Babylon Circus - La Belle etoile 
Relevant offers
Music
French pop and rock are best left untouched on the side of your plate, but there are many more sides to Gallic music, such as this band's winning trans-Atlantic mixture of cabaret stylings, gypsy jazz and ska.
This album lures you in and offers you a seat with the slow swing of Des fois before getting slightly Europop with the brisk Marions-nous au soleil, then adding hip-hop to the mix in L'envol.
La cigarette (featured on the new Womad album) really gets the party going, and they rock it up with Perdu before the tempo increases even more with Nina.
After taking a breather with Le fils cache du pape, it's time to grab your partner again for the wacky swing of Sista and the rollicking Une minute.
There are less frantic moments as the band change back into cabaret garb for Sur la tete and Ici, but they won't allow your feet to rest for too long. A treat.
Best tracks: Perdu, Sista.
- Reviewed by Nick Ward. CDs for review supplied by Everyman, Nelson
- © Fairfax NZ News
Sponsored links
Ballet beats country for drama
Van Halen: A Different Kind of Truth
DiCaprio compensates for weaknesses
Loons embark on burlesque fundraiser
Race with storyline is frustrating in the long run
Nice girl, shame about the guys
Batucada Sound Machine: Don't Keep Silent
A display of heart and humanity
High rents hurting benefit strugglers
Destructive 'hoons' disturb residents
Murder accused: I didn't do it
Policeman foils man's bid to die
The power and joy of a harmony
Protester refuses community work
Probe into police conduct in youths' arrest
New year marks change for schools
