Its title alone --
Sean O'Hagan Presents: The Sunshine World of Louis Philippe -- should strike the hearts of indie pop purists worldwide. London-dwelling Frenchman
Philippe earned his stripes in the latter half of the 1980s recording, writing, and producing for the short-lived but beloved U.K. label
El Records. Over the decades that followed, he continued to assemble one of smart pop's most debonair catalogs, fusing retro '60s pop and rock aesthetics with bossa nova, jazz, classical, and French chanson, essentially launching Japan's Shibuya-kei sound in the process. Outside of his own albums,
Philippe has produced and arranged for numerous other acts including
the Clientele,
Martin Newell, and
Sean O'Hagan. Irishman
O'Hagan is himself no slouch, having led his own band of pop sophisticates,
the High Llamas, through a multi-decade career while also serving as one of
Stereolab's most consistent auxiliary collaborators. In assembling an appropriately reverent anthology of
Philippe's work, a better executor would be hard to find. The two are direct contemporaries, cult heroes of a small but influential branch of pop music that charts its lineage from transatlantic icons like
Michael Legrand,
Bones Howe, and
Brian Wilson.
Released by German imprint
Tapete Records,
The Sunshine World of Louis Philippe is an impeccably curated overview of the singer's work between 1994 and 2007. The mid-'90s were a particularly fruitful if frustrating time for
Philippe, yielding releases like
Delta Kiss,
Sunshine, and
Jackie Girl, a trio of highly rated albums scattered amongst small, underperforming indie labels. Perhaps, given his eccentric influences,
Philippe's cult status was a foregone conclusion, but after hearing highlights like "Le Voyageur," "Sweet Dollar Bill," and "Wichi Tai To," it's hard not to wonder why he isn't better known outside of more erudite pop circles. From the lush harmonies and mesmerizing crescendos of "Boxing Clever" to the glowing string arrangements and aching vocals on the
Andy Partridge-penned "I Can't Own Her,"
Philippe's skills as a multi-tooled craftsman are undeniable. Whether as an introduction to his work or a revisitation,
The Sunshine World of Louis Philippe is an essential platter of pop elegance. ~ Timothy Monger
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