Verve's Jacques Brel Master Series is identical to the first disc of Polygram International's Jacques Brel Master Serie, which means that the criticisms of the latter (for example, songs like "La Chanson de Jacky" and "Le Moribund" being excluded) are only magnified because, thanks to the lack of the second disc, "Les Biches" and "Rosa," among others, are missing. Still, what remains makes for a decent collection, with plenty of notable Brel songs, including "Mathilde," ...   [ read more ]

CD $18.03

VINYL FORMAT. Six months of recording has led to The Flying Club Cup, an homage to France's culture, fashion, history, and music. Two years ago, Zach Condon immersed himself in Balkan folk, absorbed sounds, scales, styles, and the sonic joys of a skeletally structured, cacophonic ensemble--and moved west, soaking up the likes of François Hardy, Charles Aznavour, and, most notably, Jacques Brel (a huge influence on both Scott Walker and Mark E. Smith), Condon has been articulating his conversational French....   [ read more ]

LP $14.99

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Jacques Brel occupied a position in French popular music roughly comparable to that of Bob Dylan in the U.S., writing and singing personal, serious songs of greater depth and individuality than most pop. Unlike Dylan, however, Brel's music, drawing upon cabaret styles, had an overtly theatrical flair. America in the winter of 1968 was well-primed for such an artist, and veteran songwriter Mort Shuman, along with associate Eric Blau, hit upon the idea of translating Brel's songs a...   [ read more ]

CD $8.54