Serge Reggiani has enjoyed an impressively eclectic career, making a name for himself in the theatre and film world before turning to singing in 1965. In the course of his long and successful career Reggiani, who is renowned for his powerful, deep voice, has worked with some of France's leading songwriters and composers. On his new studio album, Les adieux différés, the 78-year-old star teams up with a host of faithful old friends (Alain Goraguer, Raymond Bernard, Pierre Tisserand, Jean-Loup Dabadie, Sylvain Lebel and Pierre Delanoé) as well as welcoming a series of new faces (Charlotte Grenat, Sigrid Baffert, Françoise Clémot, Liliane Bouc, Dominique Pankratoff and François Bernheim).

Reggiani, who has recorded songs by everyone from Moustaki, Nougaro and Le Forestier to legendary French rebel Serge Gainsbourg, proves that there is still a good deal of life - and spirit - in the old dog yet. One might have expected Reggiani's new album, ironically entitled Les adieux différés (Postponed Goodbyes), would have been infused with the quiet melancholy of a frail old man living under the shadow of the Grim Reaper. Not a bit of it! Les adieux différés pulses with life, Reggiani exploring the depravities of the soul (Ivre), the bitter-sweet pleasure of nostalgia (Jeune) and the joys of love (La gare de Bayonne).

Women also play a major role on Les adieux différés, Reggiani exalting eternal feminine virtues (Le monde est femme) and exploring what makes the modern women tick (C’est dans combien?). Over the past ten years or so Reggiani has taken time off from his singing career to devote himself to a new passion, painting. The singer's canvases are currently on display at the Galerie Vekava in Paris and his new album also includes a sentimental ballad dedicated to the art world (Ballade pour une gardienne de musée).

Listening to the highly accomplished songs on Reggiani's new album, you end up hoping the singer's adieux will be postponed forever. However, while Reggiani's spirit remains strong, his health is decidedly weak. Fans looking forward to a forthcoming reunion with their idol were recently informed that it wasn't so much Reggiani's adieux, as his forthcoming stage comeback, which had to be postponed. Following the singer's hospitalisation, his October concerts at the Casino de Paris were cancelled together with all autumn tour dates.

Thanks to a bright idea from Polydor, however, disappointed fans will now be able to console themselves with a double CD album featuring a selection of Reggiani's greatest hits - from Ma liberté to Les loups sont entrés dans Paris - as well as covers of Boris Vian classics (Valse dingue, Fugue, Je bois) and Jacques Prévert songs (Barbara, Il ne faut pas).

Serge Reggiani Les adieux différés (Trema) 1999

Gilles Rio

DOLLY: Rocking To The Top

Pin your ears back and get ready to take in Dolly's infectious rock over and over and over again - it's totally compulsive listening! What's more, the group are now well on the way to becoming one of the leading acts on the French rock scene.

Following the success of their first album Dolly in 1997, Thierry (drums), Micka (bass), Nico (guitar) and Manu (guitar & vocals) have kept up a hectic pace, touring, recording, mixing, then hitting the road again. These French rock Stakhanovites have established an excellent track record and now have two accomplished albums and a critically-acclaimed series of concerts to their name.

Whereas Dolly's debut album was produced by the omnipresent Clive Martin, the group's new album Un jour de rêves was masterminded by Al Clay (famous for his work with The Pixies, Franck Black and Del Amitri). Un jour de rêves features a subtle change of style, Dolly going in for softer, slower tempos on their new album - although there's still enough guitar feedback to satisfy fervent Dolly fans! The latter will no doubt be very surprised to find a couple of rather poetic-sounding ballads on Dolly's new opus, such as Mes yeux se ferment (written by Manu and Bashung's songwriter Jean Fauque) and Angel, a track which fuses electric guitars with a classic violin quartet!

Manu's powerful - and at times almost lascivious - vocals provide a perfect balance to the group's throbbing guitars and drums. As for the subject matter of Dolly's new songs, this ranges from the jealousy of possessive love (Parti pour une heure) to the accidental death of a friend (Le temps qu’il nous reste). But it's not so much the originality of Dolly's subject matter which impresses as the incandescent energy the group put into their live and studio performances. In short, Dolly's new album Un jour de rêves proves that this group have vanquished all fears that they might turn out to be one-hit wonders!

Dolly Un jour de rêves (East West) 1999

Frédéric Garat

MARC LAVOINE: 7th Heaven

Following in the footsteps of Florent Pagny, Zazie, Patricia Kaas, Hallyday Senior and Hallyday Junior, Marc Lavoine has finally got his own song written by the ubiquitous French singer-composer Pascal Obispo. Fais semblant is the track in question and it features on Lavoine's brand new album 7ème ciel (7th Heaven). We have to admit, it's not the most original of tracks - after all, Obispo is the French music scene's equivalent of fast food! But in its own standard, mid-tempo, middle-of-the-road way, Fais semblant is ideal for French FM stations and the song will doubtless be instrumental in relaunching Lavoine's flagging career.

For those unfamiliar with Lavoine's track history, we will briefly recap his career here. The handsome young singer launched his career with the hit single Yeux revolvers and quickly went on to build up a firm following of teenage girl fans. Lavoine has moved on from teenage pin-up status these days, however, regaining his dignity as a mature singer-songwriter. Indeed, Lavoine's songwriting has become increasingly refined over the years - as the twelve tracks on the new album 7ème ciel show. Lavoine penned the lyrics for all twelve songs himself, and wrote the musical arrangements for six of them. As far as the remaining six tracks are concerned, he enlisted the aid of several leading French composers besides the inevitable Obispo, calling on Jean-Jacques Goldman (J’écris des chansons), Richard Mortier, Michel Coeuriot, Alain Lanty and Jean-Pierre Lousteau.

The result is a concentrated mix of pop-rock-ballads spiced up with a touch of biguine (c.f. J’entends la musique). All smoothly-produced and well put together, but a lot less adventurous than Lavoine's 1997 electronic venture "Lavoine-matic" - which appeared to disconcert quite a number of his fans! While never quite managing to transport the listener to 7th Heaven, Lavoine's new album serves up a fresh and honest mix of French variété.

Marc Lavoine 7ème ciel (Avrep/BMG) 1999

Gilles Rio