Personnel: Vincent Debruyine (alto); Khalil Chahine (guitar, acoustic guitar, bandoneon); Eric Benzi (guitar, ukulele, programming); Alain Lubrano (guitar, piano); Daniel Jea, Rodolphe Burger, Gildas Arzel, Benjamin Biolay (guitar); Thomas Coeuriot, Thomas Dutronc (acoustic guitar); Mathias Tranchant, Anne Gravolin (violone); Mathilde Sternat (cello); Michel Coeuriot, Severine Chavrier (piano); Patrick Goraguer, Arnaud Dieterlen, Fr?d?ric Delestr?, R?gis Ceccarelli, St?phane Chandelier, Laurent Faucheux, Andr? Ceccarelli (drums); Lionel Pierres, Celmar Engel (programming); H?l?ne Grimaud.
Audio Mixers: Jean Claude Vareille; Eric Benzi; Dominique Blanc-Francard; Gildas Lointier.
Recording information: Home Studio, Marbella; Studio Bateau-Lune, Sceaux; Studio GuillaumeTell, Suresnes, France; Studio Hauts De Gammes, Boulogne, France; Studio Labomatic, Paris, France; Studio Plus XXX, Paris, France; Studio Teldex, Berlin, Germany.
Photographers: Jean-Marie P?rier; Thomas Dutronc .
Arrangers: Eric Benzi; Khalil Chahine.
French teen idol and pop icon Fran?oise Hardy returned to record shelves in 2006 with Parenth?ses, a collection of 12 duets. Longtime collaborators like Henri Salvador and husband Jacques Dutronc join some up-and-comers to offer up a slew of some of Hardy's favorites. Among the selections, the intimate and lilting duet with Dutronc, the eerie "My Beautiful Demon" with Ben Christophers and "Le Fou de la Reine" (with the perpetually smooth Henri Salvador) are highlights. Keeping production tricks and mixing slick-ery to a tasteful minimum, Hardy manages to capture quite a bit of the magic that made earlier efforts (like 1971's Question) so uncluttered and engaging. Even Julio Iglesias seems to get into the groove, turning in a fine rendition of Dutronc's aching "Partir Quand M?me..." that's neither flashy nor overtly sexy -- just comfortable -- and that's a good overall description of the album as well. ~ J. Scott McClintock
