Charlotte Gainsbourg
IRM

Elektra/Asylum

Ever wonder what Beck would sound like if he was female? Now you have your answer!

Beck produced IRM, Charlotte Gainsbourg’s third album. The title “IRM” being the french translation of “MRI” (as in MRI machine) after her minor head injury in 2007 from a water skiing accident. Gainsbourg has said she drew inspiration from music whilst she was in recovery.

Listening to the album, all I hear is Beck’s footprint on nearly every track. Beck is very talented at delivering expressive albums with a unique charm to them that has the ability to win over the listeners. IRM has those same qualities. My only trepidation is that this is Beck’s M.O. — from what I know of Charlotte Gainsbourg, this is not a stretch by any means but… is it her?

It’s a worthy question as listeners might wonder is this chick just another Britney riding the expert direction of a talented producer… or somebody with real talent. I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt as her body of work is not too far off but I don’t have the palette (so to speak) to truly know.

Tracks like the single “Heaven Can Wait” are terrific as there is no illusion as to who she is collaborating with on the album. Songs performed in French are what set her apart like “Le Chat Du Café Des Artistes” which hearkens back to her first album “Lemon Incest” (in which most of the songs are in French). The noise and eclecticism in tracks like “ILM” and “Me And Jane Doe” are classic Beck-style songs. ILM more for the adapting of the found sound (from a ILM machine perhaps?) and Me And Jane Doe for the WTF? lyrics. The album is filled with tracks like “Time Of The Assassins” and “Dandelion” that are just pretty damn good pop songs.

Whether you like Beck or not, this album is stands on its own.

— Jack Tse