Nouvelle Vague. French for New Wave. Also the name of a French band whose two albums are consisted solely of covers of post-punk/new wave songs from the '80s and retooled with a bossa nova (Portuguese for "new wave") sound. The play on words is amazing, oui? Oui. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) What's even more interesting is that there are various singers in the band and each one covers specific songs.
Their first album, self titled Nouvelle Vague, covers artists such as Joy Division, Depeche Mode, and Modern English. What is really special about this album is that the female singers only performed songs they had never heard before.
Nouvelle Vague - I Melt With You (Modern English cover)
Nouvelle Vague - Making Plans for Nigel (XTC cover)
Nouvelle Vague - Teenage Kicks (The Undertones cover)
Their second album, Bande à Part, covers a different slew of new wave artists such as New Order, Billy Idol, and Blondie.
Nouvelle Vague - The Killing Moon (Echo & The Bunnymen cover)
Nouvelle Vague - Heart of Glass (Blondie cover)
And here's an additional song that cannot be found on either album.
Nouvelle Vague - Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order cover, live)
Nouvelle Vague. How fitting for my first post.
