaring Night (Jagjaguwar)
Soundcarriers: Celeste (Melodic)
Wildbirds & Peace Drums: Rivers (Leaf)

Ólöf Arnalds: Innundor Skinni (One Little Indian)

REISSUES

Various: With Love a Pot of Flowers (Big Beat)
Pärson Sound (Subliminal Sounds - vinyl three-album box set)
FJ McMahon: Spirit of the Golden Juice (Rev-Ola)
Various: Listen To The Voices Sly Stone In The Studio 1965-1970 (Ace)
François de Roubaix: L’Antarctique (WéMè)
Iggy and the Stooges: Raw Power (Columbia Legacy – the box set)
The Rationals: Think Rational! (Big Beat)
Turid: Stars and Angels: Songs, 1971-75 (RPM International - one of mine, but so great)
Jim Sullivan: UFO (Light In The Attic)
Various: Dansk Rock Historie (Universal)
The Master’s Apprentices (Aztec Music)
I Marc 4: The Beat Sound of the Fabulous… (Heristal)
Efterklang: Tripper + Springer (Leaf)
Buddy Holly: Not Fade Away The Compete Studio Recordings and more (Universal - despite the really poor editing of the text/label copy)
Belbury Poly: Farmer’s Angle (Ghost Box)
Kenny Graham and his Satellites: Moondog and Suncat Suites (Trunk)
Jet (RPM)
Various: Book A Trip The Pop Psych Sounds Of Capitol Records (Now Sounds)
Jane Birkin Serge Gainsbourg (Light In the Attic – vinyl version)

The Remo Four: Smile!, Peter Gunn…and more (Bear Family)

REVIEW - IMAGINE: RAY DAVIES, IMAGINARY MAN, BBC ONE

Just great.

Review here: The Arts Desk - Imagine: Ray Davies, Imaginary Man, BBC One

Seeing as he wasn’t around for this, here’s a reminder of brother Dave.

REVIEW – SIMPLY RED, THE FINAL SHOW, O2 ARENA, LONDON

A statement of what Simply Red meant. Review here: theartsdesk: Simply Red O2 Arena

And here's a reminder of a long, long time ago.

REVIEW – TRANS MUSICALES DE RENNES 2010 / BARS EN TRANS PART 1

As usual, overwhelming. With a bit less emphasis on the dance derived this year.

Ava Luna, Kyrie Kristmanson, Marie Flore and Fredrika Stahl were terrific. La Corda, Manatee, Connan Mockasin and, of course, Shogun Kunitoki were great too.

Here’s the review: theartsdesk in Rennes: 31st Trans Musicales Festival

More pics from this year below.

Last year’s, 2008’s and 2007’s can be found via here: Trans Musicales Festival

Above: Ava Luna by Nicolas Joubard

Above: Kyrie Kristmanson by David McKenna

REVIEW – FRANKIE ROSE AND THE OUTS, THE LUMINAIRE, LONDON

(Picture by Ben Pier)

The debut album is terrific and outstrips Frankie Rose's previous bands: MOJO November 2010 reviews: Frankie Rose and the Outs

But there was a disconnect between the album and the live show. Review here: The Arts Desk: Frankie Rose and the Outs, Luminaire

RPM INTERNATIONAL ROUND-UP

There is more to come. But now that the Môdulo 1000 has been released, it’s a good time for a recap.

Thirteen CDs so far, with the journey taking in Brazil, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Sweden and – of course – France.

Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen.

Here they all are:
A Real Cool Time Revisited - Swedish Punk, Pop and Garage Rock 1982-1989
Blo: Chapters and Phases
Jacques Dutronc: Et Moi Et Moi Et Moi - Jacques Dutronc 1966-1969
The Golden Earrings: Just Ear-rings; Winter Harvest; Miracle Mirror
Johnny Hallyday: Le Roi De France Johnny Hallyday 1966-1969
Love Records Anthology 1967-1976
Môdulo 1000: Não Fale Com Paredes
The Mops: Psychedelic Sounds In Japan
Tages: the Studio album plus
Turid: Stars and Angels – Songs 1971–75
Sylvie Vartan: Irrésistiblement - Sylvie Vartan 1965–1968

RENCONTRE AVEC CASCADEUR

(Photo: Vincent Idez / Franck Esposito)

Out of the blue it came, one of the best live shows of the year.

The debut EP is also one of the best of the year.

Unlike anything else coming out of France, and here is what he has to say: Cascadeur: The Masked Stuntman

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS?

Not sure if anyone would be stuck for ideas, but here's a great and varied suggestion list. Turning cassettes into MP3s? theartsdesk Christmas Presents Guide

REVIEW – THE CONCRETES, THE LEXINGTON, LONDON

First UK outing for the retooled Concretes and the songs from their wonderful new album WYWH.

Review here: The Concretes, The Lexington - The Arts Desk

EDITH NYLON

To restore the French balance broken by the not-superb Katerine album appearing after the superb new Sylvie Vartan album, this is super-classy but lost French new wave from 1980.

Just a wonderful record. Check the ladies in the audience doing the Madison.

The reason for Edith Nylon's appearance here will become apparent in due course.

REVIEW - PHILIPPE KATERINE: PHILIPPE KATERINE

What a disappointment. A waste of time. I understand it’s supposed to give the impression of spontaneity, but oh dear.

Review here: Philippe Katerine: Philippe Katerine