French Letter

Muse, Phoenix for Brittany summer festival

frenchletter@cluas.com — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:00:00 GMT

Les Vieilles Charrues announces the first names of this July's line-up by the Atlantic coast. Also appearing are Vitalic, Etienne de Crécy - and '60s French icon Jacques Dutronc.

Declan de Barra: French tour

frenchletter@cluas.com — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:00:00 GMT

The Waterford singer-songer is taking his alt-folk-rock around France this month. Relax, kick off your shoes and watch him singing barefoot at a famous Paris church.

London and Paris

frenchletter@cluas.com — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:00:00 GMT

Five years in the French capital, one weekend in Britain's - enough impressions for a quick pop-based comparison of the two. With music from Blur.

John & Jehn: new single and album

frenchletter@cluas.com — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:00:00 GMT

The London-based French couple return with a new album of dark, sexy electro-rock called 'Time For The Devil'. However, the title track sounds a bit lifeless.

The fandom of the Opera

frenchletter@cluas.com — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT

In which your indie-kid blogger goes to see extravagant ballet and hear wonderful music at the famous Paris concert house. To celebrate this, let's watch the hilariously bad video for a song even worse than our title pun.

La Route du Rock's winter collection

frenchletter@cluas.com — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT

The fantastic Saint Malo summer festival has a February sibling - ~~The XX~~, Local Natives, Beach House, Clues and Clara Clara feature in a smashing line-up this weekend.

Magic reviews for Fionn Regan, Two Door Cinema Club

frenchletter@cluas.com — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT

Sad and frozen after our rugby defeat in glacial Paris on Saturday? Here's something that'll warm your heart - some praise from an excellent French music magazine for two Irish acts.

Pascal Bizet

frenchletter@cluas.com — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT

Instant Carmen: Some Lennon-esque piano-pop (with a hint of Elvis Costello) in French from a young Nîmes singer-songer and namesake of a famous classical composer. Plus: plenty of table-quiz trivia about denim and jeans!

Tags: French acts

Polanski's dubious duet

frenchletter@cluas.com — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:00:00 GMT

The acclaimed film director duets with his wife, French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, on her new album. The song, "Qui Etes Vous?", is perhaps the last thing a man accused of sexual misdemeanour should be singing - lyrics where a young woman seems to fend off the advances of a stranger, played by Polanski.

Phoenix win alt-album Grammy

frenchletter@cluas.com — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT

The Versailles foursome continue their success in the US by picking up a prestigious gong - and the attention of millions of TV viewers.

Gainsbourg film: plastic Serge-ry

frenchletter@cluas.com — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT

Comic Strip: The eagerly-awaited Serge Gainsbourg biopic by graphic artist Joann Sfar starts well but soon descends into plotless caricature.

Lisa Hannigan: stuck in the MIDEM with...

frenchletter@cluas.com — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT

...all the most important players in the business, at the music industry's annual Cannes do. Will they conspire to make her a global star in 2010?

Two Door Cinema Club around France (again)

frenchletter@cluas.com — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT

The rising stars of the County Down continue their ascent in France this springtime - they have two Paris shows and a regional festival appearance here in the space of eleven weeks.

The Feeling Of Love

frenchletter@cluas.com — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT

I wanna be your dog: Three Alsatians bring their noisy, scuzzy electro-rock to Dublin next month.

Five years in France!

frenchletter@cluas.com — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT

A historic milestone for your Paris correspondent. Time to look out over the Gallic indie music scene from the top window of Chateau French Letter.

Eurosonic and Perez Hilton...

frenchletter@cluas.com — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT

What's the connection between the music showcase festival in the Lowlands and the celebrity blogger in Los Angeles? What do you get if you cross Mika, Prince and Lily Allen? Who, what or where is Sliimy? We'll answer these questions and tell you about the French acts appearing in the Netherlands this week.

Yeti Lane

frenchletter@cluas.com — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT

For the weather that's in it, a seasonably-named Parisian three-piece indie band whose charming tunes will give you a warm glow.

Clara Clara

frenchletter@cluas.com — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT

Into deux mille dix with a Lyon trio who look set for a very happy new year. Here's the 'post-hardcore' of the impressive Clara Clara and 'Paper Crowns' from their new album.

A decade of French music

frenchletter@cluas.com — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:00:00 GMT

We reflect on ten years of 'Le French Touch' and all that - and we pick our favourite albums and songs of 2000-09.

Best French Music of 2009

frenchletter@cluas.com — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Our annual school sports day for the French indie scene - but all will not have prizes. Who will have the honour of their French music being liked by an Irish blog? Funnily enough, our big winner has an Irish connection...