An Infinite Brain

Charlotte Gainsbourg “Looking Glass Blues”

Charlotte Gainsbourg is not exactly lacking in personality, but I’m not sure what her personality actually is. She’s an odd presence, a weird question mark in the middle of groovy, atmospheric pop songs. Her new album is a collaboration with Beck, an enigma in his own right, and I think a lot of the reason why it works is because he on some level acknowledges this odd not-quite-there quality in her voice and knows how to make it an asset. As on his most recent albums, he builds warm riffs and busy rhythms around Gainsbourg’s cool and aloof singing voice. It’s not so much about a jarring contrast as it is about highlighting the character and expression that’s already there in her performance, and drawing her out of her shell. “Looking Glass Blues” is especially successful in heating things up without melting the iciness that makes her alluring in the first place. As it turns out, psychedelia suits her rather well. There’s a nice coziness to the sound of the guitar and bass, and the subject matter allows her to slip into a role that is simultaneously authoritative and slightly silly.

Buy it from Amazon.