Music Review: Charlotte Gainsbourg- 'IRM'

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Charlotte Gainsbourg, daughter of famed couple Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, has been singing and acting for quite some time. Although her acting career often overshadows her music, Gainsbourg’s new full-length album, IRM, proves her talent, even in a time of difficult circumstances.

IRM, which represents the French for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), refers to Gainsbourg’s near-death experience while water-skiing and the resulting hemorrhage, brain surgery and paranoia she endured.

IRM proves Gainsbourg’s perseverance after the accident; she effortlessly creates a riveting and eclectic journey through her fear of, and ultimate triumph over death. Gainsbourg’s collaboration with the album’s producer, Beck, gives the music an irresistible pull. They both seem to bring out the best in one another, especially on the first single, “Heaven Can Wait.”

All the tracks are good and delightfully different from one another. “Le Chat Du Café Des Artistes” is an intriguing combination of eerie and romantic. “In the End” is a lovely but sorrowful track, with lyrics asking, “Who’s to say it’s all for the best in the end?”

By the end of the album, Gainsbourg, with her versatile, unique music, convinced me that it was, indeed, all for the best.

Review: Music

/news/2005/oct/06/review_music/

MUSIC: Pink, Funhouse

/news/2008/oct/30/music_pink/

Music Review: Mystic Roots Band-"Cali-Hi"

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2011/mar/17/music-review-mystic-roots-band-cali-hi/

Music review: Kid Cudi

KJHK’s weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2009/oct/08/music-review-kid-cudi/

Malicious Intimacy

Four students' experiences with domestic violence.

/news/2011/may/04/malicious-intimacy/

Music guy

A road map to music utopia

/news/2008/mar/06/music_guy/

Facing the music

For 13 students sued by the music industry, the risks of illegal ...

/news/2008/apr/30/facing_music/

Blog: Life and Music

Music: It's All Around You.

/news/2011/nov/30/blog-life-and-music/

Reliving the music dream

Mark Gottschall, journalism resource center supervisor, recorded an album in Spain 35 ...

/news/2008/apr/16/reliving_the_music_dream/

Fans purchase 90s pop stars’ new albums

After the debut of Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys’ new albums, ...

/news/2007/nov/08/Britney/

Music review: 'Changing Horses' by Ben Kweller

2.5 out of 4 stars

/news/2009/feb/26/music_review_2/

Q&A with Davey Pierce of the band, ...

We have questions. Celebrities have answers.

/news/2010/oct/21/q-davey-pierce-montreal/

Music review: Joanna Newsom — 'Have one ...

KJHK’s weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/mar/25/music-review-joanna-newsom/

Music Review: Soft Circle - 'Shore Obsessed'

KJHK's guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2011/feb/10/music-review-soft-circle-shore-obsessed/

Music Review: Beady Eye - "Different Gear, ...

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption

/news/2011/mar/31/music-review-beady-eye-different-gear-still-speedi/

Music review: Roots Manuva Meets Wrongtom

KJHK's guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/dec/09/music-review-roots-manuva-meets-wrongtom/

Marsaglia: Don’t over look Kanye’s very own ...

Kanye West gets a lot of attention, but his literary allusions are ...

/news/2011/mar/18/marsaglia-kanye/

Music review: The Octopus Project 'Hexadragon'

KJHK’s weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/nov/18/music-review-octopus-project-hexadragon/

Q&A: Cisco Adler

Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.

/news/2009/sep/24/q_cisco_adler/

Music review: Epiphany by Chrisette Michele

4 out of 4 stars

/news/2009/may/07/music_review_epiphany_chrisette_michele/

Review: Rabbit Fur Coat by Jenny Lewis ...

/news/2006/feb/09/jpmusic_review_irabbit_fur_coati_jenny_lewis_watso/

Morning Brew: Lions look to improve

For Detroit, the only way to go from winless is up.

/news/2009/sep/09/Morning_brew/

Editor's note: April 22

Read Jayplay editor Alex Garrison's take on this week's issue.

/news/2010/apr/22/editors-note-april-22/

Losing weight, losing control

Among the millions who struggle with eating disorders, the majority suffer from ...

/news/2011/apr/27/weight-loss/

Music Review: Obits - 'Moody, Standard and ...

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption

/news/2011/apr/07/music-review-obits-moody-poor/

Album review: 'Middle Cyclone' by Neko Case

3 1/2 out of 4 stars

/news/2009/mar/12/music_review/

Music review

The Con: Tegan and Sara

/news/2007/oct/04/music_review/

Sister Act

Some talents don't run in the family.

/news/2011/mar/10/sister-act/

Music Review: Wagon Christ - 'Toomorrow' (Ninja ...

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption

/news/2011/apr/28/music-review-wagon-christ-toomorrow-ninja-tune/

Review: Veda

/news/2005/aug/25/review_veda/

Radio Free Lawrence

How KJHK 90.7 drives the local music scene and fits into the ...

/news/2011/mar/03/radio-free-lawrence/

Music review: Beach House "Teen Dream"

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/feb/11/music-review-beach/

Music review

Lily Allen, It’s Not Me, It’s You

/news/2009/feb/19/music_review/

Lysen: Judging Trendy Music with an Open ...

Liking trending music can be hard, but sometimes we end up liking ...

/news/2012/mar/26/lysen-judging-trendy-music-open-mind/

Softball team shines in Charlotte Classic

After a shaky start to the season, the Jayhawks won seven straight.

/news/2012/feb/19/softball-shines-classic/

Music review: The Mountain Goats

KJHK’s weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2009/nov/12/music-review-mountain-goats/

Student’s script comes to life

Adam Burnett’s two-act play “The Death of Romance” is scheduled to hit ...

/news/2007/aug/23/theater/

Music review: Vampire Weekend — 'Contra'

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/jan/28/music-review/

Music guy

Your guide to music utopia

/news/2008/may/08/music_guy/

Music Review: Shilpa Ray & Her Happy ...

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2011/mar/10/music-reviewshilpa-ray-her-happy-hookers-teenage-t/

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID