Charlotte Gainsbourg: 'IRM'

After watching Charlottes Gainsbourg’s performance in the disturbing Lars von Trier’s movie, ‘Antichrist’, I had mixed feelings about approaching the third album from this part time actress, part time singer. However, being the daughter of modern French pop (Serge Gainsbourg) endured me to this release.

‘IRM’ was written in response to her life-threatening waterskiing accident in 2007 and subsequent brain hemorrhage and MRI scans. Therefore death is the backdrop to this album. It embraces the physical and the spiritual in equal measures. It could have been a depressing album yet it is not; she almost shrugs off the near death experience and clearly doesn’t invite self pity. She is deeply reflective yet questioningly optimistic; it’s unsettling yet uplifting.

It’s obvious from the outset that Beck is the producer of this album. His sound is all over this release and this is a good thing. Not only is he producer but also composer, co-writer, and virtuoso of the vast majority of instruments. Therefore this could well have been just a chance for Beck to exert his sound through a muse. This would also fit as Beck is no stranger to writing songs about death. However, the results are rather pleasing. Charlotte is certainly no puppet of Beck here. She is firmly in control and directing us through a whole range of styles. Similarly, she demonstrates versatility and depth and makes good use of her rather limited vocals from whispery pillow talk to robotic monotones.

Musically, it ranges from the instrumentally sparse to the point of a cappella such as ‘Vanities’ and ‘In the End’; to grand and complex arrangements such as ‘GMT’ and ‘Looking Glass Blues’. Overall it starts of simply and becomes more complex and explorative as the album progresses. The album starts off with ‘Master’s Hands’ which sets heavy bass against minimal guitar and vocals drenched in reverb. We then progress to the psychedelic rock track ‘Trick Pony’. One fantastic treat is ‘Le Chat Du Café Des Artistes’ which is certainly in the style of her father. ‘Heaven Can Wait’ is a fantastic duet with Beck along to vamping pianos and a 1960s pop feel. Another two standout tracks are ‘Dandelion’ which takes a standard 12 bar blues riff and makes it into something quite sophisticated, and the straightforward pop number ‘Time Of The Assassins’.

A special mention should also be made to the percussion which is often complex and mixes elements of African rhythms. This, no doubt, adds to the psychedelic tracks on the latter half of the album and is a trump card which Beck plays.

Charlotte will inevitably always be compared to her father and it’s unfair to do so, albeit inevitable. There is no doubt that Charlotte Gainsbourg is a talented actress as well as musician who has crafted a fantastic piece of adult pop. This could well be a highlight of the year.