REVIEW: Charlotte Gainsbourg’s “Rest”

Charlotte Gainsbourg, Rest (Because)

The actress/singer’s first album in six years was mostly written and recorded after the death of her half-sister Kate Barry in 2013, but Rest (recorded with French producer SebAstian) is not as somber as you would expect, or in the way you would expect. Giallo synths instill eeriness in opening tracks, though soon Gainsbourg’s signature string-laden disco takes hold, punctuated by a surprisingly funky riff on Sylvia Plath, and a track written for her by Paul McCartney, who also plays guitar and drums. Even the obvious elegies (“Kate” and “Rest”), tender and touching as they are, are life-affirming in their sadness. As a whole, Rest is a trip worth taking.

8/10

Trial Track: “Deadly Valentine”