There is more than meets the eye with French singer Emilie Simon. She isn’t one of these pretty-faced singers that just sings what ever she is given. No she is France’s answer to Australia’s Lenka. See Emilie isn’t just a singer she also composes her own electronic music which explains why her fifth album titled Franky Knight also doubles for the soundtrack of the hit French film Delicacy starring Audrey Tautou.

As it sadly turned out Simon was the perfect artist to pen the soundtrack. The film deals with the sudden loss of a woman’s husband something that Simon experienced with the sudden death of her fiancé, Francois Chevallier, and that explains the somber feel that Franky Knight’ has.

A long intro to opening track ‘Mon Chevalier’ works nicely as it cause a massive amount of anticipation that is well rewarded by the first listen to Simon’s ever so sweet voice. Being a soundtrack means that Franky Knight sees a mix of genres and that is certainly the case on ‘I Call It Love’ which sees Simon deliver a melody that would not have been lost in the 1960s.

The deep bass line of ‘Holy Pool Of Memories’ only enhances Simon’s sweet voice even further while the smooth ‘Something More’ is memorable. The piano driven ‘Bel Amour’ showcases Simon’s obvious talent while the funkier beat of ‘Frank’s Princess’ borders on some 70s disco… and it’s catchy as hell to boot.

‘Sous Les Etoiles’ sees Simon sound a lot like Camille while the short and sweet ‘Les Amants Du Meme Jour’ most likely would have been left off the album if it hadn’t been a soundtrack. ‘Walking With You’ is made a little cheesy by Simon’s vocals although the past two misses are forgotten when you hear the beautiful ‘Jetaime Jetaime Jetaime’ which is a perfect closer for the album.

Franky Knight is a smooth album that due to its circumstances takes the listener on an emotional journey. This is the sounds of France at their sweetest.

Delicacy is screening in the 2012 Alliance Francaise French Film Festival which is being held in Sydney (6-25 March), Melbourne (7-25 March), Brisbane (14 March-1 April), Canberra (14 March – 1 April), Adelaide (20 March-8 April), Perth (21 March-9 April)

Dave Griffiths

The Sunshine Brothers really do travel the world to make their music. There debut album Rebel Yellow was recorded on a beach near Fremantle while their follow up was recorded in New York, now comes their third album, Red Alert which was put together in the mountains of Spain.

But there is seriously something missing from this album. Tracks like ‘Deep Breeze’ are feel good reggae but with all the tracks back to back the album becomes just a little bit too repetitive.

The tribal sound of ‘The Jamon Song (La Cancion De Jamon)’ may make you want to go to the beach but the ‘Hideaway’ drags down the mood of the album completely. It rises again with the catchy ‘What You Do’ and the darker groove of ‘Red Alert’, but then hits another roadblock with ‘The Pint.’

The Spanish influence is clearly there with ‘Golden Duck’ but then ‘Jairo Jam’ is so repetitive that it can’t even be resuscitated with the help of Spirit Of Pucho. The vocals on ’72 Blanks’ provides another peak for the album but sadly it ends on a sour note with ‘Inside The Silo’, a track that you could expect to hear being used as background noise in a restaurant.

Sadly, Red Alert is a flop and I don’t think even serious reggae fans would find much to write home about with this one.

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Dave Griffiths

Well here is one of the finds of 2012… everyone remember the name Shaun Kirk. One quick glance at the album photography of Shaun on his new album ‘Thank You For Giving Me The Blues’ and he looks like a baby-faced singer about to dish out some more Top 40 Pop, but start listening to the album and you soon realise he is a man with one of the finest blues’ voices that this country has ever heard… and even better he knows about the legends like Willie Dixon and Bo Diddley.

Kirk’s voice strikes you on the opening track, ‘Thank You For Giving Me The Blues’, and if you’re a blues fan there is no way you are going to stop listening once you have heard it. His voice becomes quite forceful on ‘Stream Train’ which in turn helps the song to flow but also takes what could have been a bland song to a whole new level.

‘I Live The Life I Love & I Love The Life I Live’ is the albums down point but it is quickly forgotten by the great guitar led intro of ‘Drug Got A Hold Onto You’. The track packs a punch and is just catchy enough to have your foot tapping along with it. Some would consider ‘The Howlin’ Harp Boogie’ a piece of album filler, but with harmonica playing this fine I’m not complaining.

The catchy side of the album returns with ‘You Don’t Know Me’ and it is obvious that Kirk is a talent beyond his years. ‘Chicken & Corn’ is a good travelling track with a just a hint of comedy while ‘I Just Wanna Make Love To You’ is one of the most honest love songs you are ever likely to hear.

The loving feeling continues with the smooth ‘Find Somebody To Love’ while ‘Who Do You Love?’ rounds out a fine album with yet another classic. Together with Lloyd Spiegel Kirk has made this a track a must for blues fans.

Thank You For Giving Me The Blues is a surprising album that has come out of nowhere… it’s also an album I will be listening to for a long time to come.

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Dave Griffiths

Hailing from New Zealand (I know, not exactly known for its reggae music scene), Katchafire have risen to the top of their genre since their inception in 1997, so much so that their new album On The Road Again is one of the most highly anticipated reggae albums to be released this year.

Even if you aren’t a fan of reggae music this is an album that can be enjoyed… in fact it goes close to being the perfect summer album. The smoothness of tracks such as ‘Feels Like’ and ‘On The Road Again’ (a song about Katchafire’s heavy touring schedule no doubt) is enough to win over even the most extreme music critic.

If you’re in love you will easily identify with ‘Sweet As’ and soon you’ll find an infectious smile creeping across your mouth, likewise even though you try to fight it you will find yourself singing along to ‘Yr Dreaming’… the same can be said for ‘One Stop Shop’, a track that grows on you after a few listens.

The electronic feel of ‘Lead Us’ takes the album to a new level while the slowed down ‘Irie’ is an absolute gem. One of the highlights of On The Road Again is ‘Groove Again’ which deserves to be getting radio play on alternative stations.

I can see myself listening to ‘Chances Are’ on the hottest summer days this year while Katchafire experiment a little with ‘Is This Familiar’ by infusing some electronica and brass… and you know what? It works! ‘Seek Ye’ sees the band slow right down again while ‘Serious’ seems more jazz than reggae… but yet again the change in style works for Katchafire.

If you love reggae then you’re gonna love Katchafire’s On The Road Again, it’s a real reggae gem.

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Dave Griffiths

A while ago country music was a really dirty word, but due to the class of artists that have been releasing albums recently that is something that has changed… the new Footloose soundtrack has even managed to find its way into the charts. And while Adelaide is far away from the Nashville it has just produced one of the finest country artists I have heard in a while.

With Troy Cassar-Daley, Renee Geyer and Ross Wilson as fans Snooks La Vie sounds like someone you should be listening to and after just one listen to his debut album Another Place In Time you also realise that he has the talent to downright demand respect.

This is a gem of an album and you certainly don’t have to be a country fan to be thinking that way. The melody of opening track ‘Lonely Day’ is enough to win over any music fan while Snooks La Vie’s eerie vocals on ‘One I Love’ is enough to separate him from the wannabes.

Tracks like ‘Sometimes Life Gets In The Way’, ‘Time Will Heal’ and ‘Steppin’ Out’ show that he has the smooth country sound downbeat, but it is his willingness to take chances that is really downright impressive.

‘Aeroplane Glue’ sees Snooks La Vie go real country but you certainly couldn’t call it cheesy while the more upbeat ‘No Need To Worry’ really jazzes up the album and lifts it to a new level. The highlight of Another Place In Time however is ‘Darkest Hour’, a heartfelt track that sounds like something that Don Walker would pen for Cold Chisel. ‘Terraced House’ yet again shows that Snooks La Vie has song-writing talent to burn.

‘Six Foot Skinny’ is screaming out to be used at a bush dance while the short and sweet ‘It Don’t Matter’ is simply another reason why you should be adding Another Place In Time to your CD collection sometime really soon.

Watch out Australia I think we have just discovered one of best-finds of 2011.

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Dave Griffiths

Fans of folk music worldwide have certainly embraced New Zealand group Avalanche City’s debut album Our New Life Above The Ground. What started as an online album has become of this years highest selling folk albums… so are the masses correct in loving this album?

Well, it doesn’t take much of a listen to realise what the hype is about, Our New Life Above The Ground is absolutely sensational. It is little wonder that the opening track ‘Love Love Love’ is getting radio play because this is as smooth as a summer breeze. Such is the talent of Avalanche City that even short tracks like ‘Everybody Knows’ sound remarkably sweet.

The song-writing talents of the band are there for all to hear on the great sounding ‘Drive On’, while Dave Baxter’s vocals really shine through on ‘The Streets’ and ‘The Citizens’, the latter also contains some real thought-provoking lyrics.

The faster beat of ‘You And I’ can induce some foot tapping while the beautiful lyrics of ‘Love Don’t Leave’ win you over in a second. ‘Go’ sees the album return to hits catchy side while the great mix of rock and folk on ‘Ends In The Ocean/Oh Life’ is enough to silence anyone out there who dares to show hate towards the folk genre.

‘How Long’ is yet another short but sweet track while the melody of ‘The Silence’ is an absolute standout. Our New Life Above The Ground then closes with the extremely angelic ‘Snow’, a track that I found myself drawn to so much I started to listen to over and over.

This is a stunning debut from a band that will only get better and better as time goes on.

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Dave Griffiths

It seems fitting that Minnesota based folk rockers Swallows have gone with a bright sun on their Clear Sky Relapse EP because it really does feel like a new dawn when you give this album a listen. It is a stunning surprise.

The title track (‘Clear Sky Relapse’) has to make it onto people’s Top Ten tracks of the year lists… it is amazing and really shows what a vocal talent Jeff Crandall is…why this track isn’t being played on more radio stations is beyond me.

Crandell gets gruffer on ‘Rattle Them Bones’ and the music flows taking the listener along on a journey. ‘Home’ really does feel like the odd song out here. It’s very blues-country sound seems to take something away from the other tracks on the EP.

The very slow ‘I Will Not Burn’ allows the listener to really realise just how much emotion Crandall gets from his voice (honestly you have to hear it to believe it) while Aaron Kerr’s cello playing on ‘Ballad Of Charon’ really gives the track an amazing mood. The beautiful ‘High Water’ then closes an EP that is truly a great listen.

Swallows make folk-rock sound heavenly… and Clear Sky Release is one of the EPs of the year!

Dave Griffiths