Francoise Hardy "Clair-obscur" LP

A collection of mellow and sophisticated songs that showcase her enduring talent, Clair-obscur does not attempt to reinvent Francoise Hardy's past, but rather maintain her signature sound with beautiful meldoies and a more modern touch to production.

In the 1950s, Hardy was inspired by early rock recordings to pick up the guitar, and was already writing her own songs by the time she was a teenager. By the age of 17, she was already singing her own compositions in French clubs, and successfully auditioned for Vogue Records in France in late 1961. Her debut EP appeared the following year, inaugurating a series of successful EPs and albums that would last through the '60s. Hardy sang of young love with both fetching moodiness and unrestrained ebullience; although she often wrote both her music and lyrics, she co-wrote tunes with others as well. She was greatly aided by a number of talented arrangers who seemed to be attempting (usually successfully) to blend American and British production sophistication with a Continental European sensibility. Charles Blackwell was the most notable and effective of these figures; in 1964, interestingly, she recorded some tracks under the direction of the great American R&B guitarist Mickey Baker.

Track List:

01    Puisque vous partez en voyage  - By Françoise Hardy & Jacques Dutronc
02    Tous mes souvenirs me tuent
03    Celui que tu veux  - By Françoise Hardy & Oi
04    Clair-obscur
05    Un homme est mort
06    Duck's Blues
01    I'll Be Seeing You  - By Françoise Hardy & Iggy Pop
02    Tu ressembles à tous ceux qui ont eu du chagrin
03    La pleine lune
04    So Sad  - By Françoise Hardy & Étienne Daho
05    La saison des pluies
06    Contre vents et marées
07    La vérité des choses