Customer Reviews

If You Listen

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This record doesn't get much respect from Francoise Hardy fans. Maybe it's because it's mostly in English, maybe because it's mostly covers, maybe because it isn't like her 1960's orchestral pop hits. Still, this is one of her records that I listen to the most. If you skip the saccharine "Until It's Time For You To Go" -- the only real dud on the record -- what's left is a beautiful, hypnotic mixture of folk-psych and orchestral folk songs. There's a real strangeness about most of these recordings, whether it's the weird instrumental interlude on "If You Listen", the over-the-top background vocals on "Let My Name Be Sorrow", the backwards guitar on "Take My Hand For A While", or the gong on "Bown Bown Bown". The title track is a psych-folk masterpiece, similar to Pink Floyd's pastoral accoustic songs like "Grandchester Meadows", but with sexier vocals.

One of my favorite Francoise albums. Better then any other female singing at that time.

Well guess what... My favorite on this album is "Until it's Time for You to Go", and is possibly the best version that I have heard..But then, I rather like the song to begin with. The voice and the simple acoustic guitar are lovely. I was not familiar with this artist, but I will look for more of her music..

I've been looking around for this CD. I used to have it when I was younger, and it never left my mind.

Soft, lovely music in a really sweet voice, it pleases forever.

I love Francoise - I grew up listening to her records in my Dad's collection. So I really don't like saying that I'm not a huge fan of one of her albums but... This CD just really doesn't showcase her talent very well. I'd suggest choosing another.

For years I have been a big fan of Francoise Hardy's early Vogue recordings, and to a minor extent also of her recent albums like "Clair Obscur". I was not familiar with her records from the 1970's and 1980's, until thought I'd give this album a chance.

From the tracklist I recognized great songs like Randy Newman's "I Think it's Gonna Rain Today" and the Trees' "The Garden of Jane Delawney"; so I felt pretty sure that it had to be a great album. But somehow I was a little disappointed with it.

The punch/beat I always felt; even in Hardy's quiet songs, seemed to be lacking on most songs on this album. Most songs are quiet ballads; too many with vague melodies not particularly memorable, many weighed down by heavy orchestral arrangements

Fortunately there are a few exceptions.

Hardy's version of Buffy Sainte Marie's "Until It's Time For You to Go" is beautiful and moving. One of the few tracks that are not ruined by too much orchestral arrangement, though the second half of it is weighed down a little by the strings.

The best tracks is without comparison Hardy's own "Brulure". The only song in the French language, and one of the few with a rock/beat that feeling to it; even though this is also a ballad.

Other fine tracks are "Ocean", "Bown Bown Bown" and her second Buffy Sainte Marie cover "Take My Hand For a While"

"I Think it's Gonna Rain Today" and "The Garden of Jane Delawney" were both disappointments. Dusty Springfield's version of the first, and the Trees' original version of the latter are much to be preferred.

Though not a totally poor album, I would not recommend it as the place to start with Francoise Hardy's music. Try the 2 CD collection "The Vogue Years"