We’ll always find romance in the retrospective, conveniently forgetting the flaws and removing the rough-edges, but where Britain was buoyantly flouncing and bouncing to a decidedly Britpop beat, across the channel, another French uprising was brewing. Part of a group of Gallic artists that would successfully lay the foundation and set the electro soundtrack for the next decade - Air, Cassius, Etienne De Crecy, Ivan Smagghe and Alex Gopher all get honourable mentions - Daft Punk were put firmly at the forefront of it all in 1997 courtesy of ‘Homework’. In a sea of red carnations, lad culture and Ocean Colour ...

Not long after media companies’ employees were supposedly found to be downloading pirated content , the upper reaches of the French government (and um, everyone else ever) seem to be doing the same. One of only four countries to have enacted a graduated response law to deal with piracy, France’s top officials should be getting a strong letter of disagreement very soon. Read the rest at ZDNet : Members of staff at the Lysée Palace, home and office of the French president, could be found to be breaking some of the toughest anti-piracy measures in Europe, France’s own ‘three strikes ...

Jamal">Ahmad Jamal is to release his latest album Blue Moon on 6 February, one of the first major jazz releases of 2012. An important release by any standard from one of the greatest pianists in jazz history it features a stellar trio specially convened for the session playing Jamal originals and choice standards. It will come out on new French label Jazz Village, a sister label to Harmonia Mundi’s World Village imprint. The great Pittsburgh-born pianist, now 81, was a key inspiration of Miles Davis, a fact alluded to heavily in Miles’ autobiography. Roy Carr in Jazzwise reviewing ...

Jamal">Ahmad Jamal is to release his latest album Blue Moon on 6 February, one of the first major jazz releases of 2012. An important release by any standard from one of the greatest pianists in jazz history it features a stellar trio specially convened for the session playing Jamal originals and choice standards. It will come out on new French label Jazz Village, a sister label to Harmonia Mundi’s World Village imprint. The great Pittsburgh-born pianist, now 81, was a key inspiration of Miles Davis, a fact alluded to heavily in Miles’ autobiography. Roy Carr in Jazzwise reviewing ...

Nothing is impossible in the world of William For the song "Mona Lisa Smile" a track featuring Nicole Scherzinger on his new solo album #willpower the French government opened the Louvre so he could record a guitar part at 2 am next to the actual Mona Lisa Yet there was one...

NPR : When the popular New York showcase Winter Jazzfest takes place in January 2012, it will operate under new terms of employment. Earlier this year, festival organizers were confronted by a group of musicians past and present seeking better pay and conditions. On Monday, festival organizers, artists and representatives of the musicians’ union, American Federation of Musicians Local 802, held a press conference to announce the mutual agreement, described in a press release as “a victory for both musicians and festival organizers.” Tim Wilkins of WBGO was at the event, and has a writeup for the WBGO blog. He writes ...

The Names of Love Dir. Michel Leclerc [Music Box Films; 2011] by Alex Peterson Rating: Although pointedly putting genres into conflict — specifically, the radical political film and the classic romantic comedy — would seem to point towards Jean-Luc Godard’s mid-60s Parisian period ( Masculin-Feminin, Made in USA, Weekend : all polemic, anarchic movies playing against classic melodrama), Michel Leclerc’s bubbly/strident new The Names of Love , which mashes together exactly these genres, instead brings to mind the work of Claude Lelouch. Lelouch is the uber-commercial stylist who was fortunate enough to be associated with the daring genius of Godard and the ...

Cave of Forgotten Dreams Dir. Werner Herzog [Creative Differences; 2010] by Tim Terhaar Rating: Discovered in 1994, Cauvet Cave is the site of paintings from somewhere in the vicinity of 30,000 years ago. The paintings are incredible, as are the animal tracks and bones and calcite formations. You can conduct a virtual investigation at the French Ministry of Culture website . But we don't need a film about Cauvet Cave, especially not one directed by an especially exuberant and hackneyed-phrase-making Werner Herzog. The film isn't gnarled/loopy/knotted/heavy enough. It's in 3D, which is a waste ...

For 40 years, the French government has been fighting a secret war in Africa, hidden not only from its people, but from the world. It has led the French to slaughter democrats, install dictator after dictator – and to fund and fuel the most vicious genocide since the Nazis. Today, this war is so violent that thousands are fleeing across the border from the Central African Republic into Darfur – seeking sanctuary in the world's most notorious killing fields : mohandasgandhi : This isn’t so secret to those who have been paying a bit of attention. Don’t ever let anyone tell ...

So the AV Club finally posted the video of of Montreal covering the White Stripes' Fell In Love With A Girl, a choice that seems about as weird as 2008's Smells Like Teen Spirit, but then we all remembered how that one went down, right? The bad news is, the video isn't playing here (not sure whether I should blame my sluggish computer or the French government and its stupid censorship of the internet), so I can't make any of my usual oh-so charming comments.* I'm still giving you the link so you can assess the ...

Mixmash Records follows up its release of 'Music Oh' with some heavy remixes from Revero and French Government.

The national citrus growers' association probably won't be too thrilled with the video for Don Diablo 's new single, "Animale," which conflates oranges with illegal drugs. For the rest of us, it's a cleverly executed allegory of addiction and sticky lips. Don Diablo's on top form with the production, which hammers and soothes in just the right proportions, while Dragonette , recently heard on Martin Solveig's "Hello," lend a punkier sensibility this time out. Out now on Cr2, the extended single features remixes from Oliver, Dan Castro, MYNC, TWR72, French Government, and DJ Ammo, ranging across house ...

Wonderfully sculpted and oozing along with auditory pride, comes a firm slice of ‘Aurora’ apple pie covered over with piping hot French Government custard. Tremendously savouring to hear this eight minute serving take off, so just remember to keep all your belongings in an upright position and fasten all seat belts before you hit play. [...]

Wonderfully sculpted and oozing along with auditory pride, comes a firm slice of ‘Aurora’ apple pie covered over with piping hot French Government custard. Tremendously savouring to hear this eight minute serving take off, so just remember to keep all your belongings in an upright position and fasten all seat belts before you hit play. [...]

French Government have done released this progressive house bootleg remix of Daft Punks "Too Long". The original feel of the track is still intact but the French Government have transformed the classic Daft Punk track into progressive house monster. The French Government have thrown in a solid bass line, chopped and phased the original vocals and added very addicting hook that is thrown in about half way through. Too Long (French Government Be Awesome Edit) by Daft Punk Listen on Posterous Permalink | Leave a comment  »