Lou Doillon (Verve Records/Universal)
http://loudoillon.fr/
You may already know here as an actress or a model, or maybe from her famous parents. But all fame swept aside, Doillon recently emerged in a new form under another art: music. With her soothing voice spinning cautious melodies over songs, Doillon comes from a place of both fear and anger. Nearing thirty, she fits comfortably with some of the great singer-songwriters, from Carly to Cat Power. On June 18th, she released her first album (Verve Records/Universal Music Group), PLACES. It’s an album crafted from an introspective mind, turning autobiographical narratives into sprawling stories of love, violence and power. One single, “Devil Or Angel” is particularly haunting. Quiet electric guitars and a snare keep the beat, freeing Doillon’s voice up for flowing overtones. The song turns an argument into an all out battle, guns instead of angry words, Doillon as the enemy. Listen to this single but you’ll definitely want to hear the full album, it’s full of new sounds and surprises that show just how multi-talented Doillon truly is.