Since the mid ’80s, the London based Ace imprint has been reissuing obscure gems from some of the more over looked chapters of popular music. They have just launched a new sub-lable ‘Ace International’ with the focus of reissuing over such gems from the non-English speaking world.

C’est Chic documents what was known as the Ye-Ye phenomemenon, a style of pop music that came out of Central Europe in the 1960s. Song-writer Serge Gainsbourg and composor Alain Goraguer were a central figures in popularizing this sound. The ‘Wall of Sound’ inspired mix of this sound is percussion and bass heavy with lush garnishes of orchestration complimented with sweet, innocent female vocals.

Despite only being 22 miles away from England and the cultural dominence of all things British in the ’60s, this music here has a style of it’s own. Most of these tracks have aged well in comparison to their British contempories like Lulu and Cilla Black, who now sound conservative and dated. Eurovision Song Contest winner France Gallis’ two tracks featured are sublime. Annie Phillipe’s ‘C’est La Monde’ has a ballsey riff to rival what any beat combo on the other side of the channel was doing at the time. Other highlights include Jacqueline Taibe, and Anna Karina, whose deep baritone voice is a pleasent contrast to the rest of the vocalists on the CD.

It’s difficult to gauge how much of this music was heard outside Central Europe at the time. A common practice around this time was to translate popular English songs of the moment into various languages for their specific markets, and there are a few examples featured on this compilation. Sheila’s ‘Ala Meme Heure’ was originally recorded as ‘Laugh at Me’ by Sonny Bono, and the Goffin & King penned ‘He’s in Town’ featured here as ‘Tu La Revois’ by Ria Bartok has been covered many times over the years. There are also a few non-French singers included here like Petula Clark and Liz Brady who sang in French to tap into what must have been a lucrative market (The Beatles also recorded some of their hits in French)

One thing many potential listeners maybe unaware of is the influence this sound has had on contempory music. From indie popsters like Belle & Sebastian and Camera Obscura to more experimental acts like Broadcast, Stereolab and Tortoise. One listen to this compilation and you will soon reach a conclusion that it was not just London and San Fransico that were producing innovative music in the ’60s.

The CD comes with an accompanying booklet which has extensive liner notes so the listener can easily acustom themselves with each artist, making C’Est Chic musically and asthetically a very fine package. French is such a beautiful language to hear spoken or sung. One need not be put off by any langauge barrier.

Its a subject we can all have our two cents worth on and a sure fire water cooler topic.

Podcast what he had to say right here!

Thursday Out to Lunch honcho caught up with with the band’s drummer Mr. Jo and started out by asking what was more fucked up, his band or the world…