Chick Habit

April March | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 27, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sympathy 4 the R.I.
• ASIN: B000003KZD
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,880 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

1995's Chick Habit was a complete turnaround from the ultra-twee and largely acoustic pop of April March's self-titled debut EP. Taking off from a lifelong interest in French music and culture (the former Elinor Blake studied in the country as a teenager), Chick Habit is a note-perfect re-creation of French ye-ye music of the 1960s. March, whose voice is a dead ringer for France Gall's similarly perky tones, borrows heavily from Gall's style and repertoire. The title track is a fairly literal translation of one of Gall's biggest Serge Gainsbourg-penned hits, "Laisse Tomber des Filles," given a "Peter Gunn"-style twang guitar track and performed with a punky snarl. (The opening track is the same song performed in March's note-perfect French.) The remaining tunes are covers of other ye-ye songs, with the highlights being Jacques Dutronc's "Le Temps de L'Amour" (a 1966 hit for Dutronc's wife, Fran oise Hardy), given a smoky reading highlighted by a Dick Dale-style surf guitar played by guest star Jonathan Richman (a friend of producer and multi-instrumentalist Andy Paley, who leads the excellent band), and another dip into Gall's catalog, the dreamy "Cet Air-La." April March would, in varying degrees, explore this French pop obsession over her next several albums, but this is its purest manifestation. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkable!, December 18, 1998

By 

"lumennation" (Princeton, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chick Habit (Audio CD)

April March single-handedly reinvents 60's girl group go-go with this album. And she does it in Fray-unch! (Though I understand she's actually from California.)

If you're into, say, Japanese reinterpretation of American pop, this may touch many of the same musical sensibilities.

Made me feel like putting on white boots and a mini and heading out to Pigalle for a night doing the pony. AND I'M A GUY!

I so loved these songs from the first time I heard them, that I taped the entire record off of our local college radio station. (In fact, I don't have the CD! But now I'm thrilled to know I can buy it!

April, wherever you are, WHO ever you are... I LOVE YOU!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT '60s SINGER FROM THE '90s, October 5, 2007

By 

Big "Harry Kintama" (Antartica) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chick Habit (Audio CD)

The first time I knew about April March was in L.A., when my friend Ann Closs worked with her while April was an animator for the Ren & Stimpy show back in 1995-96. She played April's record to me; when I heard the catchy tune Chick Habit and the original French song Laisse Tomber les Filles I was hooked! Of course through her I discovered France Gall (the original singer) but that's another story. April March's beautiful vocals and phrasing is something that'll stay in your head for the rest of your life. I recommend this highly!!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A.M. puts the YEAH in ye-ye, May 11, 2004

By 

Jonathan Rosenfield (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chick Habit (Audio CD)

A fantastic blend of garage and exotica, Chick Habit is long on pleasure with only a tinge of guilt. this retro-pop record is so flawlessly executed and recorded, you'll think you fell into the way-back machine set for '65.