Paris Mon Amour attempts to capture the romance of Paris in song, gathering 17 tracks from artists such as
Serge Gainsbourg and
Jane Birkin,
Jacques Brel,
Florent Pagny, and
Alain Bashung.
Gainsbourg and
Birkin's "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus" is an undeniably sexy French pop classic, while
Brel's "La Chanson des Vieux Amants,"
Pagny's "Savoir Aimer," and
Bashung's "Madame Rêve" take a more romantic, restrained approach. However, the collection loses some points for including a re-recorded version of
Paul Mauriat's "Love Is Blue" and a version of "La Vie en Rose" by
Trio Esperanca instead of
Edith Piaf's classic rendition. Likewise, the synth-heavy "Aimer Est Plus Fort Que d'Être Aimémé" that closes the collection tends to spoil the romantic mood set by the previous songs. Still,
Paris Mon Amour is a decent collection of romantic French music, especially for someone just beginning to explore the world of French vocal music and pop. ~ Heather Phares