Chanson D'amour by LES TRÈS BIEN ENSEMBLE

LES TRÈS BIEN ENSEMBLE is a five piece from Barcelona, led by singer and guitarist Suzette de la Grace Fabergé. The rest of the line-up is formed by members of bands such as LOS FRESONES REBELDES, LOS SOBERANOS and THE MEOWS. The band’s debut was in July 1999: a single with two original songs (the title track “Je veux être un symbol sexuel” and “La fille la plus belle du monde”) plus two cover versions of their worshipped Serge Gainsbourg (the inmortal “Les sucettes”, made famous in the sixties by France Gall) and Françoise Hardy (“Je t’aime”). The covers chosen gives the game away: they die for sixties French pop, for bossa-nova and nouvelle vague soundtracks. Though we mustn’t forget they took their artistic name from some lines in THE BEATLES’ “Michelle”.

After this delightful first single came some hiatus caused by Suzette’s living in France during great part of 2000. But now they come back with more energy and more beautiful songs: this time three originals and one cover version.

The title track is a beautiful “chanson d’amour” (love song) written by Suzette during her living in France. She narrates how she got in touch with her most beloved people by email: "Je suis accrochée au courier electronique...". A really moving song.

“Oh les beaux jours” is a beautiful bossa-nova, in which LTBE’s usual French moods are combined with delicate Brazilian flavours. The result is one of their best tracks so far.

“La fille abandonnée” is more sad and melancholic. The lyrics talk about the bitter end of a relationship, when the eyes of the loving one turn into “a sharp-edged dagger sinking in my heart”.

To close the record, and prove they excel at covering French favourites from the most colourful and inspired sixties era, there’s “Ça pourrait changer”, a number originally recorded by la très belle Brigitte Bardot.