Like Father Like Son
Lucien “Lulu” Gainsbourg, hailing from Paris and having studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, was born into stardom and creativity. Lulu was the youngest child of the late French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg, highly regarded in French pop music culture. His mother is a model; his sister, Charlotte Gainsbourg, an actress and singer – and the list goes on. Lulu’s father died when he was young, so for his debut album, From Gainsbourg To Lulu, he pays tribute to his father and covers his songs.
Of course, most of the album is in French, so unless you’re familiar with the language, don’t count on this being a lyrically-relatable album. However, “Bonnie And Clyde” features a playful duet with Scarlett Johansson, who sings predominantly in English. Additional featured artists include Iggy Pop covering “Initials BB,” Johnny Depp in “Ballade De Melody Nelson,” Shane MacGowan in “Sous Le Soleil Exactement,” and more. At times, it’s more interesting to hear some of the featured artists perform something a little out of their element, like singing these French indie-pop songs.
Highlights include the sax and drum solos on “Intoxicated Man,” and the piano duet with Rufus Wainwright in “Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M’en Vais” (“I Came To Tell You I’m Going Away”). “La Noyee” sounds like it’s part of a sexy perfume commercial.
There’s no doubting the pleasantness of From Gainsbourg To Lulu, but it’s quite the task to cover your genius father’s work during your first official go-around releasing an album. Now that Lulu has completed the tribute, we should start to hear more original work soon.
Leave a Comment