Mick Harvey - "Intoxicated Women" Vinyl, LP, Album, 2017 (Mute)

The fourth album by Mick Harvey focusing on the French songwriting genius Serge Gainsbourg.  Sort of an answer or the 'she' part to the 'he' "Intoxicated Man" that was his first tribute album of Gainsbourg songs.  "Intoxicated Women" focuses on songs that women sang under the guidance of Gainsbourg.   So for the France Gall, Brigitte Bardot, Jane Birkin, and one song ("Striptease") famously covered by Juliette Gréco as well as Nico before her Velvet Underground adventure. 

Mick Harvey is a man of taste and sophistication, and it clearly shows on these four albums devoted to Gainsbourg's music.  The beauty of this project is that he doesn't follow the originals like a science paper, but as an artist with pen on hand doing a still-life.  It's an interpretation of Gainsbourg's work and is not meant to be the last word of this genius' life or work.   The focus on songs that were sung by other women is an interesting choice.  Gainsbourg was very much the professional songwriter, who wanted to have hits, but yet he always remained a strong voice or representation, even when others cover his music.  You can't erase the Gainsbourg identity when performing his songs.  Harvey's approach is with Bad Seeds' (which he was a member for many years) technique of covering a song with the right amount of arrangement skill in conveying the full force of that music.  "Intoxicated Women" is not the best of the four because, in truth, all four solo Mick Harvey albums are one work. An excellent introduction into the world of Serge Gainsbourg, and French pop music.  After this, then go to the original recordings.   

Mick Harvey - "Pink Elephants" CD, Album, 1997 (Mute)

Volume two of Mick Harvey's heroic tribute to the genius of Serge Gainsbourg. "Pink Elephants" is my favorite of the Harvey/Gainsbourg albums, due to the song "Scenic Railway" which is beauty captured in a glass jar.  A sad but such an observant song.  Gainsbourg's genius is that he can mix in the outrageous with the profound in equal quantities in one song. "Requiem..." is another wonder and Harvey again captures the essence of the original.   If you hear the original Gainsbourg recordings, Harvey is very respectful to its arrangements, but of course, he adds touches here and there.  There are no miss-steps in Harvey's approach to the Gainsbourg songs.  Gainsbourg's recording career was from the 1950s to 1990s, and on this album, Harvey covers material from the 50s to the early 70s which are the masterpiece years of Gainsbourg. 

Mick Harvey "Intoxicated Man" CD, album, 1995 (Mute)

In 1995, Mick Harvey put out his first album of Serge Gainsbourg songs.   This is not an easy process to do because Gainsbourg's lyrics are very tricky to do in English.  There are many layers of puns, jokes, and something meanings in his songs.  Very textural work, and it takes a master to translate the lyrics from French to English.   Harvey does the job swell, as well as my translator for the Gainsbourg biography I published (TamTam Books) by Gilles Verlant.  Paul Knobloch catches the layers as well.  But here we concentrate on Harvey's album of Gainsbourg tunes.

Gainsbourg as a songwriter, singer, arranger is a vast canvas.  Harvey doesn't just focus on the hits here on 'Intoxicated Man," but also the 'deep cuts' of this songwriter.   Also Harvey, perhaps due to his lifetime association with the world of Nick Cave, he automatically has a sense of sophistication.  So Harvey matching up with Gainsbourg is a great fit.   A wonderful introduction to the world of Serge's songs, but also the French Jazz/Pop culture as well.  

Harvey has done five Gainsbourg albums, and "Intoxicated Man" is his first of the series.  The hits are here as well as some of the more obscure songs - but the Bardot/Gainsbourg combination is well represented with "Ford Mustang," "Bonnie & Clyde," and "Harley Davidson."  Harvey stays close to the song's purpose and melody, but he adds his own unique arrangements to the works here.  This is very much of an album by a musician who is quite talented, perhaps brilliant as an arranger.  I have always imagined that Harvey was Cave's music director in The Bad Seeds, and here he uses his talent in that sense by the selection of the songs, but their production/arrangement as well.  Exceptional work.  I can't imagine any Gainsbourg fan would find fault in these recordings.   There's not a bad cut here because Harvey is an excellent editor and a man of great taste. 

MICK HARVEY "Delirium Tremens" (Mute) 2016

Mick Harvey, one-time Nick Cave left hand arranger, and Serge Gainsbourg lover (at least musically), has a new album of Gainsbourg tunes.   This is the third package of Serge tunes, and Harvey's good taste comes through.    The majority of songs on this album comes from his French TV project "Anna," starring Anna Karina.    It's classic all the way from side one to side two.  There are no bad cuts on this album, and the additional pleasure is hearing Serge's lyrics translated from the French to English by Harvey.  I think he stays on track with respect to Gainsbourg's playfulness in his literature, and Harvey does have that masculine swagger in the presentation of these songs.  One thing about this album and the other Harvey / Serge recordings is showing what a masterful songwriter genius the French icon is/was.     The other Harvey / Gainsbourg albums are "Intoxicated Man" and "Pink Elephants."  Get all three of them, and then of course, the original recordings by Serge Gainsbourg as well.