Serge Gainsbourg

Le Cinema De Serge Gainsbourg - Musiques De Films 1959-1990

3CD + BOOK

Boomkat Product Review:

A man probably better known by the masses for his sexual prowess than his music (or were both intrinsically connected?), Serge Gainsbourg was notorious, and that's no doubt exactly the way he liked it. The reason people found an affinity with his music was because of its mischievousness and vigour, something missing from so much other music at the time; I mean who else would have got away with 'Je t'aime'? Continuing their sickeningly good series of lavish re-issues, Universal France have out-done themselves with this incredibly lavish package, collecting-up Gainsbourg's lesser known film soundtrack works and presenting them over three cd's and a large, gorgeously presented book. It's hardly surprising the lengths that Universal have gone to on this issue considering the quality of the other cds in the series, but I have to say I think this is my favourite so far simply for the fact that it's a veritable sweetshop of good music - and so much of it - all of it utterly top notch. From sleazy jazz to French low-slung funk to rockabilly to easy listening... it's all here and all injected with Gainsbourg's devilish panache and unsurpassable style. There seems to be a resurgence of interest recently in his work, and the three discs contained here are the cherry on the top of his cake, the holy grail of outré exotica! Containing cuts from 'L'Eau a la Bouche', 'Strip-Tease', 'Vidocq', 'L'Horizon', 'Le Pacha', 'La Horse','Cannabis', 'Sex-Shop' and 'Tenue de Soiree' the label have also managed to dig out five bonus tracks to plonk on the end for added value. Utterly fantastic from start to finish, and a timely reminder that there is fun to be had when it's raining outside.

3CD + BOOK (3)