Thursday 16 April 2009



Voulez-vous coucher avec lui ce soir?

(photo: Laurent Bochet)

(photo: Laurent Bochet)

I first heard the music of Sébastien Tellier last summer when I received an advance copy of his album, Sexuality, and, truth be told, I didn’t get it.  I don’t want to say that I didn’t like it, because that wasn’t the case; his slick techno pop, soaked in sensuality, would be right up my alley on most days.  The fact that he sings in French wasn’t a problem, either; language barriers rarely stop me from enjoying music, and there’s more English on the album than French.  I guess what I ultimately couldn’t get my head around was whether he was serious or whether he was trying to parody the plethora of contemporary American R&B artists dominating the airwaves.  Then there was the inevitable (and in my opinion, without merit) comparisons to Serge Gainsbourg, a man whom I respect, but ultimately never really “got” either.

Since then, I’ve given the album a few more chances to work its magic on me, and I’m certainly warming to its warm synths and hyperactive libido.  The key is to push aside all the schtick and novelty of a Parisian synth-pop playing paramour and listen to the songs.  Tellier is a killer with melody and hook, and certainly knows how to write a great song.  “Look” is one of my favourites, built on a simple melody line and smoldering beat, it’s Tellier’s whisper-sing vocal delivery that sells the sexuality, because he’s not having you on, he’s, er, wanting to have you… and that doesn’t make me feel as uncomfortable as it should.  Telleir invests every nuance and element on the album with the joy of love, living, and sex, raising Sexuality above merely being a concept album about the birds and the bees.

MP3: Sébastien Tellier “Divine”
MP3: Sébastien Tellier “Kiolmeter”
Facebook: Sébastien Tellier
Myspace: Sébastien Tellier





by J. Di Gioia | Comments Off

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