Mathieu!

J'aime Mathieu Boogaerts!



Finally I bought the new Mathieu Boogaerts album,Michel, and it is soooo lovely! Just what I wanted to hear: mellow ballads in his hushed voice. Listen to a bit of the lead track:

Une Bonne Nouvelle

I got it off itunes to avoid the shipping fee from france. this is the first entire album i've bought digitally - it kind of sucks not having the artwork. i am very much a collector type. But I am also the broke type. So this will have to do!


He says that his biggest influences are a Belgian singer named Dick Annegarn and Bob Marley. There is definitely an element of both in his music: a debt to classic chanson, as well as a slightly jamacain feel in the laid back beats. The first song I heard of his was on a compilation of french music; the song, "ondule" is also on his album Super from 1996, which is the only one of his I have so far. One of the songs on that record, "Bon Bon" is one of the prettiest songs I've heard in a long time, and goes on almost every mix tape i put out! I guess he is like a non-depressed French Elliott Smith, though there are probably better comparisons.

Check out the video for his song "Bien," also from Super. Haven't you ever put on one of your favorite songs and just sang along, played along on your guitar, and acted stupid? that's basically what he does here, except i guess the irony is that he is doing it to his own song. It's cute.


(see also: my post in may about french singer M!)