Charlotte Gainsbourg

IRM (Elektra/Asylum)

By Genevieve Diesing
Published: February 15th, 2010 | 7:00am

As children of iconic entertainers sometimes do, 38-year-old Charlotte Gainsbourg has carved a path to artistic success that survives the initial thrill of her heritage. As the daughter of French singer Serge Gainsbourg and actress Jane Birkin, Charlotte Gainsbourg has built a respectable film resumé and her bohemian style — heavy on Nicolas Ghesquière and light on attitude — has aided in making Gainsbourg her own fashionable force of nature. She has an enigmatic quality that’s fueled by a shy, timid persona which has made her attractive to genuine talents in the studio like Jarvis Cocker, the members of Air, and now Beck.

Beck more than lived up to the task of writing, performing, and producing Gainsbourg’s 13-track compilation, IRM. His presence is undeniably felt when he harmonizes with Gainsbourg on the stomping “Heaven Can Wait,” and through his string-and-percussion-heavy arrangements that almost overpower Gainsbourg’s breathy vocals throughout the collection of mostly meditative songs.

As far as Gainsbourg’s enigmatic persona goes, it’s distant as ever on IRM. Sure, the title is a very personal reference to the cerebral hemorrhage Gainsbourg survived in 2007 (IRM is French for MRI), and the lyrics as well as the sounds of an actual MRI machine in the title track allude to the eeriness of the experience. But the songs don’t gain speed or pick up emotional momentum as you would hope when listening to the complete package. The jangling piano and tambourine on “Heaven Can Wait” could make for a catchy tune but its slow pace, which may have suited a more textured voice, plods along.

IRM’s mostly electro pop sound bleeds pleasantly into shoe-gaze on “Time of the Assassins” and finds a rocknroll groove on “Trick Pony.” The album is not without its hooks but it often cries out for that element, leaving Gainsbourg stingy–feeling.

Charlotte Gainsbourg official site

Charlotte Gainsbourg MySpace

Elektra