This morning, we are setting sail again at the very first light of dawn with Corte Real, without knowing when we will come back. The Versailles-based group is finally releasing its first album “Pays Vaincus” on November 22nd, it includes the track “Opium” that we already featured in our dreamy 353rd episode.
I remember discovering this song on a compilation of the French and francophone pop underground label La Souterraine and being immediately transported to a dark, smoky tavern in the port of some island on the other side of the world. I am very happy that Tanguy, Corte Real’s founder, singer, lyricist and composer, has agreed to participate in this episode while at sea. Tanguy is a naval officer on an aircraft carrier. Most of Corte Real’s songs were written during his long overseas trips around the world, they evoke the mysteries of exoticism, the time stretching over the infinity of the ocean, and express joy and homesickness at the same time. This morning we are embarking with him, get prepared to be soothed by melancholic waves, overwhelmed by the sea spray and the wind of adventure!
Corte Real’s selection
Leonard Cohen - I Left A Woman Waiting
Tanguy: ” This jewel of a song would be quite welcome to awaken to on a Sunday morning. Spector’s music emanates sorrow, but the musical notes manage to bring some rays of light. The world would be a much better place if all would rise to the sound of this song. “
Bert Jansch - In My Mind
Tanguy: ” Bert Jansch’s song bathes us into a bucolic vibe. Truth be told, I rarely listen to music upon waking, but if it were the case I would certainly enjoy stumbling upon such a song. It makes you feel like sliding into your rubber boots and mowing the lawn, which never happens to me. “
Ali Danel - La Nuit Qui Vient
Tanguy: ” This one reminds me a bit of France. It radiates something quite soft that is truly beautiful. I don’t quite know why but it reminds me of the Côte d’Azur: A chair, a coffee and some waves. “
MailTape’s selection
Corte Real - Pays Vaincu
Jules: ” This song is the first single from Corte Real’s upcoming album. Tanguy’s voice and the guitar that accompanies it create a sweet and nostalgic harmony that makes you want to wake up slowly and enjoy the sun at your window (if you do not have the chance to live by the seaside). “
Philémon Cimon - Les Pommiers Envahis
Jules: ” We are now leaving the ocean, going up the Saint Lawrence River to land on the fresh coasts of Quebec. This is yet another brilliant artist I discovered thanks to La Souterraine. The simplicity of the music and the sad sweetness of Philémon’s voice make all the beauty of this song. “
OHIO - Ohio
Jules: ” “Upward, Broken, Always” is the debut album from OHIO, a duo comprised of Taylor Deupree, founder of the New York based experimental music label 12k, and long-time collaborator Corey Fuller. This record is born from the separate childhood memories of their home state and the eponymous track is a slowed cover of Damien Jurado’s 1999 folk song. This new version featuring vocals from Fuller and a beautiful improvisational interlude creates a melancholic, dreamy and subtle atmosphere that will chase all the morning clouds. “
The Velvet Underground - I Found A Reason
Jules: ” I had almost forgotten this song before Massive Attack did a cover version, as an opening to their concert in Paris last February. How could I have forgotten the voice of Lou Reed flying over the chorus and the heavenly atmosphere created by these guitar notes? “
That’s it for this morning! As always thank you so much for listening. Much love and respect to Tanguy from Corte Real for his Sunday selections, and to Camille Célestin for her brilliant illustration.
