Zazie - Rodéo (2004)

Zazie will probably never be known in the English-speaking world, but in native France, she is something of an institution. She is especially effective as a vocalist and lyricist, more than a musician. At first listen, many of her earlier albums ("Je, Tu, Ils" in particular) seem like generic French Pop, and they may have been so, but in her later years (the singer is now in her mid-40s), Zazie discovered a side of herself that bordered on near mysticism, and all of her work since then has been highly creative and really, really good.

2004's "Rodeo" is one such album. Its an eclectic mix of pop-rock songs with an Eastern Influence. Zazie's fascination with India, in particular, influenced the making of the album, and it shows. On the plaintive ballad "La Pluie et le Beau Temps" ("The Rain and the good times"), she evokes a wistful combination of The Beatles and Feist. On "Lola Majeure" she turns up the action quotient a bit more, and the stunning "Doolididom" is made for singing along to. Zazie knows a good tune when she hears it - and this album has those tunes in spades. There is something about a girl singing in French, and even better when every song is SO different - the genres here vary from soul, rock, fusion and just good old fashioned regular pop.