Nov 12, 2009

LES ELLES


Avant songwriters, actresses, humorists. Four girls refresh the tradition of french chanson-folk-art in their own theatrical grotesque-pop way. PASCALINE HERVEET writes music, lyrics and sings, SOPHIE HENRY is on accordion, piano and orchestration, SARAH AUVRAY does sound effects and vocals, while CHRISTINE LAPOUZE plays the cello.

LES ELLES start in Caen in 1992. Three years later they make their first (untitled) album with help of trumpetist (and future constant member) PIERRE MILLET and FRANCOIS HADJI LAZARO, owner of Boucherie Prod label. A second, also untitled and also acoustic and highly artistic work appears in 1997 from the same label. These first two albums are the best offer of the band. Nevertheless, due to the label's bad luck, they haven't the recognition they deserve.

first album, 1995


second album, 1997

Year 2000 finds LES ELLES with a new line-up, a new label (Inca Music) and a new, modernized, "more electronic" sound. SARAH AUVRY has left and PIERRE MILLET, STEPHANE DIATCHENKO (programming, samples) have been added instead. Albums of this second phase of the band are "Pamela Peacemaker" (2000), "Les Elles En Scene" (live, 2001) and - with a new line up again - "Siamoises" (2003), an inspired by and refered to the world of circus work that brings the band touring with the circus of Dr Paradis.

In the meanwhile Inca label faces financial problems and its final bankruptcy in 2004 leads LES ELLES temporarily in disbandment, but PASCALINE HERVEET, the main figure of the band forms a new version of LES ELLES, working on a new theatrical/musical performance named "Joseph"and releasing finally a self-produced album version of this project in May 2009.

The following LES ELLES compilation gives emphasis on the first two albums which represent the most interesting part of LES ELLES history so far.

LES ELLES compilation
(approx 56 min)

01 Nouche [1st album, 1995]
02 Quand je s'rais vieille [1995]
03 Water closets [1995]
04 Tom [1995]
05 L'amerloc [1995]
06 Simone [1995[
07 Une elle [1995]
08 La chatte de monsieur Clock [2nd album, 1997]
09 Le vase chinois [1997]
10 Le bal [1997]
11 Milo [1997]
12 Janine [1997]
13 Mauvais sang [1997]
14 Armand [Pamela Peacemaker, 2000]
15 Noel [2000]
16 La cantine [compilation track]
17 Trapese [Siamoises, 2003]
18 Bouche tru [2003]
- compiled by LaFolieDuJour -



LES ELLES - Le Chatte de Monsieur Clock

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good stuff - thanks.

David

nedirien said...

Thanks a lot! Brilliant and underrated group.

international online pharmacy said...

humorists, I am not sure about it. I know that there are a lot of difference between music and humor.