PICK UP

Description

Brigitte Fontaine, the "troublemaker," is back with an album of high poetic and melodic caliber, blending krautrock trance, garage rock, and chaabi, produced by The Limiñanas. "Pick-up" (a title chosen in reference to the return of vinyl records) was largely recorded in Perpignan, in The Limiñanas' studio, a cult French band on both sides of the Atlantic. The compositions of her faithful collaborator Areski Belkacem are adorned with the saturated energy of fuzz guitars, tube amps, and wild organs. Rich in sensual imagery, "Pick-up" emerges as a declaration of love for the simple fact of being alive. While Brigitte evokes her mystical aspirations and physical sufferings, she manages to give them a universal dimension. More than a lament, she issues a call to hold onto the ties that help us endure our mortal condition. Brigitte Fontaine's rebellion is also expressed in several tracks on "Pick-up," such as "Neuf trois" or "Crevards, miteux, pauvres errants" (Scum, Shabby, Poor Wanderers), a true timeless profession of faith. The queen of paradoxes could not conclude her new opus without surprising us with "Le beau temps" (Good Weather), a scathing and satirical saraband. Brigitte Fontaine will definitively remain a wild and mischievous child at any age, having lived through existence without bending to the constraints of adult life.