- Irène Jacob and Francis Jacob - Je sais nager (Sunnyside Records)
Rating: 6 (out of 10)
Following in the grand tradition of Claudine Longet, Carla Bruni, Emmanuelle Seigner and other French celebrities who think they can sing, actress Irène Jacob (sublime in the Kieslowski films La Double vie de Véronique and Trois couleurs: Rouge) joins forces with her musician/brother Francis Jacob on a new album of chansons, Je sais nager.
Like both Longet and Bruni, Jacob has a bedsit whisper of a voice which works well with her brothers Brazilian-influenced songs. Listening to French movie stars records is an acquired taste but fans of the Pink Panther and Inspector Clouseau will want to check this out for Jacobs pronunciation of hamburger alone while the melodies on tracks such as Sumatra will draw in Milton Nascimento acolytes.
- John Goodman
