Search - Keren Ann :: La Biographie De Luka Philipsen

If only the world would listen!

Owen Lloyd | Leeds, England | 01/22/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's a crying shame that the rest of the world tends to ignore French-language music, as there's a great deal of superb releases just demanding to be heard. Case in point is Keren Ann Zeidel's debut album 'La biographie de Luka Philipsen'. Here we find 13 gorgeous songs of wistful thoughts mainly over crystalline acoustic guitars and skittering electronica, topped off with the warm vocals of mademoiselle Zeidel. Opener 'Dimanche en Hiver' sets the tone, sparse guitar and mellotron adorning the vocal before strings guide the song into a lush autumnal chorus. And it has to be said the record barely lets up from there. 'Seule' seems harmless until a huge rock chorus kicks in; 'On Est Loin' is clear and caressing, a wonderful lullaby. The big draw for many, however, will be the single 'Sur Le Fil', a huge cinematic effort which brings all these elements together along with a hook which will follow you round all day after hearing it. That is, if you're not humming along to 'Peut-Etre', the utterly charming guitar and piano lovesong which follows it! Keren Ann's partner in crime, Benjamin Biolay (France's best contemporary songwriter? It's hard to argue) pops up for a duet on 'Decrocher Les Etoiles', and the album also contains Keren Ann's own version of 'Jardin d'Hiver', a big comeback hit she wrote for jazz crooner Henri Salvador. She deserves to be at least as big as Francoise Hardy - it's unlikely, which is a shame. And don't get me started on her jazzier second album 'La Disparition', which might even surpass this one! If you can find her CDs, buy them!"

Great Album!

Chen Dai | West Hartford, CT United States | 05/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i've been wanted to buy this CD for quite a while and have
finally managed to get it just this week. it is a beautiful
piece of work, keren ann herself is pretty and so is her music.
acutally at first i didn't really like the CD very much, but
if you keep listening to it, it only gets better and better.
a 5 stars french album, would recommend it to anyone who has
a mellow side."

Jardin d'Hiver

Vic Beretton | 05/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had no clue who this girl was; suddenly I kept seeing her name everywhere. I heard "Sur le fil" on the radio in Berlin once, and made a mental note to buy the album immediately. The songs grow on you, all of them, some faster than others. Needless to say, Jardin d'Hiver is my favorite..."