In 1994, arranger, composer, and multi-instrumentalist
Mick Harvey issued
Intoxicated Men, his initial tribute to the music of
Serge Gainsbourg. He was the first to render authoritative musical translations of the songwriter's notoriously difficult, pun-laden, alliterative lyrics in rhyming English.
Harvey followed it three years later with
Pink Elephants. The next year,
Harvey and musical partner
J.P. Shilo dug deeper into
Gainsbourg's catalog for the typically excellent
Delirium Tremens.
Intoxicated Women marks his final volume of
Gainsbourg tunes. As such, it seems only proper to look into the many songs he wrote for -- and sometimes recorded with -- female vocalists, among them
Juliette Greco,
Brigitte Bardot,
Frances Gall, and
Jane Birkin. Assisting
Harvey are the brilliant singer/songwriter
Andrea Schroeder,
Xanthe Waite (
Terry),
Channthy Kak (
Cambodian Space Project),
Sophia Brous,
Lyndelle-Jayne Spruyt, and
Jess Ribeiro.
The opener revisits the
Birkin/
Gainsbourg single "Je T'aime...Moi Non Plus," but in German.
Harvey cut it for
Intoxicated Men with
Anita Lane, but didn't sing. This is a full duet with
Harvey and
Schroeder that matches the original song's production cannily. The language translation reveals the universal appeal of its subject matter and the sugary, kitschy ye-ye pop melody.
Schroeder also delivers "Striptease" -- originally written for
Bardot -- with a darkly carnivalesque musical lilt, and "God Smokes Havanas" (Dieu Est un Fumeur des Havanes) with a typically excellent string chart by
Bertrand Burgalat. Other highlights include "The Drowned One" (La Noyee), written for actress
Anna Karina's television special and delivered expertly by
Ribeiro atop a Cafe Saravah-styled rock combo fueled by electric guitar, organ, drums, bongos, and basses. Several songs from that score appeared on
Delirium Tremens sung by
Waite, who handles them with
Harvey here. "Baby Teeth, Wolfy Teeth" (Dents de Lait, Dents de Loup) was composed for
Gall.
Harvey's arrangement features his son
Solomon on lead vocals backed by
Waite.
Harvey employs a killer surf guitar line and pairs it with the organ vamp from
? & the Mysterians' "96 Tears." This track, like its predecessor, has never been recorded in English before.
"While Rereading Your Letter" (En Relisant Ta Lettre) was recorded by
Gainsbourg, but it was a chanson cabaret hit for
Barbara in 1969. Here it's delivered with a shimmering cinematic intro. As
Harvey narrates,
Brous offers a wonderfully reedy, off-kilter take on
Barbara's melody. The delirious string trio and celeste create an almost nightmarish counter-texture. The closer is a reading of the classic "Cargo Cult" (Cargo Culte) from
Melody Nelson. Its fuzzed-out psych guitars (
Shilo makes them scream), rumbling acoustic pianos, and tight snares add noisy drama as
Harvey narrates the apocalyptic action. He also sings as part of the dramatic backing choir that also includes
Waite and
Julitha Ryan (as Melody).
Harvey sends off his final
Gainsbourg project with the same spirit he introduced it with: savvy, humor, and an illuminating musical and literary spirit that defies anyone to follow him. Ultimately, it's perhaps the only kind of tribute
Gainsbourg could -- or would -- accept. ~ Thom Jurek
