Voila [Bonus Disc] [Limited]

Performer: Belinda Carlisle
Engineer: John Reynolds; Alan Branch; Tim Oliver
Producer: John Reynolds; John Reynolds
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: Includes Bonus CD Personnel: Belinda Carlisle (vocals); Natacha Atlas (vocals); Segat Guirey (flamenco guitar); Winnie Horan (violin); Julian Wilson (strings, piano, Hammond b-3 organ, keyboards); Sharon Shannon (accordion); Claire Kenny (bass instrument, bass guitar); John Reynolds, John Reynolds (drums, programming); Nikki Leighton Thomas, Pauline Scanlon (background vocals); Fiachna OBraonain (vocals, guitar); Graham Henderson (accordion); Brian Eno (keyboards). Audio Mixers: John Reynolds; Alan Branch. Recording information: Ghostrooms, London, England. Photographer: Jill Furmanovsky. Translator: Fiachna OBraonain. Belinda Carlisle has followed an interesting trajectory over the years, from youthful garage punk to new wave-pop diva (fronting the Go-Gos) to adult contemporary solo artist. Given her many phases, it shouldn't be too much of a curveball to learn that VOILA, Carlisle's first solo album in 10 years, is an homage to the French chanson tradition. Yet it's somehow odd to hear Carlisle singing entirely in French, and taking on the songs of Edith Piaf, Francoise Hardy, and Serge Gainsbourg. But Carlisle pulls the project off with panache: VOILA is executed with sophistication and skill. The excellent selection of material is the bedrock of the album (Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas," for example, is a highlight), but the genre-splicing arrangements, and guests like Brian Eno and Hothouse Flowers, keep things fresh. Still, it's Carlisle's show, and her interpretations of these French classics make this unique album a worthy listen. Belinda Carlisle's career has had several twists and turns, but none has been quite as interesting as her 2007 album Voila, a collection of luxurious covers of classic French pop tunes, all sung in French. Certainly, the very concept of the former new wave queen singing French pop qualifies as one of the more intriguing projects in her solo career, but it's also interesting that she's chosen this idea for her first solo album in ten years. Given that long gap between new albums, it's clear that Voila is no stunt or novelty, it's a passion project for Carlisle and it plays that way: it has the complexity and richness of a labor of love. Which doesn't necessarily mean that this album is filled with surprises, apart from its very existence. Brian Eno may contribute keyboards, but that doesn't mean that these are radical reinterpretations, nor are the selections necessarily left-field: there are a pair of Serge Gainsbourg songs, a Jacques Brel, and a few other songs that should be familiar to rock and pop listeners with a fairly deep grasp of '60s and '70s pop. Those listeners who were raised on punk, new wave, and alt-rock, but with a deep love of the '60s, are clearly the target audience for Voila, and the best thing about the album is that it will not disappoint. This is an elegant, stylish collection of adult pop, gliding by on its sleek synth textures and cabaret atmosphere. Even when it dips into Eurodisco -- as it does on occasion, as on Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose" -- it does so gracefully, and there's an appealing sly decadence to the feel of Voila; it may be a decadence sculpted out of films, LPs, and old photos, one that's knowing but affectionate, but that doesn't mean it's not an alluring, effective mood for the album, particularly because Carlisle sustains it from beginning to end, a problem that she didn't manage to conquer on her big hits of the late '80s. That is a change for her, but the true revelation of Voila is her singing: it's relaxed, assured, and nuanced, the best vocal performance she's had on record. She delivers these songs so smoothly, it's like she's been a chanteuse her entire life, and it's that deep musicality that makes Voila not just a rewarding detour but one of her best albums -- and, with any luck, the first chapter in a new phase of her career. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Belinda Carlisle's career has had several twists and turns, but none has been quite as interesting as her 2007 album Voila, a collection of luxurious covers of classic French pop tunes, all sung in French. Certainly, the very concept of the former new wave queen singing French pop qualifies as one of the more intriguing projects in her solo career, but it's also interesting that she's chosen this idea for her first solo album in ten years. Given that long gap between new albums, it's clear that Voila is no stunt or novelty, it's a passion project for Carlisle and it plays that way: it has the complexity and richness of a labor of love. Which doesn't necessarily mean that this album is filled with surprises, apart from its very existence. Brian Eno may contribute keyboards, but that doesn't mean that these are radical reinterpretations, nor are the selections necessarily left-field: there are a pair of Serge Gainsbourg songs, a Jacques Brel, and a few other songs that should be familiar to rock and pop listeners with a fairly deep grasp of '60s and '70s pop. Those listeners who were raised on punk, new wave, and alt-rock, but with a deep love of the '60s, are clearly the target audience for Voila, and the best thing about the album is that it will not disappoint. This is an elegant, stylish collection of adult pop, gliding by on its sleek synth textures and cabaret atmosphere. Even when it dips into Eurodisco -- as it does on occasion, as on Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose" -- it does so gracefully, and there's an appealing sly decadence to the feel of Voila; it may be a decadence sculpted out of films, LPs, and old photos, one that's knowing but affectionate, but that doesn't mean it's not an alluring, effective mood for the album, particularly because Carlisle sustains it from beginning to end, a problem that she didn't manage to conquer on her big hits of the late '80s. That is a change for her, but the true revelation of Voila is her singing: it's relaxed, assured, and nuanced, the best vocal performance she's had on record. She delivers these songs so smoothly, it's like she's been a chanteuse her entire life, and it's that deep musicality that makes Voila not just a rewarding detour but one of her best albums -- and, with any luck, the first chapter in a new phase of her career. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Entertainment Weekly (p.76) - "[S]he applies a fluency in French and her infamous vibrato to beloved Gallic evergreens..." -- Grade: B Uncut (p.72) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[She] successfully brings a fresh but emotionally convincing slant to epics like 'Ne Me Quitte Pas' and 'La Vie En Rose'."

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