Search - Pauline Croze :: Pauline Croze

Very special and lovely

Stephanie | New York | 10/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you like French music, if you like singer-songwriter/guitarists with who play varied music and acoustic/electric indie rock, you might want to check out this cd. I've had this lovely cd for almost a year and still listen to it a lot. I was surprised that no one has reviewed it yet. I really like Pauline Croze's voice and her songs. Mise a nu is probably one of my favourite songs; her French and her voice are especially beautiful in this song, and it's nice rhythmically. It's one that I listen to often.



Since amazon.com doesn't have samples of the tracks for this cd, at least not as of this writing, I would suggest going to amazon.fr to hear them; that is how I found it. I listen to a lot of French music and I like to try out the recommendations and similar artists. Usually, when I hear at least three tracks that I really like, then I buy the cd (not usually from France because of high international shipping rates.) Well, Pauline Croze had more than three that sounded great, and five of them sounded so good that I couldn't wait for the cd to arrive, I kept listening to the samples. Those tracks, Mise a nu, T'es beau, Je ferai sans, Larmes, and Tita are still my favourites, but I also have become pretty attached to Quand je suis ivre (at one point the wonderfully french-sounding background vocals sing "oh-la oh-la oh-lala") and I like all the other songs, as well.



There's a range of moods and rhythms in this cd. T'es beau is a pretty waltz-like song; Je ferais sans is repetitive, intense rock, almost explosive, with an eastern sounding electric guitar riff. Larmes has a repetitive background vocal depicting tears and Pauline's vocal seems to express the comfort after a flood of tears. It's difficult to listen to Tita and its bossa-like acoustic bass line without dancing; Femme fossile also seems to have that eastern or North African influence, this time in the rhythm.



The only thing I don't like about this album is something very, very small -- in Tita, in part of the refrain she sings "oh-oh-oh-oh" both times, while, for impact and expression, it really would sound better sung only the second time. It is of course, something miniscule, but it makes it less spontaneous. Maybe I shouldn't use that to judge, but I think Pauline Croze, who is still in her twenties, probably needs to let loose a bit more. This is her first album, and I hope that she will continue to grow as a singer and songwriter. If she does, I think she will become a very special artist."

Dreamy groovy french songs for 21st century

Anonymous | USA | 05/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i love this cd, found it in Paris Virgin Megastore last summer, this has been my fave cd of the last couple years, now in my all time faves list, it hit me totally by surprise, kinda like Beth Orton's Trailor Park or Bjork's Debut...



french language alt. melodic romantic pop songwriter dance groove folk fusion...? not sure what to call it, every track has a nylon string guitar rhythm part, which plays up the French folk connection, but the very modern sounding production pulls it in a pop direction, but not like a USA top 20 pop sound, more like the way Bjork sounds pop-like, with very strong groove emphasis, all the while featuring the highly melodic character of the singer and her songs... lots of layers of melody and harmony, with a few stripped down numbers for contrast...



i don't speak French, i haven't even checked out translations of these songs, but i love this album and every song on it. Pauline sounds serious, earnest, and passionate. she has a powerful voice but doesn't over do it, her great melodies are the hook, i hope she makes more records soon!

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C'est magnefique!

Dan | SB, CA | 01/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This has to be one of the most impressive albums I've heard in a long time. Pauline deserves to be so much bigger than she is. Her voice is so delicate and she is exposing her entire soul through her music. It's impossbile to explain how beautiful her music is, you must listen to really realize."