Kaas, Foly & Enzo Enzo

They say "when it rains it pours," and this time out we're inundated with great new songs by three of France's loveliest contemporary chanteuses. New albums by any one of these women would be cause for celebration, three together and we're on overload! But what a way to go: Patricia Kaas in a new sexy style that proves she's all grown up, Liane Foly with her smoldering stylizations and finally, Enzo Enzo la petite princesse de la chanson française.

It's been six long years since I met Patricia Kaas on a cold wintry afternoon in New York. She was just starting out on an American tour, armed with eleven English lessons and a firm belief that good music could carry one through the obstacles of language and culture. She was polite during our interview and laughed at my jokes, which is all I really ask of anyone, but she was preoccupied with getting to the thrift shops and funky boutiques of Greenwich Village and Soho. She reminded me of girls I knew, fresh out of college and loose on the streets of New York, which is not what I expected from the reigning diva of French pop.

All I need to do is look at photos from her new release, Dans ma chair, to realize just how long it has been. There had always been an element of la petite jeune fille when she was singing songs like «mon mec à moi» and «Kennedy Rose» -- pas encore. But people seldom stay the same and this is as true for pop divas as it is for children. The young girl who used to take her teddy bear on tour is all grown up. You can see it in her face and you can hear it in her music.

Dans ma chair offers twelve new songs (plus on CD a bonus duo with James Taylor - "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"). Only one song comes from the man who penned so many of Patricia Kaas' early successes, Didier Barbelevien. In his place we have Jean-Jacques Goldman, Franck Langolff, Dianne Warren and believe it or not, Lyle Lovett.

The album begins with «Quand j'ai peur de tout», a Goldman/Warren collaboration that plumbs the depths of insecurity: "Vivre quand tout lâche, quand tout casse, quand tout clash / Quand tous les blues ont sali ta raison, ta maison tes saisons / Quand tout est sombre, plus rien n'est doux, J'ai peur de tout"(115k).

There's plenty of variety here, country/folk «Chanson simple» and «Je sais»; dance/rhythm «Les lignes de nos mains» and «Je compte jusqu'a toi»; pop/rock «Je me souviens de rien», «Je voudrais la connaitre. What unites these disparate styles is one of the greatest voices to be heard anywhere. But then you know that (unless you've been absent from the planet for the better part of a decade).

Lyle Lovett's «Chanson simple» is quite a departure form the songs one expects from Mlle. Kaas. There is a purity in its simplicity, and the execution, both in terms of the vocals and the production, are flawless. It's a finely polished gem of a song, simple and sweet and not easily forgotten: "C'est une chanson simple que je te donne / Aussi facile qu'elle est tendre / Tu sais ce sont parfois les mots très simples / Les plus difficiles à entendre "(172k).

Before he became famous for writing songs for Vanessa Paradis, Franck Langolff was best known for his collaborations with Renaud («Morgane de toi», «Petite» and «Prè des auto-tamponneuses» among many others). For Patricia Kaas, he has constructed an elaborate blues ballad, «Fait-moi l'amitie»: "Là, j'aimerais tellement / Etre un mystère / Et que tu me parles / Comme à un être cher / Cher au-delà / De notre entente / Que tu aies de moi / Un besoin si tendre / Une envie si tendre / Je me sens si proche de tout quitter / Tell'ment décalée dans mon parcours / S'il te plaît fais-moi l'amitié" (268k).

Of course in Europe, pop music reigns supreme, and Dans ma chair includes its share of ballads that could be performed by a Whitney Houston or a Mariah Carey. The final track, «Sans toi», was tailor made for airplay: "Je t'ai aimé jusqu'à te perdre / j'en ai fait fait trop, toi pas assez / Il vaut mieux que j'apprenne à vivre / Sans toi, sans toi" (115k).

For me, the least successful track on the album is the bonus track with James Tailor. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but it just seems out of place and certainly adds nothing to Tailor's original version. As a bonus track, it's fine, but if you are one of those people who debate between buying something on CD versus cassette, don't let this one song sway you.

I would say that Dans ma chair packs some real surprises, but there's nothing to disappoint Patricia Kaas' fans. At 29, she is at the top of her form, as this collection amply demonstrates. You simply can not go wrong here!

Dans ma chair (1997), Item 04540: CD $23.95 / Cassette $17.95

Quand j'ai peur de tout, Dans ma chair, Chanson simple, J'ai tout quitté pour toi, Je me souviens de rien, Les lignes de nos mains, Je sais, Je voudrais la connaître, Fais-moi l'amitié, L'amour devant la mer, Je compte jusqu'à toi, Sans toi, Don't let me be lonely tonight (duo with James Taylor). Lyrics included. Duration 54:10 (CD), 49:16 (cassette).
We catalog a large selection of Patricia Kaas' albums and video cassettes.

Mention ention Liane Foly, and one word comes immediately to mind: sensuous. Her vocals are so volatile, so full of warmth and passion that nothing else can describe them. With each new release, she finds new and exciting ways to demonstrate her talent and to draw you into her world. Caméléon, her most recent effort, is no exception. This is one of those albums that feels like a complete work, and not just a collection of songs. From the brief intro to the final chords, you are plunged into a sophisticated production that is full of delights and surprises.