Suggested Listening - Holden

Holden's not well know here in the U.S. They are a group from France, which maybe the reason. They were formed in 1997 with band members Armelle Pioline (Vocals), Dominique Dépret (aka Mocke, guitar), with help from Pierre-Jean Grapin (drums), Evan Evans (keyboard) and Richard Cousin (bass). The band came up with their name from the JD Salinger's novel character Holden Caulfield.

My friends Paula and I discovered their music on MySpace  around 2006. We would spend our lunch hour scouring for new music/artists (what MySpace was originally created for) which sometimes would turn into almost an all day thing (hopefully our old boss Linda isn't reading this). Paula came across their page and played a few of their songs. Even though I don't speak or understand French that well if at all, I enjoyed their sound. Their Album Chevrotine was just released and they had a few songs posted. The first song I remember listening to was "Ce que je suis" (translates to "I have the right")

The lyrics of the song translate to:

I have, I have the right,
I have the right too,
To fail, to faint,
Until I weight the price,
But what happens to me?
I laugh until I cry, I cry until I laugh.
But what happens to me?
I sleep beside my bed
Ohoo I so regret,
I am not what I am,
Walls have ears,
Walls talk to much to me
Ohoo I so hate,
I am not what I am,
The moon is stalking me
The moon is on my back

I have, I have the right,
I have the right too,
To lead, to dismiss men,
To the end of night.
Ohoo I so regret,
I am not what I am
Walls have ears,
Walls talk too much to me.
Ohoo I so hate,
I am not what I am,
The moon is stalking me,
The moon is on my back,
Ohoo I so regret,
I am not what I am,
Walls have ears...

Armelle's voice is beautiful, that if she sang it in English it would loose the emotion in the translation. Another on the album is "Sur le Pavé", though it's sort of a creepy video. I can honestly say I don't think I've ever watched the video the entire was through.

But my favorite song on this album has to be "Madrid".

This a song that you should add to your collection of music for driving. It one of those songs that makes you want to own a convertible and drive down the coast (if you live by an ocean). I haven't listened to this CD in awhile because I played it to often. I have a tendency to do that with music or an artist that I really enjoy.  

I read a few weeks back that they had released a new CD in March. I haven't found it since they are relatively unknown here. I was lucky enough to ask my old boss Linda (who is originally from France) if she wouldn't mind picking up Chervortine (their third CD) for me on her trip back home. I can't thank her enough for this. I just might try to enlist her help to get their new CD since she's back living in France (hopefully she's reading this part). It's always great to discover artists from other countries that you would never hear on U.S. radio. I hope that in the future they become better known in the U.S. It would be great them perform live.