Stormy Weather
POP
Coeur de pirate
En cas de tempête, ce jardin sera fermé
One doesn’t need to speak French to understand what Coeur de pirate (born Béatrice Martin) is saying on her new album, En cas de tempête, ce jardin sera fermé. The emotion in her voice and delicately beautiful melodies say it all. For the sake of it, though, the title translates to: “During storms, this garden will be closed” — a double meaning that serves as both caution and preservation, and represents the turbulent narrative taking place on the record. En cas de tempête, ce jardin sera fermé is Coeur de pirate’s fourth album and also marks the tenth anniversary of her career. Singing entirely in French, Martin sounds liberated and raw as she opens up intimately about unhealthy relationships and self-destructive habits. That she nearly gave up music altogether in a stressful year also contributes a clear conviction in rediscovered passion on this milestone. From the stirring first track “Somnambule,” piano, strings, and gentle arrangements seamlessly link each song together and generate a natural ebb and flow of sentiment. Album highlights include the bright “Amour
the artist’s bug and stumbled into the role anyway. What was originally conceived as a collection of songs to show off her skills behind the boards is now the L.A.-based singer and guitarist’s debut album, Kiss Yr Frenemies. And damn is it ever good. Tudzin has tapped into a rich vein, mining similar territory as Soccer Mommy, Snail Mail and Vagabon, a sort of nexus of DIY punk and indie rock whose spirit animals include Liz Phair and Kim Deal. At first blush, songs like “( You’re Better) Than Ever” and “Paying Off the Happiness” feel like a fleeting sugar rush, but underneath the sheen are deep sonic and emotional layers, equal parts earnest and casually dismissive. Tudzin’s vocal range is thin, but she knows how to imbue it with emotion; sparser fare like “boi” or the slow burning “Declutter” might sound like rough voice memos, but their production (or lack thereof) only amplifies her vulnerability. Rarely do sharp comic timing and professional sound design skills come together. A slick summation of much of the past five years in the DIY trenches, Illuminati Hotties stand apart. (Tiny Engines, tinyengines.net) d’un soir” and last song, “De honte et de pardon,” which, painfully poignant with gorgeous instrumentation, translates to “shame and forgiveness” — an apt conclusion to En cas de tempête, ce jardin sera fermé and, more largely, a beginning to a new chapter in Martin’s life. (Dare to Care)
What’s been going on since Roses?
I released Roses in 2015 and went on tour straight away; that took a toll on my mind and body. I did way too much without planning ahead, and everything started falling around me. I didn’t want to do music anymore. I was really sad, because I really like writing music and composing and I love being there for the people that listen to me, but the rest was just too much. The fact that I’m releasing music today is surprising, even to me.
How did you get re-inspired?
I quit drinking for a little bit and all the emotions I was repressing for so long came rushing back. Music really helps put things in compartments for me, so I was able to put in words in music what was happening and eventually turn the page. HIP- HOP