Francoise Hardy - The Vogue Years

Francoise Hardy, "Non Ce N'est Pas Un Reve"

Francoise Hardy, "La Maison Ou J'Ai Grandi"

Francoise Hardy, "Je Changerais d'avis"

Francoise Hardy, "Voila"

I wanted to up a few more songs from this amazing compilation on Francoise Hardy's early recordings, The Vogue Years. The second disc covers her most acclaimed work of this period, her collaborations with producer Charles Blackwell. These songs, the first 15 of Disc 2, and the special relationship reminds me of what Burt Bacharach had with Dionne Warwick or Phil Spector had with his girl groups. Those comparisons work in describing the music too, as this lush, orchestral music. It's the perfect drop for Hardy's gorgeous voice. This is not a Mariah Carey, perfect voice, for the record. It's limited in range, strained at times, Simon Cowell would rip her to shreds. But, anyone who reads this blog knows that that is not an insult at this site. No, her voice makes her only that much more compelling and real.

This whole period brought Hardy to international acclaim, a symbol of beauty and style. Bob Dylan dedicated a poem to her on the cover of Another Side of... Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Andre Courreges designed clothes for her. She was called "The Yeh-Ye Girl from Paris." But, it was her decision in the late 60s that seems to me she made her most impressive, sexiest gesture of all. She gave it all up. She stopped touring, left Vogue, formed her own label, stopped attending the parties. That's just gangster, and assures her status as a true original.

-I can't think of a better time to send you over to Filles Sourires, a blog that focuses on French pop music, especially female singers. It's a wonderful site for any music fan, one of those finds that make you remember why the Internet is so cool. Guuzberg has a great mixture of newer stuff and classics, my favorites being this one on Yelle and this one on Serge Gainsbourg's "Elisa." Fantastic, make this one a regular stop.

-Congratulations to the Phillies' Ryan Howard for winning the home-run derby Monday. As a Phillies fan, this is about the only thing to hold onto now. Howard's been a bright spot in an increasingly dreary season, providing a glimmer of hope for the future.