Pomme Pierre

Sia - The Girl You Lost To Cocaine

2009-09-24T11:33:00.003+02:00

I love Sia so much that I'm afraid I won't be able to find the words to describe her music and make you want to discover this Australian artist born in 1975 who released her 3rd solo album early in 2008...

Drink To Get Drunk (on her first LP Healing Is Difficult) was a club hit thanks to its haunting yet efficient remix by Different Gear. But Sia is mostly known for her numerous collaborations with British duet Zero7.

Sia Furler then met success with Breathe Me heard during the last sequence of the final episode of the amazing show Six Feet Under... The album Colour The Small One (2004) is a true masterpiece.

For Some People Have Real Problems, her 3rd installment, I was at first a little doubtful with the surprising artwork, and with the extracts I had heard that (for some reason) thought sounded a little cheap. Plus, the diffusion of the CD in France was very uncoordinated (we had to wait a whole year before the Fnac displayed a non-import version)...

Finally I decided to purchase it... and I'm completely overwhelmed. Between the vibrant blues of Death By Chocolate, the perfectly distillated emotion of Beautiful Calm Driving, the melancholic energy of Buttons or the sour optimism of The Girl You Lost To Cocaine (the crazy video below), I'm totally conquered!

Sia - The Girl You Lost To Cocaine

As often, Sia's single is already remixed, this time by Stonebridge, and the track can be found on many club compilations...

Découvrez Sia!

Visit Sia's official site: by clicking here!

Libération's week

2008-11-09T15:24:00.000+01:00

Monday November 3, 2008

Tuesday November 4, 2008
Wesdnesday November 5, 2008

Thursday November 6, 2008

Friday November 7, 2008

Australia

2008-10-30T20:17:00.000+01:00

Baz Luhrmann is back with a big epic movie about the young Nation of Australia. The home land of the director of "Romeo + Juliet" and "Moulin Rouge!" is beautifully put under the spotlight in this story in which the heroes Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman promise a very romantic intrigue.

Until the movie comes out in France on December 24th, here's the official website : http://www.australiamovie.com/.

"What's the use?" #01: Executive Desk

2008-10-30T10:48:00.000+01:00

Dale Mathis is a surprising artist. He carves wood, glass and mecanics to create objects that can really be qualified as marvellous...

Here's his "Executive Desk". A piece of art that's rather extraordinary, heavily "steampunk" influenced: this new mix of industrial revolution and victorian era.

The machinery is articulated in the shape of a desk that totally circles the worker.
A video shows the object in action: click here. You can click here for the artist's website.

Ultimate Obam'art (+ Madonna)

2008-10-16T22:29:00.000+02:00

Obama's beaming face, the title of a 90s' catchy anthem, flashy colors? It's simply a t-shirt sold during Madonna's American leg of the Sticky & Sweet Tour. It would probably have sold well among European fans too. You can still get it from the official merch site!

Talking about Madonna, here's a video of the intro during the Paris show. The film is titled "Sweet Machine" along with the whole theme of the show and the diva's latest album. The video was produced by British studio Rockstar, after original drawings by Eugene Riecansky. Veneno Inc is the firm responsible for the video installation of the show.

One last Madonna info? Her outfits... They leaked on the Internet a little before the tour began and I was in awe with this brilliant pink and black bohème-inspired piece of clothing by Givenchy. A hit on stage!

OK I'll stop about Madonna for now ;)

Imagine R is back

2008-10-16T14:22:00.000+02:00

This year's visuals are even better than last year's (check them here) for Imagine R. They really try to pull out something edgy with their agencies H and Lézilus.

The feminine visuals are signed by Jeanclode, a very cool collective whose blog can be seen here. I noticed their wonderful "Faisons Connaissance" campaign for France 5.

The masculine visuals are signed Cream and Hello.

Each teenager (let me remind you that Imagine R is aimed at high-school and college students) has their own personality and their own style. Without being too cliché, their universe displays different metro/train station in different fashions. A cute idea.

Broadway Baby #02: Cheyenne Jackson, from United 93 to Xanadu

2008-10-16T14:12:00.001+02:00

You might have already seen Cheyenne Jackson in United 93, he was playing the role of a heroic young man who attacks the terrorist in order to avoid a catastrophe...

Not very famous yet on the big screen, this actor is more used to Broadway scenes. Cheyenne Jackson has starred in many leading roles in very different musicals!

Exemples? Rocky, the beefy naked creature of the famous Rocky Horror Show that I actually saw on stage on Broadway (maybe it was Jackson this night?) Radames in the fabulous Aida by Elton John and Tim Rice and finally in... Xanadu, the adaptation of this cinematographic 80's UFO on roller skates with Olivia Newton-John.

His official website, right here.

Panda Crew

2008-10-04T13:44:00.000+02:00

MySpace helped me discover Panda Crew, a Saint Etienne based artist. An impressive gallery gathers numerous drawings on different media: Photoshop, stencil, cardboard...

The website also enables visualize graphs left here and there... We can find some merchandising, comics and nice wallpapers as well.

I chose a rather soft sample of his work, but among Panda Crew's themes, we can find urban wars or video games.

More on the official MySpace (myspace.com/pandakroo) or on the website (pandacrew.com).

True Blood: I wanna do bad things with you...

2008-10-04T12:57:00.000+02:00

This Fall's best show on HBO (I already wrote about it here), True Blood, is, as far as I'm concerned, a total hit. OK, only 4 episodes aired so far but although the press said it would suck, this mix of black humor and fantastic thriller in the moist of the South of the USA is priceless! Alan Ball, creator of Six Feet Under, passes the test with the description of a Lousiana where vampires and human coexist.

Anna Paquin is wonderfully naive and fresh as the main character Sookie Stackhouse. Wecan also discover Stephen Moyer, a British actor with a vampire charm...

The opening credits set the tone. "Bad Things" by Jace Everett.

Please note that a new Australian actor, Ryan Kwanten, plays the role of Jason, the heroine's dim-witted and sex-addict brother...

Sarah Palin in SNL

2008-10-03T12:48:00.000+02:00

The videos everyone talks about: Saturday Night Live axes Sarah Palin!
The wonderful American actress/comedianL'excellente Tina Fey (the creator of the amazing NBC comedy show "30 Rock") impersonate the aspiring vice president.

In a first skit, Fey and Amy Poehler are Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton.

This week, it's the interview with Katie Couric and Palin's most twisted answers that are parodied. We are so close to the truth!

These skits (that are hopefully just the first of a long series) mark a certain come back for SNL. Even commented in France, they certainly highlight the new spirit of this emblem in US TV.

Tiji, more from the same ad campaign

2008-09-30T13:44:00.000+02:00

New billboards in Paris present the 2nd leg of the amazing Tiji (a kid's channel) campaign. I already mentionned this visuals here last year.

This drawings are signed by Richard N'Go under the artistic supervision of Pierrette Diaz for the agency DDB. Kuddoes.

This last one is probably my favorite... I didn't see it in the streets though. A special shout-outs to the parents?

The Futur Triangle of the Porte de Versailles

2008-09-26T00:13:00.000+02:00

The news just broke. A fantastic glass triangle should be built in the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles, in Paris. This 180-meter tall skyscrappers should host hotels (for the numerous business visitors), conference rooms, temporary offices, shopping areas, etc.

This project is signed Herzog & De Meuron (they built Beijing's famous "Bird's Nest") and could rise in 2010-2012.

I find this project a lot more exciting than the future (ecological, but black and square-shaped) tower designed by Jean Nouvel on the Défense business district. I can't wait to see this bridge between Paris's XVth arrondissement, and the suburband cities of Vanves and Issy-Les-Moulineaux... According to Paris's mayor Bertrand Delanoë, some 5,000 jobs should be created.

New Tahiti 80 album

2008-09-23T22:25:00.000+02:00

Tahiti 80's first single, "Heartbeat"

This small band from Rennes, France, is already releasing its fourth album (many more EPs in between). The first one, released in 1999, had caught my ear with the perfect "Heartbeat".

"Big Day", first single of the album Fosbury (2005)

After a short 2 year hyatus during which Xavier Boyer was working on a solo project (Axe Riverboy), the original lineup is back.

"1,000 Times", one of my favorite Tahiti 80 songs, on the album "Wallpaper For The Soul", the most electronic opus to date, in 2002

The new album, Activity Center, is just out. Its more rocky sounds still capture the etheral and fun spirit of Tahiti 80.

"Changes", with a rather cool video (2005)

Their official website, click here.
For their MySpace, it's here.

Lehman Brothers - New York City

2008-09-19T16:50:00.000+02:00

The business bank Lehman Brothers closes its doors...
I'm wondering what's gonna happen to the superb building in which it had its New York offices next to Times Square.

Untwist is the company that manufactured this LED screens. More info on their website: http://www.untwist.com/

They did it!

2008-09-04T16:49:00.000+02:00

Dots Obsession

2008-08-02T16:40:00.000+02:00

La Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris presents an installation by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama in the frame of its "intercultural dialog: when different types of madness meet".

Dots Obsessions is a multitude of inflattable pink baloons with black dots, some of which you can enter, see pictures below.

Kusama, who's considered at the avant-garde of Japanese art scene started her work in the 1950s with Andy Warhol. She stages her nightmares and child hallucinations (such as dots). She states that her "life is like a dot, lost among thousands of other dots".

Kusama hovers between minimal virtuosity and destructive madness... In 1973, ill, she goes home to Japan and destroys many of her pieces. She's been living ever since in an instution that treats insanity by artistic expression. She's had a workshop built next to her clinic.

These huge pink bubbles provoke a weird feeling in every visitor, they're first surprised and amused, walking through this light and imposing figures. The dots then almost subjugate and absorb the audience's attention. On a screen, a short movies shows us the artist in a pink wig reciting a daunting poem.

The artist's website: click here.
Through Aug. 17, 2008 only at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris (metro Porte de Pantin). Hurry, no entry fee, closes at 10 pm.

Erwin Olaf - Paradise

2008-08-02T11:40:00.001+02:00

Erwin Olaf is a Dutch photographer born in 1959.

Olaf lives in Amsterdam since 1980, his work got praised in 1988 with the "Chessmen" series, showing naked bodies (obese or pregnant women, young and vivid young men) enbodying the different pawns of a dusty chess game.

Through his work, the artist explores different themes like gender, sensuality, humor, despair and grace...

"Paradise", that I chose to represent here, is a series of photographs from 2001 focusing on a dark and baroque world inhabited by obscure clowns that express both happiness and sadness.

Erwin Olaf also got some attention in 1999 with the flamboyant and provocative visuals of a Diesel campaign that won the Lion d'Argent in Cannes. We also remember his beautiful white and red creations for Lavazza.

Olaf twork on video too, he directed some more or less disturbing shorts in the 2000s.

To close the series, the artist presented a series of portraits of the characters of the scenes. Important: click on the images to enlarge them, they're quite big, enabling you to observe the details of those peculiar faces.

Erwin Olaf's website: click here!

True Blood in September on HBO!

2008-08-02T11:32:00.000+02:00

A VERY exciting news for "Six Feet Under" fans, like me! Alan Ball, the creator of the most upsetting show on tv ever, is back with "True Blood", the adaptation of Charlaine Harris's novels "Southern Vampires Mysteries" in September on American premium channel HBO.

The marketing campaign for the new show is like SFU's first episode in 2001, with fake ads. Here, it's about a synthetic blood that a Japanese lab developped in order to enable vampires to live among humans (promising, right?). Here's the fake site: trubeverage.com

Another video shows a poor little vampire kicked out of a regular dating website... (here: lovebitten.net). I love the double entendres on how difference is treated, I also love the double (even triple) sense to the word "suck"...

Here's a promo a little more classical that (I admit) reminds me a little of Buffy, but let's trust Mr. Ball and his irresistible cast (lead by Anna Paquin from "The Piano" and "X-Men") on this one. To be continued...

Olympics: Matthew Mitcham

2008-08-01T16:32:00.000+02:00

On the cover of the American influential gay monthly The Advocate: Matthew Mitcham (born March 2, 1988 in Brisbane) who recently came out of the closet. One can understand why the (gay) blogosphere suddenly got super interested in this discipline and most particularly to this young talent ;)

The interview states that Mitcham does not want to be compared with Greg Louganis, an American diver born in 1960 who came out in the 90s. Which is a shame cause Louganis posed naked in Playgirl in 1987 before starting writing books...

Below, some nice dives during the 2008 Shenzhen competition.

Good luck for the games Matthew!!

Pete Burns, the Ultimate Queer Diva

2008-08-01T15:44:00.000+02:00

Dead or Alive, rings a bell? It should! This band is behind one of the bigest new wave hit of the 80s. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" was a huge success and although it might sound a little dated today, it's still very efficient.

Pete Burns is Dead or Alive lead singer. He's unmissable in this edgy British pop music from the 80s panorama with his androgyne-goth looks (when he started) that shifted later to many visual provocations and surgery disasters.

The hit "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" was several times revived by the band itself (see the videos below) and had another spot in the light in 2006 when Pete was in the infamous Celebrity Big Brother in the UK. He declared at the time he was wearing a jacket made of gorilla skin, statement on which the British police investigated, this ape's leather being illegal... He also made headlines with his humor, his bitterness and meanness to other candidates!

To my opinion, Burns is today a facinating example of cross-dressing, just as much as Boy George was back in the day. By the way, the two artists aren't exactly friends, Burns always claimed he was the first to dress outrageously so.

Although all the excess he represents, Burns is a uniquely facinating artist (more visually than vocally, unfortunately).

Unlike Boy George, Pete Burns's never been very clear on the sexuality grounds, even if he took part to several London Gay Pride concerts. He's been married 25 years to the same women and only stated his homosexuality lately.

"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" was covered many times, by Jessica Simpson, or Indochine. The song was also mixed with Dannii Minogue's "I Begin To Wonder".

Découvrez Indochine!

One last link, just for fun, still about this song. http://www.meatspin.com/. CAREFUL: not safe for kids, or at work ;)

Iko's Tainted Glass

2008-07-31T15:03:00.000+02:00

While I was reading Libération's blog "Les 400 Culs", I heard of this rather peculiar artist who works on tainted glass. This media, generally devoted to religious artwork, is "hijacked" for more modern pieces of art, often being very provocative.

Diego Tolomelli has created a whole series of erotic tainted glasses in his IKO studio. More information and more pictures on his website: click here.

Broadway Baby #01 : Nick Adams, from Broadway to Boxers!

2008-07-27T14:58:00.000+02:00

Nick Adams, full package. This young Broadway actor, seen in Chicago (picture above), The Pirate Queen and at the moment in the revival of A Chorus Line has just signed a contract with the underwear brand 2(x)ist.

This boy knows his assets, both vocally and physically... Let's hope he'll have a long and successful career in theaters and in magazines alike!

Obamart

2008-07-19T10:28:00.000+02:00

The Democrat candidate to the US presidential election of November 2008 started a cultural and historical enthusiasm almost never seen before. Barack Obama revolutionize American politics with the hope he helped to revive and the incredible mobilization of a new generation. The Y generation.

Go Tell Mama!

Xtrapop

Ray Noland

Here, you'll find a Flickr page entirely dedicated to Obama street art, not to be missed!

Nova - Le Grand Mix

2008-07-05T10:23:00.000+02:00

Young & Rubicam developped a very nice campaign for Radio Nova's "Le Grand Mix". Ten different visuals exist, by ten artists illustrating the music styles of the radio; funk, rap, rock, electronica but also Cuban music or blues...

Enlarge them with a click, you can also watch the 8 mini-clips by clicking here!

New Annie Album!!

2008-07-05T10:19:00.000+02:00

It's not the first time I'm talking about fabulous Annie.

Here's a fantastic news about her, she has a new album coming out September 2008!

The video to "I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me", produced by Richard X is already on the air...

Forbidden goodie (don't tell anyone): the remix by the excelent British trio Soul Seekerz

Bring Ya To The Brink!

2008-06-18T18:36:00.001+02:00

Cyndi Lauper is back with a dance album! Yay! After vague folk and retro tentatives, Cyndi Lauper goes back to her first love with ol'fashioned well produced dance music. The crème of European electro producers accepted Miss Lauper's invitation: The Scumfrog, Basement Jaxx, Digital Dog, Axwell, but also Dragonette and New York based Richard Morel.

An upbeat album that seriously rejuvenate Lauper's sound, even if the singer still signs the lyrics. Perfect timing for the release during the Pride month. We know how Cyndi Lauper has been deeply connected to the gay community since the 1980s with her statements: her True Colors tour reunited many great gay and lesbian artists for charity concerts across the US.

"Into The Nightlife", the album's second single

Cyd Charisse (1922-2008)

2008-06-18T18:32:00.000+02:00

The extraordinary dancer Gene Kelly had chosen for the legendary final ballet scene "Broadway Melody" of Singin' In The Rain died yesterday at age 86, in Los Angeles.
The 50 films Cyd Charisse leaves behind, many musicals from the MGM golden age, still remain a wonderful homage to the now deceased star.

So weird...

2008-06-18T10:18:00.000+02:00

(click to enlarge)
Line 1 - June 18, 2008

Big Art Group

2008-05-19T18:19:00.000+02:00

Caden Manson/Big Art Group is a New-York company of performers created in 1999. They use the media language and mix their performances to create new culturally transgressive pieces. Since its beginning, the band has been touring in the US and internationally, they produced 5 main plays among which are "Real Time Film" with "Shelf Life", "Flicker" and "House of No More".

As far as I am concerned, I ran into a performance of "Cinema Fury: The Imitation" by chance during the EXIT08 festival at the Créteil Art Center in April 2008. I had never witnessed anything like that. An incredible mix of musical, theatrical and video performances. A hardly intelligible storylilne on 4 screens facing each others, dismanteled and almost osbcene bodies (swollen lips, dangling tongues, outrageous dubbing), the use of sadistic carnival-inspired props (wigs, liquids), 2 dancers on crack in dresses that could have be stolen from Cher, a platinum-blonde singer in black lace whose body was 95 per covered in tatoos, a guitar player who wouldn't leave his Manson Halloween costume... In a nutshell: a true UFO hovering on Créteil for an hour of visual and sonic delirium perfectly masterized with inventive, sensitive, crazy and subversive artists. Leading them, Justin Bond, the extraordinarily facinating androgyne actor from the duet Kiki & Herb, also seen in Shortbus. We're torn between the crafty universe of Michel Gondry and the gorey burlesque art of Paul McCarthy... When the underground New York scence settles in France!

Big Art Group's MySpace: click here
Website: click here
Justin Bond's MySpace: click here

Nordic Pop!!

2008-05-19T18:13:00.000+02:00

Perez Hilton is not only an expert in trash tabloid news, he's also a talent discovere! I totally agree with his latest infatuation: the Swedish singer Lykke Li (here is her single). She was noticed last year with the excellent "Little Bit". This time, she's back with an album everyone talks about.

Lykke Li - "I'm Good, I'm Gone"

Her website: click here
Her MySpace: click here

Annie, is back with a very anticipated album. "Anniemals", her debut album in 2004 was very promising (extracts down here) and heralded a cool pop career. Already nicknamed the Scandinavian Kylie, Annie can pull different tricks, she mixes, a cd's even already been released!

Annie - "Chewing Gum"

Annie - "Heartbeat"

Her MySpace : click here
Her website (work in progress) : click here

How does it feel... in my arms?

2008-05-07T18:11:00.000+02:00

Concert : Kylie Minogue, reine des meneuses de revues "dance"
LE MONDE 07.05.08

Colin Christian

2008-04-20T11:56:00.000+02:00

Dolls again! Even more vicious ones!

Colin Christian was born in London in 1964 and several experiences lead him to sculpting. He gets familiar with latex and, influenced by erotism and sadism, he works with that fabric in order to express his creativity through the portraits of young girls. He then moves to the US and initiates new project with his wife Sas Christian, a painter as well. In the 2000s, Colin Christian tackles a new matter: silicone. His themes: good & evil, sci-fi, H.P. Lovecraft or Asia.

The site he shares with his wife: here. His MySpace : here.

Madonna: "on a cover of all magazines"

2008-04-20T11:42:00.000+02:00

As usual, Madonna doesn't go halfway and when she promotes her new album, the press goes along with her. She was on the cover of the British music magazines Q. More surprisingly, she's also on the cover of a special ecology issue of Vanity Fair, the US magazine founded in 1913.

She's also on the covers of 3 international editions of Elle: US, UK and... France of course!

Interview (created in 1969 by Andy Warhol) was the first this year to talk about the diva's new album and introduced a new picture from the Steven Klein photoshoot (also used for the cover of Hard Candy, to be released on April 29, 2008).

Finally, in France, Madonna can also be seen on the cover Figaro Madame for their fashion issue.

Painted Wagons

2008-04-19T11:38:00.000+02:00

Some more graphic mutilations of the Paris subway (line 3).

I'm more and more seduced by the ephemeral state of this works. Also, I love their growing complexity.

I promise I'll try to know more about the artists nex time.

Below, one of my favorite...

Pictures taken between March and April 2008.

Cocoon

2008-04-14T11:30:00.000+02:00

A wonderfully naive video, a perfect male-female vocal harmony, effective cute guitars, two little French guys, an Internet buzz, the French music magazine "Les Inrocks" catches that sound, a few summer festivals and there we are! Almost a consecration for Cocoon.

"On My Way"

Mark Daumail (22, vocals and guitars) and Morgane Imbeaux (19, vocals and keyboards) embark us to their colorful universe with genious compositions. The band almost reinvents French folk music with a perfectly balanced album: between optimism and melancholy (with all their tracks from 2006).

"Vultures"

Their label's site "Sober & Gentle", their MySpace.

PS: thanks to Pascal for helping me discover Cocoon. Too bad I didn't follow you to the Lieu FMR, I would've loved to see them live... hopefully next time?

Dead in jail, aged 19

2008-04-06T11:23:00.000+02:00

An article (in French) with a terrible realization: overpopulation in French jails. Can a young 19 year-old boy, whatever the crimes he committed, die this way in prison...?

Mort en prison à 19 ans
LE MONDE 05.04.08

Micky Green

2008-04-05T11:13:00.000+02:00

I know, we've talked about her for a while now... But I only discovered her this week! Micky Green! Her hit "Oh" is this Spring's good surprise: fresh and subtle. The hot 23 year-old Australian recently settled in Paris. She's a former model turned singer with a rather experienced producer: the French-Lebanese Renaud Letang (who's already worked with Manu Chao, Feist, Gonzales, Alain Souchon or Mathieu Boogaerts). French daily newspaper Libération says Micky Green rocks our craddle with "a voice surrounded of purity, mediums and a few high pitches, a sweet melancholy and busting energy".

The album "White T-shirt" is not to be missed. Her website is here, her MySpace over here.

Akiza

2008-03-23T14:08:00.002+01:00

On MySpace, I was invited by Akiza. After accepting the request, a little flyer appears in my comments, announcing the openning of an exhibition at the Cabinet des Curieux. That's how Akiza came to me.
It is difficult not to be touched by the creations of this artist who's very discreet on his website. In the fetish universe, this graphist often dedicates his little vignettes to his entourage or to artists who influenced him such as Amélie Nothomb or Coralie Trinh Thi.
Between a pure black and white and long and sinuous shapes, the almost pornographic representations of Akiza's dolls are sure to strike you. I'm totally seduced, even though I'm far from being goth, even chic.

Today, Akiza deals his creations on different media (you can find some really cool tees in the shop), and shows his creations in galeries. The website is here, there's also an Akiza page on MySpace.

Waiting for Skins...

2008-03-23T11:26:00.000+01:00

I think it's not exagerated to say that "Skins" is almost a real phenomenon. A british show preceded by such a buzz doesn't land on our TVs everyday. This 2007 show broadcast on E4 (Channel 4's premium TV) seriously rejuvenated TV in the UK.

The pitch? Some typecast UK characters from Bristol: the saddist player, the addict party-boy infatuated with his teacher, the blonde gay twink who tap dances, the eating-disorder always high girl, the still-virgin geek, the flute-playing nerdy black girl, the Pakistanese girls-obsessed teenager... They're all in the most improbable situations that are not to be taken on the first degree. "Skins" is not necessarily the most suitable show for young viewers.

One of the "Skins" key recipe is probably its impeccable production: shot like a feature movie with Hollywood budgets, "Skins" is a lab of ideas for the MTV generation, only better!

Uncut series 1 trailer - Extended version

The first season was released on DVD in the UK in mid-2007 while season 2 is already on the air since February 2007 and should be available on DVD on the following days. We can't wait to witness the next adventures of our favorites British teenage heroes!

Uncut series 2 trailer

More on the official site, or on their MySpace.

Seal

2008-03-18T14:33:00.002+01:00

Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel, born 1963 in London, is very popular and has a collection of international hits. Everyone probably has the incredible "Crazy" (in 1991 with production by Trevor Horn) in head or the sublime "Kiss From A Rose" (on the "Batman Forever" soundtrack in 1998). I recently discovered the whole carreer of this artist who, in five albums, totally defines British soul at its best. I might add I was not really seduced by Seal's "comeback" with Love's Divine or Get It Together, which I found too slow...

"Don't Cry" (1996 - from the album "Seal 2")

"Human Beings" (1998 - from the album "Human Beings")

"Waiting For You" (2004 - from the album "Seal IV")

In November 2007, System, his latest album, was released. Produced by Stuart Price (do I need to remind you that Price, a.k.a Thin White Duke, Jacques Lu Cont, Paper Faces or Man With Guitar, was the creator of many of Madonna's "Confessions" era singles?), this new installment can confuse because it introduces us to a very dance/electro-oriented Seal. But those are his first loves, because Killer and Crazy were closer to this sound than the later (successful nonetheless) romantic power ballads he produced since.

"The Right Life" (2007 - from the album "System")

I can even say that once the surprise of the first few notes is passed, I totally dig it!
The beat is here, but the emotion still is too. With well produced dancefloor anthems, flying ballads with electro flavors or even a matrimonial duet with wife Heidi Klum, Seal scores! Can't wait to see all that live on stage.

Mitch O'Connell

2008-03-18T14:23:00.001+01:00

A little stroll at Kiliwatch enabled me to discover this book of funky tattoos (above). Browsing it, I almost felt like I needed to have one of those trashy-cute figurine applied to my skinny forearm! Mitch O'Connell is a Chicago illustrator artist who works for Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Spin, The New York Times, Time, Playboy, Entertainment Weekly, The New Yorker and even Juggs (the HUUUGE breast aficionado magazine).

You can discover more of his work on his website (here) or his page on MySpace (here). Some of his works, between dark humor and a criticism of consumerism, are pop collages not necessarily childish, they can even be very dark (like down here).

Hard Candy + 4 Minutes

2008-03-15T14:44:00.001+01:00

Scoop or hoax? Here is the rumored cover of the album produced by Pharell Williams, Timbaland and Nate "Danja" Hills, to be released on Avril 29 2008. Here's also the cover of the 1st single with Justin Timberlake, already on rotation on some radio and soon everywhere.

Here's the supposed track-list :

“Candy Store”
“4 Minutes”
“Give It 2 Me”
“Heartbeat”
“Miles Away”
“She’s Not Me”
“Incredible”
“Beat Goes On”
“Dance Tonight”
“Spanish Lesson”
“Devil”

Like always when Madonna uncovers her artwork in advance, I can't help but feel a little surprised by these visuals... I'm not necessarily disappointed though. Actually, I just can't no longer wait!!

Bonus: The teaser film for the single release.
Click on the picture down there.

A message from Mr. John Soglo

2008-03-14T14:29:00.000+01:00

From Mr. John Soglo
C/2645 RUE DE JERRICHO COTONOU
REPUBLIC DU BENIN
Email: soglojohn@yahoo.fr


I know this mail will come to you as a surprise since we have not had previous
Correspondence, please bear with me. I will really like to have a good relationship
With you, and I have a special reason why I decided to contact you, hoping that you
Would cooperate with me.

My names are. John Soglo, a Manager and former personal assistant to a business Guru
And my former Boss, Late Frederick M. Wong. This mail is Written and intended to
Solicit your assistance to be presented as NEXT OF KIN to my Late Boss, Frederick M.
Wong, (California USA). He was a Government Approved contractor with the Government
of the Republic of Benin, an Oil Merchant with the Government of the Gabon a Central
African country, and also a gold dealer in Ghana and very wealthy for that matter.
Mr. Frederick M. Wong made a fixed Deposit of Fund valued at USD25M (Twenty  Five
Million United States Dollars Only) with a Security Firm in COTONOU REPUBLIC OF
BENIN, before he and his lovely wife unfortunately lost their life’s aboard Egypt Air
Flight 990, which crashed in to the Atlantic Ocean on November 2nd, 1999.

(news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm) and left no clear beneficiary as Next
of Kin except some vital documents related to the Deposit that he left on my care, as
I was with him at the time of the deposit of this funds, The Governing Body of the
Security Company where the funds had been deposited has contacted me on this matter,
and have demanded that I provide the next of kin to whom this funds would be released
To Immediately, I have tried my best to see if I could locate any of his relation,
Unfortunately till this time I have been unable to locate and provide any one of his
Relations as the Next of Kin to lay claims to the Fund. This is why I then decided
To look for a trust worthy person that I can front as his next of kin and my search
For such person then lead me to you based under a clear and legitimate agreement
With you, I shall seek your consent to present you to the Security Company as his
Next of kin and final beneficiary of the said funds.

For the sake of transparency on this matter, you are free to make immediate contact
With me only through this my E-mail:soglojohn@yahoo.fr   for further information
Relating to this Matter.

Thank you very much for your anticipated acceptance while I expect your prompt
Response.

Bear in mind that if you agree to assist me with this project, you would be entitled
To 30% of the total sum, while 5% is mapped out to cover every unforseen expensess
That might be incurred in the cause of this project, like telephone calls and other
Little expenses, while the remaining would be for me, and one other staff of our
Company that knows about this funds.

Note that it does not matter the country you come from or your color everything
Would be taken care of and be assured that this project is 100% risk free so you need
Not entertain any fears, because my family is a well know family here in my country,
All I ask for is your full cooperation to conclude this project fast, because if I do
Not present the next of kin on time the funds might be declared unclaimed and handed
Over to the Federal Government of Benin, hence your urgent response is needed.

Thanking you once more for your anticipated assistance and cooperation.

I am Yours Sincerely


Mr. John Soglo

Email: soglojohn@yahoo.fr

The "Beggin'" War

2008-03-09T12:56:00.000+01:00

You can't have missed it, but just like the "Macarena" with those of the sea and those of the river (super lame paralel), the 2008 summer hit has split in two different items. Radios and TVs air a very catchy tune, originally, it was "Beggin'" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, an American boy band from the 60s who was hugely successful across the decades. We owe them the hit "Oh What A Night", popularized in France by Claude François with "Cette Année-Là" and years later with Yannick ("Ces Soirées-Là"). This band was also the subject of a musical on Broadway, Jersey Boys, who won a Tony for best musical in 2006.

This time again, two versions of the almost identical song spread the airwaves at the same time.

The first version is a simple remix by a French DJ, Pilooski. Frankie Valli does the vocal and the Four Seasons play the music. A new beat enables the classic song to become a new hit...

The second version is from Norwegian hip-hop duet Madcon. Here, voices and music are re-recorded (above, the CD sleeve).

Just for fun, here's the original 1967 version.

Découvrez The Four Seasons!

Shaun Tan

2008-03-09T12:07:00.002+01:00

Born in1974 in Perth, Australia, this young artist will illustrate at first some fantastic or horror short stories for teenage magazines.

Later, Shaun Tan's work is recognized and wins a prize for the illustration of "The Rabbits", a children's book.

In 2008, Shaun Tan is granted a prize at the Angoulême Comics festival for the best book with "The Arrival".

This exceptional work is a mute comic with a very cinematic verve telling the story of a migrant who just arrives in a new country. With emotion, the book introduces us to a fantastic world, between an austere gray tone and a universe populated with magical creatures like Miyazaki's, enable each of us to identify...
Cet ouvrage exceptionnel est une bande-dessinée muette très cinématique relatant l'histoire d'un immigré arrivant dans une nouvelle contrée. Tout en émotion, le livre nous présente un univers fantastique, entre l'austérité d'un trait en teintes de gris et un univers peuplé de créatures fantastiques à la Miyazaki, permettant pourtant à chacun de se retrouver...

His website will introduce you further to his world.

Olivia!

2008-03-05T11:55:00.002+01:00

Olivia Newton-John is not a well known icon in France. If the French audiences remembered her name, it's only from "Grease" (1978)...

"Hopelessly Devoted To You" (1978)

However, as far as I'm concerned, I remember very well "Physical"!
An interesting beat, a ridicule video that tries to be funny, a perfect hair and Olivia's smile were the key to its success. Fellow Aussie Kylie Minogue paid a tribute with a cover, 20 years later, during the "On A Night Like This Tour" (2001).

Physical (1981 - Olivia)

Physical (2001 - Kylie)

Olivia was born in Cambridge, England in 1948. She left for Australia with her parents 6 years later. Her carreer started in the 1970s with some minor hits that only charted in Australia and in the UK. She was a contestant to the Eurovision and had a nice success with "I Honestly Love You". With "Grease", she's a huge hit!

Then Came "Xanadu"! This cinematic UFO, with Gene Kelly, Olivia Newton-John, Cliff Richards and the neo-pop band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) will totally flop. The songs and the roller-skating apparently didn't seduce the audience then. The movie will get some recognition later, mostly due to its first degree kitsch dimension and its effecient tunes.

A musical is even created on Broadway in 2007, it will get rave reviews from the press and the public. Here are two songs from the movie.

"Magic" (1980)

"Xanadu" (1980)

In the end of the 1980s, Olivia Newton-John sings "The Rumour", an energy-driven hit written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin also in the back-singers.

"The Rumour" (1988)

Jan Saudek

2008-02-27T22:46:00.000+01:00

When browsing the Taschen books of his photographs, this Czech photographer born in 1935 took me in his universe. Very easy to identify, his universes repeat themselves to infinity and Jan Saudek multiplies the shoots on an often common base: nudity worked in not so varied settings with hand painted colored photographs giving it a special texture.

Saudek has an obsession with dressed/undressed models. He uses this principle to illustrate the playing cards he composed with two figures back to back with each other upside down (some examples here).

Sex has a huge importance in this photographer's work, especially with atypical profiles like overweighed ladies or people with a specific physical trait. Saudek took many pictures of contortionists. In this extent, this freak-show theme might shock or disturb with this weird and black beauty...Le sexe prend une importance immense dans le travail de ce photographe, notamment lorsqu'il s'agit de profils atypiques de personnes obèses ou ayant une particularité physique bien prononcée. Saudek a également photographié beaucoup de contortionnistes. Dans ce sens, son travail se rapproche beaucoup d'un esprit de Foire (ou Freak show) pouvant déranger ou choquer par sa beauté noire et étrange.

His website both in English and Czech introduces the entirety of his work, from the 1950s to today.

The new Miss Jackson

2008-02-27T22:32:00.000+01:00

Janet Jackson is one of those artists I've been "following" for a little time now. For me, the revelation was probably in 1993 with "Again" and the whole "That's the Way Love Goes" era. I was in heaven with the "Velvet Rope" album (1997) and I even liked "All For You" (2001)... More recently, it seemed the 2000s were not so kind to Miss Janet with more lukewarm albums that went unnoticed like "Damita Jo" (2004), or does someone even remember "20YO" (2006). Yeah I thought so.

In a nutshell, as a loyal fan, I'm going to buy "Discipline" on its release day. The latest single "Feedback" with its tragically kitscho-cheap video didn't totally convince me...

Some tracks are fierce and strike when first heard. My good ol' Janet is back! What I like most: "Rock With U", "2Nite", "Can't B Good", "Never Letchu Go" and "What's Ur Name". Of course, there're still the same corny interludes in which she pretends to confide, but the tracks are still good and well produced. Another thing I'm not too keen on: the artwork... I love Janet but isn't she getting a little old playing this faux-provocative leather-clad style?

What I want to hear here is a very surprising track. So what's the sample? Yes, it's Daft Punk! That's what I call intelligent recycling because it's not stealing a good tune (even though, unless I'm mistaken, the Versailles duet is not credited...) but simply the reuse of a super-effective gimmick.

Cheers from Penda

2008-02-27T22:29:00.000+01:00

Almost as cheezy as chain emails: the "me give money you from Africa country" email!

Dear good morning ,Please help me ,My name is Miss Penda Oscar From Liberia country .21 years old. my Uncle called Alex , threaten my life since my father was killed by hired thugs , upon he claim most of my father properties , Thinking that i am too young to ask him about it ,

He also said that so far i am a girl that i have no right to my father properties but near neighbours advise me not to talk to him yet , that i should seek advises to stop his actions.

But now the most important reason that makes me to contact you is this , i need your help now, there was money my father secured outside my country ,and he deposited this money with my name as beneficiary and this money was in current united state dollars , worths four million seven hundred thousand dollars $4.700.000.00 , Dear Please know that any thing concern this money ,my Uncle Alex don,t know about it and i would not like him to know it, because my father told me every thing about this money and warn me to keep every thing about this money secret ,This is why i don,t want any one here in africa to know any of my movements untill am there with you .

Dear Please i don,t know if it will be possible for you to come and see the documents by your self and to know me more , then we travel with the documents to the country my father save this money and meet the bank face to face direct for the transfer of this money to your country,

If you don,t have chance to come ,i can send the documents to you by email or by Fax so that you will see it and study it well , then you stand as my father relationship or friend outside Africa and mail the bank and advise them to transfer this money to your country , and you will send me an invitation Letter to come and meet you in your country ,then we discuss on what investment we should put the money into .

I don,t want to discuss much about this money on mail now because of security untill this money is transfered to your position and i left this country to meet you ,

Please am waiting for your reply and send me your direct contacts informations i want to call you on phone and speak with you to hear your voice and we discuss the amount of money i will give you from this money for your help as soon as all the money is transfered into your care.

Cheers from Penda

Several questions come to my mind...
- Who sends this?
- What for... are some people naive enough to buy it?
- Don't they have a syntax book next to them... or is it deliberate?

Eliane Elias

2008-02-22T12:56:00.000+01:00

I already had the chance to listen to some notes of "Dreamer" (2004), an Eliane Elias album that recieved raving reviews when it was release. Unfortunately it was almost released at the same time as Bebel Gilberto's eponymous album and I chosed that one back then. Since then, amusing circumstances helped me get back to Eliane Elias, I simply met her delightful daughter last summer, Amanda Elias Becker. When the different pieces of the puzzle assembled in my head, I listened again to this wonderful artist (singer, composer and pianist - Vinicius de Moraes discovered her) of today's Brazilian scene.

The most striking thing about Elias, is her radiant beauty, probably highly emphasized of her albums' covers. Visually already stunning! After that, I can only savor the roundness of the chords, the softness of the voice, the sensuality or the rhythm. It's the most sensible mix of bossa and jazz. The subtlety of this modern sound that finds its roots deep buried in local folk is almost magic!

"Around The City" (2006), one of her latest albums to date, is a wonderful musical journey. With unexpected covers such as "Jammin'" by Bob Marley or classics like "Oye Como Va" by Tito Puente, Eliane Elias puts up real treasured gems and ear candies like "Running", "Around The City" or "Segredos."

Her website: www.elianeelias.com

The other very anticipated movie!

2008-02-22T12:26:00.000+01:00

Let's write this down: May 2008 will be a blockbuster packed month! On the 22nd, the 4th installment of the most famous archeology professor opens: "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"

I have to the say the teaser is pretty damn good!

Did you know that:
- Tom Selleck was first selected to feature the legendary Indiana Jones role
- Indiana Jones's first name is Henry
- Not less that 7 actors have impersonate Indiana Jones on different media: Harisson Ford (of course) and River Phoenix (in a flash back) on the big screen, 3 different actors in the TV show "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles", and 2 voice actors for the video games
- The second movie of the series ("The Temple of Doom") actually takes place before the first one ("The Raiders of the Lost Ark")
- This new movie is set in 1957, i.e. almost 20 years after the first installements !
- The new movie project took almost as much time to be defined... directors, producers and actors didn't agree on the central theme of the movie before finally settling on a script in 2006 only
- The new movie also features: Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, Ray Winstone, John Hurt and Jim Broadbent.

An official poster (from Poland?) is really scary and so not in the tone of the movie... Found on the official movie site: www.indianajones.com

The much anticipated movie...

2008-02-17T12:14:00.000+01:00

Here's the poster of the very anticipated movie "Sex And The City", which opened May 30th in the US (2 days before, in France).

From 1998 to 2004, the 4 New York City girls were on every screens, from HBO to M6. When I first heard of a movie adaptation, I was shocked... before calming down. Four years have passed since then and I'm now very excited to watch that teaser! Let alone this poster, the most glamorous ever made!

Rumors about the shooting set are numerous. We know that mariage's in the air (maybe more than one) and that Jennifer Hudson (the Dreamgirls sensation) will be Carrie's assistant. Another sequel is already talked about... That's maybe a little too soon to mention that even if we can totally trust Michael Patrick King and Sarah Jessica Parker who reign on this production.

Still the king?

2008-02-12T21:19:00.001+01:00

Michael Jackson is again in the spotlight with the release today of "Thriller 25", a remastered version of his legendary album (the all-time best seller in the record history), with new versions of his hits featuring duets wiht today's artists, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its original release.

"Rock With You" (video directed by Bruce Gowers, from the album "Off The Wall", 1980)

"Off The Wall" is for a lot of people Michael's first solo album, it is however not really the case. From 1972 to 1975, Motown released 4 albums. OK, not so many hits were remembered from that era, except maybe the very beautiful "One Day in Your Life". This album is great and certainly reveals MJ's potential with his first huge successes like "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough", "She's Out Of My Life" or "Rock With You".

"Thriller" (video directed by John Landis, from the album "Thriller", 1982)

"Thriller" is the record-breaking album that needs no introduction whatsoever. It's a total must-have! The figures make me dizzy, I'll only say that out of the 9 tracks on the ablum, 7 were released as singles!

"Smooth Criminal" (video directed by Colin Chilvers, from the album "Bad", 1987)

The much anticipated next Quincy Jones / Michael Jackson collaboration is "Bad." Very successful, even if it doesn't reach the sales of the previous opus. For me, "Bad" presents one of the finest Jackson ballads like "Liberian Girl", "Man In The Mirror" or "I Just Can't Stop Loving You".

"Remember The Time" (video directed by John Singleton, from the album "Dangerous", 1991)

The very dense and complete "Dangerous" is a New Jack Swing masterpiece. Michael Jackson distinguishes himself with a weird way of life and his expression may be disturbing to some extent. Jackson becomes bigger than life with HUGE hits, top-notch collaboration, Hollywood-style videos and a gigantic tour.

"Stranger In Moscow" (video directed by Nicholas Brandt, from the album "HIStory", 1995)

"HIStory" is the start of a slow down in sales. Jackson's doing too much in megalomania. The album stills holds some perfect gems such as "Scream", "Stranger In Moscow", "Earth Song", "HIStory", certain songs however are only fillers, as far as I'm concerned.

"Blood On The Dance Floor" (video directed by Michael Jackson & Vincent Paterson, from the album "Blood On The Dancefloor", 1997)

Most people probably already forgot this remix album and... we can't blame them. Only one thing is to be remembered (and it's worth it), the title-song. One of my favorite 1990s Jackson song.

"Cry" (video directed by Nicholas Brandt, from the album "Invicible", 2001)

"Invicible" was a failed comeback. The album is neatly produced and enables Jackson to explore new ways. I might blame the poor choice in the singles for the reason of the declining sales. To this day, I think the limited editions with colored artwork are still available pretty much everywhere...

Craziest Paris metro maps

2008-02-12T21:08:00.000+01:00

2008's RATP's best wishes campaign received interesting feedback. Here it is again (click to enlarge)

Of course, it was parodied...

The anagram version is a very interesting and poetic idea...

Intégrale ordered the following design for an advertising campaign, and I totally dig this flower-like spreading Paris... It was created by Antoine+Manuel who did some wonderful other works.

A rather futuristic (and impressive) forecast of the RER structure in 2025...

Board games fans? I know some who would probably love to try this one based on Paris's metro map. Learn more about the project, and download the printable version here.

At last, here are the 3 posters used for a very nice campaign, using every station's name.

Laid back electro night

2008-02-12T20:54:00.000+01:00

A quiet night at home, I'm browsing the web. I'm listenning to the new Goldfrapp single, and finally I think the band is back to its soft folk roots - the ethereal first album "Felt Mountain" in 2000 is the proof. I'll let you decide what you think of this video I have mixed feelings about. On the other hand, the single probably heralds a new beautiful album, closer to Kate Bush than Kylie Minogue. To be continued. (their websiste here)

Goldfrapp - A&E

Even though her latest CD is perfect, Róisín Murphy's latest work is still very dance-oriented, and tonight, I'm not in the mood for it. Let me get back to Moloko's classic "The Time Is Now", one of their best tracks as far as I'm concerned. The beat is perfect, the video is, too. (their website here)

Moloko - The Time Is Now

I can still picture this Fnac's clerk bored face when I asked him I was looking for this "little English electronic band called Frou Frou..." His attitude won over on this day... I ended up finding this excellent 2002 one-time only collaboration between Imogen Heap and Guy Sigsworth some place else. (their website here)

Frou Frou - Must Be Dreaming

I'm so glad I got to listen to Tracey Thorn's solo album "Out Of The Woods" (2007). Back in 1995 I was dancing like everybody else with Everything But The Girl's legendary "Missing" remix by Todd Terry. Later in my chronology (even though it was released the same year), Tracey's hypnotic vocals on Massive Attack's "Protection" had me tripping. Here the singer delivers an ideal solo effort! Plus, the video rocks. (her site here)

Tracey Thorn - It's All True

Mark Ryden

2008-02-11T11:18:00.000+01:00

Mark Ryden was born in 1963 in Oregon, in the US. Growing up in California, Ryden then decides to take illustration and graphism studies.

His clients? Stephen King (he painted some covers for his novels), Danny Elfman, or, more surprisingly: Bridget Fonda and Leonardo DiCaprio (whom Ryden will paint on different occasions). Ryden will also find insipiration in Cristina Ricci many times...

He is commissionned by numerous artists to design their CDs' covers (Michael Jackson, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jeff Beck, 4 Non Blondes, Ringo Starr for instance).

He displays his works from 1998 in some Californian art galleries. Museums also starts having exhibitions.

Childhood and death themes are often tackled in his paintings. Meat, numerology, catholic or buddist symbols, American folklore or toys are very often represented in his work.

His collections: The Meat Show (1998), Amalgamation (2000), Bunnies And Bees (2001), Insalta Mista (2003), Bllod (2003), Wondertoonel (2005), The Tree Show (2007).

Learn more on his website: Mark Ryden.

Still the King?

2008-02-10T11:18:00.000+01:00

Michael Jackson is in the spotlight again, with the release of "Thriller 25", a remastered version of his legendary album (the most sold in the record history) with new versions of his hits featuring today's artists, in order to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its release.

"Rock With You" (video directed by Bruce Gowers, from the album "Off The Wall", 1980)

Many people "Off The Wall" is the first solo album by Michael Jackson, which isn't the case. From 1972 to 1975, he released 4 LPs from Motown. Granted, only a few minor hits were remembered from this period besides the poignant "One Day In Your Life". This brilliant album is certainly the revelation MJ, who performs his first successes, with "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough", "She's Out Of My Life" or "Rock With You".

"Thriller" (video directed by John Landis, from the album "Thriller", 1982)

"Thriller" is the record album we don't even need to present. It's the ultimate must-have! The figures concerning "Thriller" are amazing, I will only point out that 7 out of the total 9 trakcs of the album were released as singles!

"Smooth Criminal" (video directed by Colin Chilvers, taken from the album "Bad", 1987)

The much anticipated album "Bad" was the last collaboration Quincy Jones / Michael Jackson. It met great success, even if it doesn't reach the high sales of the previous album. As far as I'm concerned, "Bad" is the album to some of the best Michael Jackson songs such as "Liberian Girl", "Man In The Mirror" or "I Just Can't Stop Loving You".

"Remember The Time" (video directed by John Singleton, from the album "Dangerous", 1991)

The very dense and achieved "Dangerous" is a New Jack Swing masterpiece. Michael Jackson starts being a tabloid sensation with a lifestyle and a way of expressing himself that become every day more outrageous. Jackson dwells on the gigantic side with some major hits, impressive collaborations, amazing videos and a monstruous tour.

"Stranger In Moscow" (video directed by Nicholas Brandt, taken from the album "HIStory", 1995)

"HIStory" marks the beginning of a slowdown in the sales. Jackson is a little too much. However, this album treasures some very nice gems like "Scream", "Stranger In Moscow", "Earth Song", "HIStory", too many fillers though.

"Blood On The Dance Floor" (video directed by Michael Jackson & Vincent Paterson, taken from the album "Blood On The Dancefloor", 1997)

Most people will probably have forgotten this remix album and... we can't really blame them. One thing to remember, is the title track, which is one of my favorite '90s Jackson songs!

"Cry" (video directed by Nicholas Brandt, taken from the album "Invicible", 2001)

"Invicible" was a failed attempt to come back. The very well produced album enables Jackson to discover new ground. I think the poor choice of the singles might explain why this album didn't do that well... To this day, I think the 4-color limited edition cover is still available in stores everywhere...

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

2008-02-02T16:50:00.000+01:00

My sister brought me back some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups the other day, a friend of her had them in the US.

Created in 1928 by Mr. Harry Burnett Reese in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Hershey is now a majorAmerican chocolate manufacturer), this little treats with chocolate and peanut butter are an American emblem.

Photoshop enables me to capture the moment of this last butter cup swallowed down couple of minutes ago. I don't know when I'm gonna be able to eat them next, I guess that's what makes them even tastier...

A discreet little store on Times Square helps you realize the impact of Hershey's/Reese's on American culture...

My creations for the CD I mix

2008-02-02T16:49:00.000+01:00

Sugababes Vs. Girls Aloud

2008-02-02T16:25:00.001+01:00

Great Britain has always have a long girls bands tradition, Bananarama had paved the way to legions of young more or less excited English ladies with average producers from the early '80s. In the '90s, the world is taken over by the Spice Girls hurricane, they stayed on top of the sales for years with efficient yet formated hits and some over the top flair and attitude. In the 2000s, with new standards - the music supply is expandable, a pseudo underground movement has risen -, and new formats - the reality-tv bubble and the multimedia oomph -, a new generation of girls bands has arrived with at least as much (maybe even more) appeal...

Sugababes - Easy (2006)

From 1998 on, 3 schoolyard girlfriends get together and become the very successful trio the Sugababes. Being very quiet in France, in the UK, they're the bomb and have a long string of #1s. Keisha Buchana, Siobhan Donaghy (who left in 2001), Muty Buena (left the band in 2005) were the original Sugababes, Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah replaced subsequently the departed members.

Girls Aloud - Jump (2003)

Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh are the lucky winners of 2002's "Popstars: The Rivals". I first hear about them with "Jump", the punchy Pointer Sisters's cover (1984) which is on the "Love Actually" soundtrack.

Sugababes - Push The Button (2005)

The Sugababes don't simply enjoy a public success, they gain the profession's recognition by winning several BRIT Awards.

Girls Aloud - Call The Shots (2007)

The new Girls Aloud single, pretty cool! The latest LP is awesome and has it all: energetic, upbeat, and very catchy too.

Sugababes - About You Now (2007)

The latest Sugababes single with now only one original member remaining. A hit with a little less commercial appeal, yet an interesting song with a glamorous video in tight little yellow dresses.

Girls Aloud - Biology (2005)
"Biology" is to my opinion one of the best Girls Aloud tracks, with a colorful, sexxxxy et hyper dynamique video.

Sugababes Vs. Girls Aloud - Walk This Way (2007)

The confrontation of the 2 bands occurs in 2007 with the pretty successful cover of the Aerosmith (1975) / Run DMC (1986) produced by Dallas Austin.

Further reading:
Girls Aloud (official site)
Sugababes (official site)

Metro Line 3: slowing down?

2008-02-02T16:22:00.000+01:00

I notice a fewer number of painted wagons. On the other hand, lots of remains or less happy tags can be seen here and there...

Here are the latest I could see (January 2008).

Dignity

2008-01-12T15:18:00.000+01:00

Question: Which one of these characters keeps his dignity?

Remark: Ray-Bans for more discretion? Not sure...

Another so-called "stolen" picture...

French chanson is not dead!

2008-01-12T15:06:00.000+01:00

Stanislas - "Le Manège"
My song of the moment! I heard it different times on the radio and it ended up catching my attention. Then I hear it's produced by French pop superstar Calogéro... and it's exactly the feeling I had when I heard Stanislas : it sounds like Calogéro's early hits, before he compromised himself with too much easiness. I don't know much about Stanislas yet but let's keep an eye on him.

Vanessa Paradis - "Dès Que J'te Vois"
A strong value, with a track written by -M-, whom I'm not a big fan of even if I acknowledge his talent. Vanessa Paradis offers us a true moment of grace with a splendid video and one of the best tracks of the album.

Pauline Croze - "Jour de Foule"
Pauline Croze's first LP, sugar-coated with emotions and simplicity, was a critical success and it managed to seduce me frankly. She is back with a much colorful album with different influences, enabling her to confirm her talent. "Jour de Foule" might not be her best song, the video though, helps making it interesting.

Elodie Frégé - "La Fidélité"
Granted, Elodie Frégé is not a landmark of French pop. However, this track from her latest LP exhales a very nice folk touch. The first version of the video was directed by infamous French movie-maker Catherine Breillat.

Dionysos - "Tais-toi Mon Cœur"
French alternative rock is typically the kind of sound I don't like. However, Dionysos always detached itself from the bunch with its particular mood. The video reminds us of Tim Burton's poetic "Corpse Bride". And the chorus features vocals by Olivia Ruiz.

Line 3: contaminated

2008-01-02T22:19:00.000+01:00

I can't help noticing that the street art is growing. I think the RATP - which apparently already took some mesures to erase these works - will end up reacting very badly.
I can also notice I'm not alone to take pictures...
Some of these pieces are interesting, colorful and inventive. Sometimes, like here, the sign is preceded by the inscription "Line 3 Lover" (in English)...
Pictures taken between December 2007 & January 2008.
The writings can be huge....

Booty Luv Saga

2008-01-02T22:15:00.000+01:00

Who are Nadia Shepherd & Cherise Roberts? They're two young British soul singers who were produced by dance record label Hed Kandi with the band Booty Luv. They were propelled to the top of the charts in 2006 with the massive hit "Boogie 2nite", a punchy cover or the already very groovy hit by Tweet.

Boogie 2nite

For the second single, the duet meets with the same success with "Shine", a Luther Vandross cover.

Shine

For the third single, Booty Luv tries "Don't Mess With My Man" by Lucy Pearl.

Don't Mess With My Man

A 4th single will be produced, then came the album...

Some Kinda Rush

Dragonette + New Young Pony Club

2007-12-23T12:08:00.000+01:00

Electro flavored new-rock has never been this much in the spotlight. It's a pleasure to see the rising of all new very promising bands.

Dragonette first, is a Canada-born but London-based band that I randomly discovered through an online listening. I was probably attracted by this odd band name and their flashy '80s cover arts. Of course, they can be found on MySpace too.

The two singles are pure hits that sadly went totally unnoticed in France...

Here are the videos to "I Get Around" (released in April 2007 in the UK) and "Take It Like A Man" (in July). The album "Galore" was released in September. The charismatick lead singer, Martina Sorbara, is a Canadian politician's daughter, which could be awckward considering the fact that Dragonette is a very gay-friendly band that regularly performs for community events such as the London Gay Pride in 2007. Yay!

New Young Pony Club (NYPC) has more of a rock sound. This new generation of new wave -- new new wave? -- is remarkably noticed for the efficiency of its sound that brings a very enjoyable sense of fun and madness to some already proven musical roots. Their MySpace : here.

The singer, Tahita Bulmer, is the lead of a London-based band that was born in 2005. Their first LP, "Fantastic Playroom", released in July 2007, is doing really good on both sides of the Atlantic and the band already solds out all the venues of its tour.

The singles "Get Lucky" and "Ice Cream" were re-released in 2007 because their original release in 2006 was not a commercial success - yet.

Kylie again?

2007-12-21T14:52:00.000+01:00

Yes, her again.
A trace,
a proof!
(Thanks to the office scanner...)

Brannan signs

2007-12-21T14:50:00.000+01:00

A souvenir from Jay Brannan's concert...

I could never tell you how a great show Dexter is...

2007-12-21T14:47:00.000+01:00

Showtime's fabulous show Dexter season 2 is brilliant.

Dark Defender is a comic derived from Dexter, here's a preview produced by the network.

You can catch the other episodes here and here.

Here's a very surprising clip that sums up pretty well the first season ***spoiler alert***

Dexter vous salue bien...

Merry Xmas!

2007-12-21T14:43:00.000+01:00

Already Xmas. Like every year, I didn't see it coming at all.

Thank God, the Xmas ornaments (always very good taste - some can be very funny) are here to remind us that it is high time to take care of presents...

This fresk was seen - and captured - Passage des Petites Ecuries, in December 2008.

Line 3 - Late at night...

2007-12-21T14:38:00.000+01:00

At night, on my way home...

A very cute couple seen in the subway.

I know, I should have blurred their faces because I didn't ask if I could publish their pictures here.

I'm sure they'll be nice in the very unlikely situation they find out these pictures!

And then, they disappeared and I probably ended up staring at some old womand...

Absolut cities

2007-12-11T22:46:00.000+01:00

In 1999, the excellent Swedish vodka brand Absolut launches a campaign about the cities of the world. I run into Paris's one on Facebook, with a superb metro entrance designed by Guimard.

Unfortunately, I think this campaign went quite unnoticed. You can click on the picture to enlarge them and discover the picture from closer to distinguish the legendary shape of the vodka bottle.

Some visuals are rather sutle and don't necessarily represent the cliches of the cities - Dublin or Mexico City for instance. These ads however, totally represent the simple, yet sophisticated spirit of the brand. I choose to end this post with Stockholm's picture, that's where the Absolut vodka was invented back in 1879.

All the Absolut ads can be found at www.absolutad.com

Métro line 3 + Ghent

2007-12-11T21:16:00.000+01:00

Pictures taken on the line 3 in December 3 2007, not bad!

Are you for or against the unauthorized painting of public infrastructures?

In Ghent, the only place in town where tags are allowed is a very interesting area.

Like a passage through Belgium on acid...

Pictures taken on November 11 2007.

French comedy...

2007-12-11T20:59:00.000+01:00

My first talks mostly about love affairs, family affairs or stupid situations...
My second has often a cast of old comedians or former stars who try to be recycled...
My third almost always bears the same kind of title...
My forth always has a poster displaying actors behind a white background and colored letters...

What am I talking about?

A French comedy!

Jay Brannan

2007-12-01T16:33:00.000+01:00

I was very lucky last night to attend Jay Brannan's first concert in France. In a very small vvenue, a recording studio in the Bastille area, 100 people were gathered to religiously listen to the young writer-composer-singer revealed by the excellent John Cameron Mitchell movie "Shortbus".

One song struck me particularly: "Goddamed". With violent anti-religious lyrics. My friend and I were both very touched by this complex tune that Jay delivered halfway through the show...

On Jay's YouTube page, you can find all of his videos. He records them himself with his Mac until his first album is produced, in 2008. Here's the "Shortbus" sequence that initiated the success Jay's experiencing right now.

I can't resist posting the video to the trailer of "Shortbus", I can only recommand this movie to everyone, even if it's definetly not for all audiences.

Francesco Vezzoli - Marlene Redux

2007-11-24T19:13:00.000+01:00

Francesco Vezzoli (born in 1971, in Brescia, Italy) is an incredible artist. At the "Passage du Temps" exhibition in Lille 3000 - which I already mentionned here - I saw his movie "Marlene Redux" which is a fake biography of his work, like a parody of an American TV documentary. It's just amazing, the artist portrays himself as if he were dead, his friends and foes bringing their testimony while footage of archives and excerpts of his works are displayed, with an apropriate soundtrack. Between two dramatic and funny plot twists, the pop and artistic references are numerous!

The installation, on a multitude of screens, gives another depth to this fascinating work and also enables the capture of the gap between reality and fiction. This piece of work also allows us to have a glance at this artist's potential. I'll try to know more about him soon.

Unfortunatly, the video found on YouTube is a split footage of poor quality (the sound is particularly terrible).

Kylie robotics

2007-11-24T17:56:00.000+01:00

Kylie - and her management - has always known what to do to seduce her audience. Latest novelty to promote her latest cd "X"? A collection of robotics that you can offer through Facebook. Of course, I love it.

Each doll represent a era of Kylie's career : a video, an album artwork or a show costume. It's mostly super cute... The trashiest being the one of the duet with Nick Cave - "Where The Wild Roses Grow", the cutest being "Moulin Rouge!"'s green fairy or the sequins and feather-clad "Showgirl Tour" opening costume...

Bonus: free mp3 download {Kylie Minogue - X MiX Sampler}

The Girls Next Door

2007-11-18T21:26:00.000+01:00

I don't think I'll ever be able to explain my infatuation for "The Girls Next Door". This show from the E! channel, tells the story of the Playboy Mansion, the luxurious home of Hugh Hefner, the founder of the magazine of the same name. Like its title indicates, the show focuses mainly, on Hefner's 3 girlfriends: Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt et Kendra Wilkinson.

Why do I like it?
- the (very light) tone of the show: watching is like eating candy
- the editing and the cartoon-like sounds: brakes, skiping record, off the track music
- the ongoing humor: the girls always laugh hysterically and often, very stupidly too, but glamor and humor make a perfect blend
- Hefner's career: I can only respect the apparent integrity of the work of his lifetime
- the reflection on life's futilities: the girls are not as dumb as they look, they often have more second degree than you and I!

Another reason why I love that show is its opening theme! Here is a rendition by Madonna of "Come on a my house" from the mediocre 2002 movie "Swept Away" by Guy Ritchie.

And here is Rosemary Clooney's famous version of the same tune (yes, she was Dr. Nespresso's aunt).

Bonus: free mp3 download {Nasty Tales - Come On A My House (Big 60s Radio Edit)}

Daft Punk's Electroma

2007-11-18T16:12:00.000+01:00

Midnight, cinéma du Panthéon, in Paris: only one screening a week for the movie of the electonic superstar duet Daft Punk.
I'm gathering some friends to go. The opinions are very mixed. Later, on allociné, I can read what other people thought too. As usual, I am disappointed to see that half of the comments give 4 stars out of 4 - very enthusiastic biased fans - or 0 - for viewers who refuse to admit that they just didn't get this movie and try to qualify it with the worst adjectives ever.

As far as I'm concerned, I would say this experimental Daft Punk movie might not be the best work of art, it however conveys very interesting topics.
Granted, a movie by Daft Punk is very likely to gather some clubbing MTV addicted crowds that are used to fast paced beats, flashes and sounds who are only expecting some action packed with music video clip...
This artistic project is, on the one hand, not touching his usual audience: "too long" "too slow" "nothing happens" "ridiculous" "give me my money back!"...
On the other hand, unfortunately, the film fails at some point and is too widely inspired by Gus Van Sant's "Gerry" or Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey"

Some scenes, however, deliver a very strong and beautiful image - see the videos posted here, Todd Rundgren's "International Feel" in the opening sequence and Jackson C. Frank's "I Want To Be Alone". If the viewer leaves his inhibitions and allows the movie to takes hold on this peculiar journey, the perfect blend of this suffocating Californian road-trip and perfectly hand-picked music can be subtly seducing. Leave your chronological, logical, esthetical and narratative landmarkes behind and embark on this movie, you might enjoy some little pieces of perfection hidden along your way.

Bonus: free mp3 download {Linda Perhac - If You Were My Man (Demo)}

Cindy Sherman + Tori Amos

2007-11-13T21:42:00.000+01:00

I already knew a little of the peculiar work of Cindy Sherman. But when I visited the exhibition "Passage du Temps" of the Pinault Collection at the Tri Postal in Lille, I was all the more suprised by the photographs of this unique artist.

Born in New Jersey in 1954, Cindy Sherman first studied painting before shifting progressively to photography. Her work features whole series of self-portraits. She's one of the few successfully influential women photographers of her time.

I particulartly enjoy the "Bus Rider Series" (1976/2005)...

... as well as "Murder Mystery Series" (1976/2005). More recently, the "Clowns Series" (2004/2005) embodied perfectly this mixed feeling of humor and controversy that is constant in Sherman's work.

In 1989, to protest against the censorship threats that some fellow photographers had to undergo, Sherman presented the "Sex Series" with outrageous disembodied characters. Her work has often been said to be feminist. She points out major social questions - racism, relation to the body, plastic surgery) through her vision in which her body conveys a message and is not the subject in itself.

I can't help thinking of pop icon Tori Amos when I gaze into Sherman's photographies. Amos's artwork for "Strange Little Girls" in 2001 or "American Doll Posse" in 2007 showed us a series of characters embodying stereotyped women who reflect a fascinatingly complex America.

Tragedy in Northern France...

2007-11-07T21:19:00.000+01:00

An article in French newspaper Libération told me everything about a new scandal about an online posted video about a drunk woman from the North of France.

Sorry for those who don't understand French, I'll post the video anyway, you can still see the embarassment caused by the player's behavior...

I think it's funny at first, then it gets really sad and even if it's a 14 year old extract, I can imagine why the family is suing

Orangina pinups

2007-11-03T12:55:00.000+01:00

There's a new Orangina campaign. The posters in the metro caught my attention for different reasons. First, Orangina has always been known for its funny and witty advertising. Secondly, I feel this new campaign has drastically changed the positionning of the brand since the former campaign Sup d'Organgina (which was just ok). I think the new visuals are sexy and cool, the FFL agency did a pretty good job with the buzz created online.

Rue de la Banque

2007-11-03T11:35:00.001+01:00

Is it possible to remain emotionnally intact after walking past a camp of legal citizens with papers protesting for the horrendous conditions they live in?

This operation might seem a little too much for some, but it is here to remind all the privileged people that we don't all get the same chances in life. There really is a huge and increasing gap that is personally tearing me apart.

Some celebrities take these people's side, and in my opinion they can only be admired. Some singers make a public announcement they're asking for another European citizenship to espace French taxes while others seek political asylum and devastated countries... Pick your side!

Martine & Co

2007-10-29T22:18:00.000+01:00

Martine is a series of children's books. Recently, a Martine Cover Generator enabled people to create their own covers with different messages... I'll try to explain...
Create your own cover here. I create those (sorry I know they're in French)

Jay Jay Johanson - electro era!

2007-10-29T21:24:00.000+01:00

Talking about Jens Lekman, I remembered how much I enjoyed another Swedish artist's attempts at the electronic genre. Jay Jay Johanson was not welcomed by a landslide when at the time of the release of his 2 electro albums. Even if the minimal new wave sound that he probably borrowed from the Pet Shop Boys or Kraftwerk was pretty good, to my opinion.

The first of the two, "Antenna", whose two extracts "On The Radio" and "Automatic Lover" were released in 2005 introduced a fucked up Jay Jay Johanson complete with long red hair that were not really convincing...

After a best of CD, the second album showed some more maturity. With "Rush" (2005), Jay Jay who came back to a much more reasonnable clothing style gave us very melodic chords like Air's.

Another extract of this weird but beautiful album: "Because Of You", which is closer to an optimistic Daft Punk track.

The next album ("The Long Term Physical Effects Are Not Yet Known" - 2007) was a come back Johanson's musical roots and - incidently - to critical acclaim.

Jens Lekman

2007-10-29T21:17:00.000+01:00

I just bought a CD that I heard is excellent. It's a Swedish singer who is already releasing his second album. Some people say his music is very orchestrated and that he is a genius writer.

This is a single from the fist album, which I think, is ont as refined as "Night Falls Over Kortedala" (2007) named after a suburb of Gothenburg. This artist is definetely worth being listened to.
Some links to help you know better of him:
- his official website
- his MySpace <-- check it out

Enjoy!

Kylie - White Diamond + 2 Hearts

2007-10-28T17:21:00.000+01:00

A lot of Kylie Minogue news these days. First, the new CD is on its way, and the single is already out. It's a massive surprise hit. Why surprise? Because everyone expected Ms Minogue to be back with an electro poppy catchy tune like she often does with so much gusto but instead, here she is, presenting a rather glam-punky attitude! This little jewel written and composed by UK sensation Kish Mauve is called "2 Hearts", it's the new Kylie sound and it's just brilliant!

Another good news, is the upcoming release of a double DVD featuring the "Showgirl Homecoming Tour", the second part of the tour she had to put on a hiatus because she retired to fight breast cancer. This revamped version of the already highly successfully acclaimed show is even better! The Scissor Sister song "White Diamond" was added to the line up and it kicks ass...

This DVD also presents us with a unique onlook on Kylie's privacy during this tough period. It's called "White Diamond" too and here is the preview.

Pushing Daisies

2007-10-28T11:16:00.001+01:00

Take the graphic universe with satured colors of "Big Fish", mix with a bunch of very bright characters that could come a Caro & Jeunet movie, add a camp visual humor à la "Ugly Betty" and finally add a pinch of poetic-metaphysic-surreal elements like in "Dead Like Me" without forgetting some murder-solving mystery material like there was in "Desperate Housewives" season one... Pushing Daisies, the latest ABC dramedy -- drama-comedy -- that debuted this 2007 fall is ready!

In the Barry Sonnenfeld directed pilot, Ned discovers during his childhood that he is gifted with a very special talent: with one touch, he can bring back to life dead things and beings. If he touches them again, though, they die for ever. Another bad consequence is that a minute after bringing back someone to life, someone else in the vicinity has to die... In a nutshell, Ned has a troubled time growing up but finds his place in a pie making restaurant, The Pie Hole. He launches a business with a private investigator, they win the police rewards when solving murders - by asking the deceased how they were killed. One day, Ned's childhood neightbor - and also, incidently, his first kiss - is found dead, he decides to bring her to life for good, accepting the condition to never touch her!

Lee Pace is a very sexy version of French communist politician Olivier Besancenot, he is very convincing in the first role. Kristin Chenoweth, the Broadway sweetheart that everyone loved in Galinda's role in fabulous Wicked, is secretly in love with the main character and she's just irresistible.

Thanks to the success the show met after airing, "Pushing Daisies" was signed for a whole season. I hope the producers will know when's the right time to stop before the show gets old, like too many other shows have done lately...

Boutiquimmo

2007-10-27T19:23:00.000+02:00

Boutiquimmo is the website I'm working for right now. The site should be launched next week, here's an exclusive preview ;)

In the meantime, why don't you join the mailing list, it's free and easy and it will just
give me a very appreciated extra hand.

PS: Anaïs's got a blog too!

Madonna 25th anniversary

2007-10-27T19:19:00.000+02:00

A 25 year carreer for Madonna doesn't go unnoticed! They said a CD-DVD boxset would be released for the occasion, what's up with that today? Anyway, here's a megamix found online. It's not just another megamix, this one is really interesting, featuring amazing clips of videos or concerts and mixing songs in an interesting way, not just a collection of extracts...

I'm waiting with a certain undisclosed apprehension that the new CD is out, but the date of release keeps being postponed.

Tiji

2007-10-27T19:09:00.001+02:00

I was instantly seduced by the message and the images of this new advertising campaign for the French network that aims at kids, Tiji. "Aiming" is an interesting word that I use to underline the fact that I am very sensible at how companies attack (the word isn't too strong here either) to the younger targets. This campaign was designed by DDB et sets the child in the center of the message without really addressing him directly. The style of the drawings are appealing to youngsters though, but doesn't aggress them in any way to sell them an unhealthy product (sweets) or to promote a poor mass culture (tv or toys) like lots of other billboards that I personnally find offensive do.

Opening

2007-10-27T19:03:00.000+02:00

Here's yet another blog. I will try to update it frequently. There's no particular theme or particular reason behind this except maybe the fact that MySpace's blogs aren't really user friendly. We'll see if BlogSpot will enable me to get more visitors.
Catch you later!