This is Pink Martini’s latest album, currently number 2 on the Billboard Jazz Album charts. Their 3rd album after the successful ‘Hang on little tomato’ and ‘Sympathique’, both which i have enjoyed very much.
Here is band that sings almost anything. I tend to like artiste that are diverse in their style of music, much like Shiina Ringo’s. Styles that you can’t describe in one word, that isn’t easily defined. Pink Martini is one such artist. I’m sure the world has heard of their famous hit Sympathique, a song with such class and reminiscence of a lovely french al fresco cafe, to me at least.” Je ne veux pas travailler, Je ne veux pas djeuner “ As a result i won’t bother sharing that song. Led by the talented singer China Forbes, pink martini’s a band from Portland, USA and it comprises of 11 band members. They sing in different languages, most recently they attempted an Arabic song ‘Bukra wba’do’, an upbeat song that would probably remind you of some Middle Eastern restaurant. Ah! But do you know that they have attempted a japanese song before? in their album Hang On Little Tomato? and from their latest album Hey Eugene! comes a song made popular by japan’s 70’s singer Saori Yuki, “Taya Tan”. Both japanese songs, should belong in a 60s or 70s vault as that’s exactly how it sounds. But do give it a spin, and feel all black and white again. The other track i have here is the album’s title track, Hey Eugene! A much livelier and contemporary sound…and english. Forbes wrote this song and according to her it’s about a guy ‘eugene’ that she met at a party, they had this great connection, the guy asked for her number but he never called. The song lyrics tells the events that happened at that party. Poor China..
Some might find Pink Martini a little too boring to swallow, as i have on a few occasions, but it never fails to bring a certain ‘refreshment’ when i get tired of some of the stuffs i listen now. I guess they help bring back, Casablanca, Gone with the Wind…and some darn good classics.
download : hey eugene! – pink martini mp3
