Why reinvent the wheel when you can just trick it out a bit? It would be like altering something beloved like Coca-Cola from its present 100% pure cocaine-and-boot-polish mixture to some opaque fizzy liquid beverage using natural flavors, colors, and preservatives. Can you imagine the catastrophic social and commercial implications!? No, gifted producers Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux knew not to completely overhaul things when it came time to plan the latest Nouvelle Vague album. But they did tweak the sound (more C&W, roots, and bluegrass influence this time out) and tinker the approach a little (there are a few duets instead of starlets singing solo). The resulting recording is the imaginatively titled 3 and it will come out October 20 on Peacefrog.
The four duets on 3 are interesting, coupling one of Nouvelle Vague's songbirds with the chosen song's original performer/writer. Melanie appears with Depeche Mode's Martin Gore on his "Master and Servant" and with Echo and the Bunnymen's Ian McCullough on his "All My Colours," Marina Celeste sings with Terry Hall (Specials/Fun Boy Three, etc.) on a version of his "Our Lips Are Sealed" (made famous by The Go-Go's in the early 1980s and famous for another generation by Hilary and Haylie Duff in 2004), and Nadeah Miranda croons with Barry Adamson (Magazine) on his "Parade." Unlike Nouvelle Vague's music, here is a tracklisting that is complicated and troublesome...
Legend: "Song" (Nouvelle Vague singer and, where applicable, featured guest singer), [original artist]
1. "Master and Servant" (Melanie Pain feat. Martin Gore) [Depeche Mode]
2. "Blister in the Sun" (Eloisia) [Violent Femmes]
3. "Road to Nowhere" (Nedeah Miranda) [Talking Heads]
4. "All My Colours" (Melanie feat. Ian McCullough) [Echo and the Bunnymen]
5. "The American" (Silja) [Simple Minds]
6. "Heaven" (Karina Zeviani) [Psychedelic Furs]
7. "Parade" (Nadeah Miranda feat. Barry Adamson) [Magazine]
8. "Metal" (Eloisia) [Gary Numan]
9. "Ca Plane Pour Moi" (LeeLou) [Plastic Bertrand]
10. "Our Lips Our Sealed" (Marina Celeste feat. Terry Hall) [The Go-Go's]
11. "God Save the Queen" (Melanie Pain) [Sex Pistols]
12. "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" (Sophie Delila) [Soft Cell]
13. "So Lonely" (Nadeah Miranda) [The Police]
Get yer ooh la las out:
10.08.09 - Helsinki, Finland - Korjaamo Culture Factory
10.09.09 - Stockholm, Sweden - Berns
10.10.09 - Oslo, Norway - Sentrum Scene
10.11.09 - Copenhagen, Denmark - DR Koncerthuset
10.12.09 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Club New York
10.16.09 - London, England - Roundhouse
10.17.09 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Effenaar
10.18.09 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli
10.20.09 - Ghent, Belgium - Minnemeers
10.21.09 - Leuven, Belgium - Depot
10.23.09 - Marcheprime, France - La Caravelle
10.24.09 - Angoulême, France - La Nef
10.27.09 - Paris, France - Olympia
10.28.09 - Berne, Switzerland - Venue Bierhubeli
10.29.09 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Les Docks
10.30.09 - Zurich, Switzerland - Jazznojazz Festival
10.31.09 - Le Mans, France - Festival Be Bop n Roll
11.04.09 - Caen, France - Big Band Café
11.05.09 - St. Die, France - Centre Culturel
11.07.09 - Strasbourg, France - Laiterie
11.10.09 - Lyon, France - Transbordeur
12.01.09 - Brussels, Belgium - Le Botanique
12.04.09 - Lisbon, Portugal - Aula Magna
12.05.09 - Porto, Portugal - Sa de Bandeira
