Music Munchers - Attraction by Paris Combo

Product Review
There's a lot to like on Paris Combo's Attraction, the postmodern Parisian cabaret quintet's third album. As with previous efforts, the band updates the French chanson and gypsy swing tradition by adding a stylish hipster element that could be construed as French lounge music, but most of the arrangements for the album's 13 original tunes display a developing maturity that avoids gimmickry in favor of solid musicianship. Guitarist Potzi and trumpeter-pianist David Lewis in particular shine as tasteful soloists. Chanteuse Belle du Berry is convincing as well, sensually wrapping her voice around the French lyrics to project meaning even if you don't speak a lick of the language. Attraction also benefits from modern production touches and guest musicians, both of which add a lush new layer to the music that only enhances the band's depth and class. Leaving the winking self-awareness behind, Paris Combo has grown into a topnotch but still fun cabaret act. --Tad Hendrickson

...and there are plenty of other adjectives for this wonderful recording - I'm sure I'll find more to use before I'm done here. This was my first exposure to this group - and I flipped over it so much that I went back the next day and picked up their previous effort, LIVING-ROOM, which is a fine album as well. Paris Combo is an extremely talented, vivacious five-piece whose members skillfully combine elements of various genres into their own sound: Parisian café music, Gypsy jazz, be-bop, cabaret and other forms swirl together in a mix that would prove unwieldy in the hands of many. They are all accomplished musicians, and very obviously in tune literally and figuratively with each other on many levels - each member finds a way to both shine and blend on every single track, without ever seeming to eclipse the contributions of the others. All of the tracks are truly standouts - for the sake of brevity (I looked up the word, for those of you who might wonder...), I'll limit my comments on individual selections to four. On track 2, `Trois petits points', the band takes a breakneck 7/8 rhythm and makes it graceful and natural; tracks 7 and 10, `Dans les bras dun loup' and `Avril', respectively, have two of the loveliest melodies I've ever heard; track 12, the mostly instrumental `Escapade', allows each member to step up in either solo or duo sections - the guitar on this track will bring to mind the stylings of Django Reinhardt, and the tandem work between the scat vocal and upright bass is incredible. Belle de Berry is the quintessential chanteuse (although she's not limited to that style alone), and she adds some very tasty accordion here and there. Potzi's guitar is astonishing - he's quick and precise where he needs to be, but he never plays without feeling, never like a machine. Multi-instrumentalist David Lewis (trumpet, bugle, piano, string arrangements and co-producer) is excellent on the keys and never overbearing in his brass playing - the production/arrangement values are especially fine and unique in several places where he sounds like he's almost off-stage from the rest of the group, a nice, very effective touch. Mano Razanajato provides a steady (but again, never mechanical) bottom on his upright bass, as well as contributing vocals; and François-François is always inventive, being alternately supportive and driving with his drums and percussion. The whole thing comes together marvelously - and the spirit of this music is so strong and delightful that knowledge of French is not necessary to enjoy it (or to sense the humor in some of the songs, such as `Mais que fait la NASA?' (`...but who made NASA?'). Whenever I put this into the assortment of CDs I take in the car with me, I might as well leave everything else at home - it stays in the player for days. Comment | Permalink | (Report this)