IRM

Album Review

Before recording IRM, an accident pushed Charlotte Gainsbourg's brain to the side and filled her skull with blood. This should have killed or paralyzed her, but after emergency surgery, she survived. This mix of fragility and strength informs her collaboration with Beck. He's like a director guiding Gainsbourg to inspired performances, casting her as a world-weary siren on “Dandelion”'s bluesy shuffle, and a sneering rebel on the brittle “Greenwich Mean Time.” Gainsbourg's healing process is reflected throughout: “Heaven Can Wait”'s joyful stomp is self-explanatory, but when she sings “you could learn to crawl where you used to walk” on “Vanities,” it's even more poignant. Playful, heartfelt, and unexpected, these songs give Gainsbourg's music a new lease on life. [A deluxe version of IRM was also released.]