Led by Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux, French collective Nouvelle Vague have weirdly reiterated pop and rock classics through genre filters, hot chanteuses and all-star cameos. On their latest effort, “3,” which features a more country/Americana vibe than the group’s earlier bossa nova-tinged work, Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore sings “Master and Servant” and Echo and the Bunnymen’s Ian McCulloch drops by for a cover of his band’s “All My Colours.” We traded emails and theories with Collin and Libaux about the French New Wave, how the ’60s ruled, and the debt they owe to Quentin Tarantino.
Quickie Q&A: Nouvelle Vague
[Scott Thill, Metromix]
Names: Marc Collin (left), Olivier Libaux (second from right)
Occupations: Producers, arrangers and multi-instrumentalists for the French cover band, Nouvelle Vague
Translation: Nouvelle Vague is French for “New Wave”
Sounds like: Your favorite punk, pop and ‘80s hits, as done by a cheeky French lounge act
Latest project: A third album, aptly titled “3,” and a U.S. tour
Official Web site: http://www.nouvellesvagues.com/
Led by Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux, French collective Nouvelle Vague have weirdly reiterated pop and rock classics through genre filters, hot chanteuses and all-star cameos. On their latest effort, “3,” which features a more country/Americana vibe than the group’s earlier bossa nova-tinged work, Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore sings “Master and Servant” and Echo and the Bunnymen’s Ian McCulloch drops by for a cover of his band’s “All My Colours.” We traded emails and theories with Collin and Libaux about the French New Wave, how the ’60s ruled, and the debt they owe to Quentin Tarantino.
Is your name an homage to the French New Wave cinema movement?
Nouvelle Vague’s musical purpose was to cover ’80s New Wave songs in bossa nova style. But for listeners, there were analogies with the cinema movement of the ’60s. And there was that video for “Dance with Me” that used original Jean-Luc Godard footage from “The Outsiders.”
Politically, the ’60s was a hot mess of assassinations. Why do you think it was so artistically brilliant?
It was still sort of naive, sometimes quite idealistic, which we could not really condemn. For some reason, the world has been looking to the past, but we could all be happy if it was thinking of its future.
What’s hot about your latest sonic juxtapositions?
We’re a bit like scientists. And we felt that bossa nova would not be easy for Martin Gore and Ian McCulloch. Plus, we wanted to bring some Americana and bluegrass influences. This sound is new and interesting to us.
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