Jane Birkin

To many, Jane Birkin was merely Serge Gainsbourg’s muse and frequent collaborator. There’s no doubt her most famous musical accomplishment is joining Gainsbourg on his lusty, BBC-banned single "Je t’aime moi non plus” for some orgasmic sighs that were deemed too erotic for most listeners. However, Birkin always had her own life as an artist, be it as a model, actress (most notably Antonioni’s Blow Up) or chanteuse. Clearly not a songwriter, Birkin has chosen to invite a number of grade A songwriters for their pens instead of going the usual route, which most often involves covering some Serge. Fictions offers a wide palate of styles, featuring original numbers from Rufus Wainwright, Gonzales and the Magic Numbers, and covers of originals by Neil Young ("Harvest Moon”), Kate Bush ("Mother Stands For Comfort”), and Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan ("Alice”). Arranged by Gonzales and produced by Renaud Letang, it’s no surprise that Fictions feels like a first cousin to Feist’s Let It Die — the pair are responsible for both albums. Like Feist, the easy, breezy classic French pop structures are magnificently suited to Birkin’s sensuous voice. Any red-blooded individual will find Fictions to be a sure-fire aphrodisiac for any kind of libidinous activity.