La belle étoile - under the stars - is a fitting title for the latest album from French band Babylon Circus. It's the best place to be when listening to them. This is festival, circus or cabaret music, the kind of thing which was written for dancing.

Babylon Circus refer to themselves as 'modern troubadours' (or medieval poets). 'Curious Frenchies who decided to travel, carrying their stories to tell and sing as loud as possible, the best way to get in touch with the world!' They sing simple songs of love, in a language most can understand: a loud voice accompanied by lots of loud instruments. They have sung, shouted, stomped and slammed all over the world, from Ireland to Syria. When asked whether they find the English reserved, they declare 'It's up to us to find the way to make each [crowd] go crazy. And there's always a way.' Their mission is to entertain, and they certainly succeed here.

The album opens with the majestic Des fois, and the constant rhythmic thud of a circus arriving in town. Though the band may have evolved over the past 15 years in style and members, the circus theme remains.

Each track carries its own style; none is weak though some are more catchy than others, such as Nina, Sista, Une minute, Perdu, and La cigarette. La cigarette requires some audience participation, with its call and response chorus holding a universal appeal thanks nonsensical lyrics. Babylon Circus hail a mixture of 'rock, reggae, French folk song and Balkan sounds' as their style.

Most listeners will pick out whatever is recognisable to them from the mélange, as many other musical genres are also present - ranging from waltz and swing to jazz. The opening to L'envoi is reminiscent of Ed Solo, upbeat British dupstep, and will gain some fans with its impressive rap sequence and sturdy singalong chorus.

More sombre tracks include Sur la tête which, in a minor key, is almost sinister as it tells of 'the high wire'. High enough to teeter on the edge, as Babylon Circus have done, there is subtle mention of previous dangerous situations in Dublin and Moscow. Le fils caché du pape is a criticism in French of the Catholic faith, told as a story, or rather, a confessional.

An eclectic mixture of French and English, chilled and frenzied, sombre and upbeat, perhaps this album reflects most closely the European folk music which is so popular on the festival scene now.

Other songs are also stories, sometimes with multiple singers, and the effect is like 'mixing theatre and circus with pure rock'n'roll energy' says David Burachel, a founding member of the group. Just as in theatre, even some of the more upbeat songs harbour a message of hopelessness. Lyrics such as 'I'm still waiting, on s'est perdu, à se chercher (we get lost looking for ourselves), and 'there's no going back', call to mind the circus clown, who keeps performing with a heavy heart. 'I had to avoid overplaying the lyrics. I had to put them across as neutrally as possible to increase their effectiveness' says David Burachel, which means that French speakers are treated to the ironic humour within. 'Marions-nous au soleil - the first release from the album - is a duet, not so much theatre as musical comedy, both in style and content.

Performer Credits: (alpha order): Clement Amirault - trombone, tuba and barrel organ. David Burachel - vocals and guitar. Georges Chaccour - guitar. Emmanuel Héron - bass. Valentin Meylan - trumpet. Christophe Millot - saxophone, clarinet, accordion and flute. Manuel Nectoux - vocals. Olivier Soumali - keyboard. Yannick Urbani - drums.

Company Credits: Manager – Kévin Lamalle.

END

(c) Claire Higgins 2011

reviewed Sunday 31 July 2011 / Bristol, UK

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com