Ah, yes... the classic, the romantic, the suave, Serge Gainsbourg. This classic LP by two of France's finest was recently reissued in a run of 2000 and has got to be one of the most exciting LP I've come into in a long time. For those of you who are unfamiliar with either Serge or his lovely ex-wife, I suggest you head over to Wikipedia and do some research, as the lives of these two are just as interesting as the music pressed here. Basically all you need to know is that, at the time, these were two of France's hottest, dirtiest, most glamorous musicians, so what better way to kick off a marriage than a hit single entitled "I love you... Me neither"? The real treat here isn't the drama and sex that filled the lives of these two, but more the drama and sex that filled the music.
What you'll hear when you put this on is pure love and happiness. Serge's prolific songwriting and Jane's beautiful voice create some of the greatest love songs the world has ever known. Among the churning organs, soaring strings, brushed drums and rock and roll guitar you'll hear more than just a beautiful voice: you'll hear true love between two beautiful artists. What is so striking about this is how pure it all sounds. Perhaps it's because Serge was trying to play off of the "innocence" of Jane in this duo. What he was trying to achieve (and very much did) was the sound of something pure, untainted, and beautiful. My only real complaint about the album is that it seems to be over as soon as you put it on. It feels rushed, like the songs don't have time to play out as intended, but I suppose that the 45 had a very strict time limit and was absolutely essential in the music business in the 60's.
I would highly recommend picking this up from your local record store for several reasons. First, the album is really good. Second, the collectible aspect (if you happen to be a record nerd like myself, you'll appreciate the included 45 of two songs from the album, the comic book containing the story of how Serge and Jane met, and the informational insert). And finally, this record can be a good screener for romantic encounters; let's say after a fun night out you bring someone back to your place for some "coffee," put this record on. If they think it's weird or if they can't get into it, it's a sign. This reissue is limited to 2000 (we got #1234, how cool is that?), so grab it while you can!
[Serge Gainsbourg Myspace]
[Buy Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin from Best Buy]
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