CD Review: Francesca Blanchard's 'Deux Visions'

Francesca Blanchard
Deux Visions
Vis-A-Vis Records

Deux Visions is translated as "two visions." In this case, the double references pertain to a French upbringing and current residence in Vermont. The songs are pop, folk, and rock oriented with both English and French lyrics. The melodies are pure heaven, as anyone with a familiarity with Carla Bruni, Francois Hardy, and Souad Massi. The tender vocal sound is intimate, poignant, and emotive. The light, contemplative ballad, "The Sea," is a fitting ending to a wonderful album, but the pop-rock brilliance of "Empty House,"  "Save A Different Way," and "Rame" showcase Francesca's innate ability to convey musical emotion with great melodies and rhythms in the same vein as the above-mentioned artists. Nevertheless, Francesca makes her mark in a very good way. Anyone with an interest in French pop and rock will love Deux Visions...and probably everything she releases in the future. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Karima Nayt's 'Quoi D'Autre?'

Karima Nayt
Quoi D'Autre? (What Else?)
Ajabu

Algerian-native, Karima Nayt, is a more traditionally-inclined Kabyle singer than her fellow countrywoman, Iness Mezel. The folkish, fluid melodies are interrupted by nomadic guitars and upbeat percussion spanning North Africa's camel routes, France's guitar music, and the vocal melisma of Ofra Haza. Karima's mature voice floats effortlessly across the tracks with a bit of reservation to allow the instruments some room to expand on the vocal patterns. The sincerity in Karima's voice resembles the same clarity as Souad Massi with the sensuality of France's Carla Bruni. At any rate, Karima's songs are heartfelt, classic, and timeless. The thirteen tracks span Karima's eclectic and linguistic ethnic background. Some of the songs are reminiscent of Spanish, South American, or Portuguese-type music with a strong, classical--almost fado-esque--presence. Nevertheless, the music is not a fusion project, but a wonderful journey through the folk music traditions of Algeria's infamous Mediterranean coastline. ~ Matthew Forss