Zaz

In the 50th anniversary year of the death of Edith Piaf, Zaz has succeeded in getting her name bandied about on the list of modern Piaf successors, as well as scoring two hit albums, from which this album has been compiled for the UK. The Piaf analogy does stand up, due to Zaz’s husky but piercing voice: none of your Françoise Hardy here, we’re talking serious chanson belter when she chooses, with an agreeable hint of Americana and clever modern arrangements. The classy instrumentation shows off Zaz to fine effect on modern realiste songs such as ‘Dans Ma Rue’, and even allows her an air of Jacques Brel on ‘J’ai Tant Escamoté’. Much has been made of Zaz’s Gypsy jazz songs, and the Reinhardt/Grapelli-style guitar and violin interplay is indeed nice.

But more interesting is her French pop side, echoing artists like Lio, and above all her fabulous way with an old-fashioned ‘slow,’ as heard on ‘Eblouie Par La Nuit’, a stunning organ-wrapped number bringing to mind the empty vodka bottles and smeared mascara that were staples of discotheque dance floors circa 1970.