La Femme Verte - Small Distortions

This is something I'll never expect to write again. I guarantee anyone over the age of 25 will fall helplessly in love with this supergroup.

La Femme Verte consists of over a dozen artists from all over the Gothic and Darkwave spectrum, working together with Jean-Marc Lederman (The Weathermen and Ghost & Writer). Lederman is responsible for nearly all of the instrumentation, as this project covers various classic songs.

First up on this verifiable banquet of excellence is a delicate and gentle cover of the Rolling Stone's "Moonlight Mile". Featuring Julianne Regan (Yes, that beautiful voice from All About Eve) and Jay Aston (Gene Loves Jezebel) on vocals, the cover is a gentle, folkish production, and the lyrics are earth-shatteringly poignant when combined with such vocal talent.

Julianne is next up again, doing a version of Nine Inch Nail's trademark "Hurt". The Johnny Cash cover raised eyebrows, but was a unanimous success. There is no doubt that this will go the same way - Julianne has often been described as one of the best female vocalists to grace music, and her ability to go from powerful emotive to china-doll tenderness makes her indispensable.

Off the beaten track some what, Vincent Liben from Mudflow takes on "Perfect Day", and this release is just oozing charm and chivalry.

For someone raised on Industrial and extreme music, this couldn't be of any more of a contract - it is purely gentle, kind, and winsome, yet the entire package from start to finish is just as lovely as a tender stroke on the face from a small child.

"Shadowhuntress" takes on "Enjoy the Silence", and when Martin L. Gore gives a cover his own seal of approval, you know you're onto something nice.

Pet Shop Boy's "Being Boring" gets the Julianne treatment as well, and the feel of the original is not in any way harboured by this interpretation.

"Moon River", Nick Cave's "Where the Wild Roses Grow", and even "Manic Monday" are honoured on this release, and I want you to find out the other covers yourself.

I simply cannot credit all of the guests on this release, without rambling incoherently, but none deserve to be left out, and when one of the finest minds in music these days (I said it in the Ghost & Writer review, and I'll say it again) has an idea, you listen to him.

Everyone with more than a fleeting interest in the Gothic and Darkwave movement will adore this release, and All About Eve fans will be all over this like a cat in a Fish Farm.

Never before has something so out of my expertise been so appealing to me,and if I can fall for this, you can. I promise you, this won't disappoint. Apr 19 2011