Brigitte Bardot

Album Review

Not to be confused with other albums given the simple title "Brigitte Bardot" (such as her 1963 self-titled debut LP), this 2004 CD is a compilation of 1969-1973 recordings, many of which are hard to come by otherwise. In fact, even the otherwise comprehensive three-CD Initiales BB Bardot box set doesn't have about half of these, and two 1970 tracks ("Quand Mon Amour Danse" and "Soyons Deux") were previously unreleased anywhere. And it's really the completist collector who will value this the most, as it's not her best stuff, though it's all right. This was a period that saw her moving into more middle-of-the-road, Continental-flavored pop, sometimes with a faux tropical or bossa nova feel, and away from her edgiest, most rock-oriented material that had characterized her interpretations of Serge Gainsbourg compositions. (In fact, there are no Gainsbourg songs here, the pair's musical collaboration having ended shortly before the period this compilation documents.) That's not to say, however, that these tracks aren't usually enjoyable French pop with a light pop/rock feel, though a few of them (particularly the duets with Guy Marchand, Laurent Vergez, and Annie Girardot) cross the line into schmaltz. "Tu Veux Ou Tu Veux Pas" is Bardot at her most playful; "Nue Ou Soleil" is one of her more ingratiating and melodic midtempo ballads; and the previously unavailable "Soyons Deux" is a relative highlight that outshines many of her tracks that were issued at the time. The vocalist's mood is knowing, sexy, and fun throughout, even if the material isn't always as interesting as the persona she projects.