Amazon.com: Although far from definitive (no Edith Piaf in sight!), this enchanting compilation delivers a perfect aural snapshot of what spending a late summer afternoon in a French cafe actually feels like. The supreme elegance and understated approach that lie at the core of these 13 tracks will delight fans of sophisticated pop. As is the case with previous Putumayo releases, the sequencing is seamless, combining the endearingly old-fashioned flavor of George Brassens with the iconoclastic romanticism of George Gainsbourg and the sultry whispers of a youthful Brigitte Bardot. Better yet, the disc spends some valuable time introducing listeners to a new generation of French musicians who have embraced the traditional chanson format while incorporating fresh elements into the mix. Try the light-as-a-feather caress of female vocalist Enzo Enzo, the sweet playfulness of the electronica-informed Mathieu Boogaerts, and the irrepressible optimism of Paris Combo--a jazzy quintet that represents the French cafe ambiance at its cosmopolitan best. --Ernesto Lechner
In Paris It really does feel like I'm sitting in a cafe in Paris. It makes me want to go to France!
Tre' Bon Everything about this made me yearn to return to France, as i had been there just the year before. The light beat to the chanson songs made me wish i was sitting on the cobbled streets of Paris or the south of France, enjoying "un cafe" and watching everything just pass me by as i lingered on every sip of the always-fabulous rich brew that French all did so well. (A croissant on the side wouldn't go astray!) This is one album that i can't get enough of.
We love it I am French Canadian, my husband English and we both love it. It's very European.
Est-ce que vous fumez ce soir?
Listen, I know it's universally fashionable to bash the French these days. And I won't pretend I'm above it. Sometimes it seems the French go to great lengths to be unlikable. But, after listening to this collection, I just can't bring myself to be another jackal heaping on the abuse. Sure, the French can be relentless with their humorless, self-righteous, hypocritical pretensions. But they come by it honestly. Historically, they've played enough of a role driving cultural evolution to earn them a little deference.
Truth be told, I do like the French. There have been entire eras when the French acted as the last defense of sanity. Sure, the last century or so hasn't been anything to brag about, but they have still have some haughtiness banked up. And recently there have been increasing signs of reflection and self-criticism. Their anti-Americanism may be hard to take, but truthfully, it isn't much different from what plenty of us say to each other. I'm a proud American, but I can admit we are ridiculous.
I like the French. I like the sound of the language. I like their surly new president. I like the idea of riding a bike with a loaf of bread sticking out of the basket. I like hairy armpits. I like showering infrequently and working up a little funk. I like Camus. And- please don't tell my kids- but I think some people really do look cool smoking. I'm okay with Faure and Debussy. I'm not crazy about poodles and I don't like paying a lot for small portions, but that's okay, there's room for a little give and take. The fact that they have government commissions encouraging their citizens to replace "carjacking" with "piraterie routiere?" I like that. At the very least, it's harmless silliness.
French Café is a good compilation. I particularly like the vibrant shuffle of "Fimbre De Verre," the inebriated warble of "Ondule," and the seductive "On N'a Pas Besoin." The songs are similar enough to create a toasty, breezy mood, but different enough to keep you listening. I'm not sure what the expert-music-snob take on Putumayo is, but for my amateur ears, these cats do a great job of selecting songs that sound great and flow well together. Check it out. French Café will put you in a dreamy, romantic mood. And it'll make you dig the French. After all, the worst thing about the French is that they are just as bad as the rest of us.
Sip your cafe au lait and people watch at your own French Cafe Putumayo's French Cafe is a charmant blend of old and new from such luminaries as Brigitte Bardot, Jane Birkin, Barbara and Serge Gainsbourg, mixed with modern panache from the Paris Combo, Sanseverino, Polo, and Coralie Clement (whose breathy delivery is a cross between Birkin and Astrud Gilberto). Clement recorded her debut album Salle Des Pas Perdus at the tender age of 19 and captures that breezy bossa nova style immortalized by Astrud Gilberto in the '60s, and her album is worth tracking down if you enjoy the music on French Cafe.
The resulting tracks capture that sort of carefree, bohemian joie de vie that Paris is famous for, some with quirky lyrics, Django-influenced manouche guitar, accordion, and Edith Piaf-inspired vocals from Paris Combo (Motifs). The charming En Douce sounds like it could have been a bonus track on Amelie: Original Soundtrack Recording, with a scratchy fiddle and spritely accordion that could have been the soundtrack to Toulouse-Lautrec's Montmartre. Others are slower and moodier, such as Brigitte Bardot's Un Jour Comme Un Autre. If you've always wanted to visit a Paris sidewalk cafe but have been scared off by the skyrocketing Euro, purchase Putumayo's French Cafe and enjoy with a bowl of cafe au lait and a croissant; if you close your eyes, you won't know you're not in Paris.
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