The Her River Raves Recollections album is a scrapbook of odds and ends, collected together during preparations for the forthcoming Plaine Inondable long player. As such it feels a bit under cooked and a little half finished. Which is a shame because there are some decent ideas going on here. Royan kicks off the album, as well as what is known as the Sea Side. It is beautiful, breathy and minimal; yet somehow full sounding with gospel like spiritual female backing vocals. One Voice In The Noise is a bit like The Divine Comedy, with a travelling rhythm and the sparkles of brass and accordion. The Long Journey is a tootling delight, as sumptuous as anything. Cachou leads off the River Side and is a heavily accented thing, mumbly and overtly French. Allons A La Piscine is a tootling pleasure and Kitchens & Dictionaries is Edith Piaf meets Parisian jazz in a coffee bar, while the brief Nights = Days instrumental passes by without much notice. So Many Nos finally has him up there with the showmanship of Duke Special or Neil Hannon, but it’s a rare spark in a box of damp matches.
Her River Raves Recollections is out now on Stitch-Stitch
Francois & The Atlas Mountains website is here
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