Ben Howard, Keep Your Head Up

I discovered Ben Howard yesterday in the best music TV program on french TV. He is coming from England and is fan of music and... surf. Great skills for playing guitar, nice voice and pleasant universe. Here are reasons for what i'm listening to his album These Waters right now !

Ben Howard on the web

Ben Howard on MySpace

Keep Your Head Up (official video)

Empty Corridors (live version)

Gorillaz, Stylo

Gorillaz is back ! And this is one of the best news we could get.

They released a new single Stylo and a new album Plastic Beach will come soon. The track is available from here. And more info are given here and here.

The Antlers, Two

Several people -I won't tell who- told me The Antlers deserves to be discovered. Then I did so. And yes it deserves you attention. They are coming from NY and released an album Hospice in 2009.

The Antlers on the web
The Antlers on wiki
The Antlers on MySpace


I let you make your own opinion with this video Two

Alexis HK, Les Affranchis

For several weeks now I am listening to the latest LP from Alexis HK. His music is a smart mix of chanson, pop & even hip-hop vocals. He is really a part in the french music environment. I recommend you to listen to his music.

Alexis HK on the web
Alexis HK on wiki


Les Affranchis

La maison Ronchonchon

Live Music is good for your ears

La musique est la langue des émotions (E. Kant). Thats why I am used to go to see live concert every time I have the opportunity ! Last week was a real marathon for me.

Eveything started with Air on monday evening at Casino de Paris. This was a great especially as the latest album is good.

Cherry Blossom Girl

Then on Friday I went to Le Louvre Carte Blanche à Camille. She invited Yves Colson and his son Leo to play drums on old black and white movies. This was a nice show where she finished dancing on stage with a part of the audience.

To finish this good week I went to Casino de Paris (once again) to see performance from Emilie Simon. This show was great. she has a perfect voice, songs from from album Big Machine are incredible. I really recommend to see her live.

Here is an example of what she gives live.






I found this nice video about making of her latest single video.

Cinnamon Chasers, Luv Deluxe

I discovered this beautiful video clip from this cool blog. This video has been shot by Saman Keshavarz. This is a project of indie electro miusic coming from London.

Cinnamon Chasers on the web
Cinnamon Chasers on MySpace

Alice in Wonderland, Almost Alice

Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton is maybe the most awaited movie of the first part of the year 2010. It looks like Almost Alice will be a nice soundtrack as Robert Smith from The Cure and Franz Ferdinand are announced to be working on it. The other artists on the album are Tokio Hotel, Avril Lavigne

source is here

Tops for 2009

After listing my prefered album of this year here is a list of some bestofs :) I promise this is the end for the bestofs !


Top 100 tracks most listened on Spotify are here

Les inrocks 50 best album are here

NME 50 best album are here - 50 best tracks are here

MusicMe 50 best sells are here

Wormee best singles are here

LastFm Top 10 tracks is here

iTunes bestof is here




What are your best tracks for 09?

Mano Solo

Arnaud Fleurent-Didier, France Culture

Arnaud Fleurent-Didier is a young french musician and singer. He produced a little buzz on the web releasing his single France Culture. The album Reproduction is now available (and can be listened online here).

AFD on the web
AFD on wiki

Vampire Weekend, Contra

Vampire Weekend released their new album Contra. All the tracks can be listened from their MySpace.

Here is a first track coming from the album Cousins.

Vampire Weekend on the web

Vampire Weekend on wiki

My BestOf 2009

New year means resume of past year. As I don't like ranking (especiall in arts) I only want to list the album I liked during the year and which shows where the music goes today. No ranking but the best of Music for the past year.

Happy new musical year !

Jay-Z-The Blueprint 3
I have to confess I really discovered Jay-Z this year with his new album. Then I dirctly listened to the previous ones ;) This Blueprint 3 is a real listing of singles. Lots of good featuring and good vibes with this album.

see here

Emilie Simon-The Big Machine
Emilie Simon has now a dedicated place into the frnech music. Mostly known for the production of soundtrack La Marche de l'Empereur her previous album knew a success. But then for The Big Machine she went one step forward. I like to compare her music to Bowie or Lou Reed with a femal voice.

see here

JP Nataf-Clair
To me obviously the best album of the year for french music.

see here

Pony Pony Run Run-You Need Pony Pony Run Run
Nice french revelation which can be compared to best english modern rock band. PPRR has become a phenomenon in few weeks.

see here

Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
The title was ambitious, the LP is responding this ambition. Phoenix created a (new) buzz with this new release especially in the US.

see here

Wax Tailor-In The Mood For Life

Excellent new album for one of the best Hip-Hop maker in France.

see here

Arctic Monkeys-Humbug
New dimension for Arctic Monkeys. Produced in the US by a member of Queen of the Stone Age this album is definitely a new way for the band. The album is a success as they kept their identity but introducing maturity.

see here

La Roux-La Roux

She is one of the leader of a new branch of music mixing pop and electro. His first album was very well received by the audience and looks like she open a new way in the english rock music.

see here

Yuksek-Away From The Sea

Here is to me the most nice revelation in electro music this year. And he is a part of a new french touch (with others like Chromeo, Data...).

see here

The XX-XX

The XX is the new phenomenon for rock of end of year. Here is a band of young people who released a talented album with dark but modern rock.

see here

Dominique A-La Musique

This french songwriter & singer is an complete artist. La Musique is his 10th album and has his own music style among french chanson. He is inspired by dark romanticism and poetry. Even if he is not mainstream artist he is popular. I like this album for its music and also for the lyrics.

see here

Florence + the Machines-Lungs

This singer released a first album Lungs last summer and met success on the english radios.The music is a mix of indie rock and soul added to an amazing voice.

see here

Piers Faccini-Two Grains of Sand

Piers Faccini is more than a singer. He is a full artist (painting, photo, music...). Two Grains of Sand is a wonderful album made of smart sweet songs.

Noisettes-Wild Young Hearts

Noisettes is an english band which knew success last summer especially with the track Don't Upset The Rythm. A mix of black music and pop made a nice album

see here

Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear is a band coming from the US which plays pop music. Veckatimest their 3rd album received good critical acclaim in may this year.

see here

Gossip-Music for Men

This album is a confirmation of the talent already showed with the first LP of the band. Heavy Cross was a successful single but the rest of the LP worth it. I feel likeGossip succeed in spreding rock (punk?) music over radios especially thanks to Beth Ditto charism.

see here

Yodelice-Tree of Life

Yodelice is a french singer and songwriter which first album Tree of Life met a success in France. Tracks are well composed and produced.

see here

Air-Love2
A new album from Air is always a pleasure. I really appreciate what they do (i will once again see them live this month) and I feel lke they are getting older and even better. Love2 is once again a very good album and includes vibes which sound like old albums.

see here

And now let the music play...

The XX, Crystalised

The XX is a band coming from London. They released an album XX which is full of talent. They did opening for tours of Florence and the machine and Friendly Fires and will do for Hot Chip.

They are becoming more and more famous as NME placed them at rank 6 of Future 50. Here is a version of Crystalised live in Paris.

The XX on the web

The XX on MySpace

The XX on wiki

Julian Casablancas, 11th Dimension

Julian Casablancas does not mean anything to you? Normal. Or not. He is also known as the vocal lead of The Strokes. He released few weeks ago a solo album which is obviously very near the music of The Strokes. But the LP is a good surprise and worth your ears.

Julian Casablancas on the web

Album preview

11th dimension

Emilie Simon, Rainbow

Emilie Simon -already seen here- released a new single from The Big Machine named Rainbow. Very good single and funny video. I recommend the album which is produced with a lot of talent.