Ici Bientot France Vinyl & CDs

Review: The story of Tia Blake is more than a little enigmatic. Apparently she was an American teenager in Paris in 1970, and she somehow ended up securing a recording contract for a small clutch of public domain folk compositions which resulted in this stunning album. Blake performed one concert in support of the album and returned to North America the next year, leaving behind any potential career as a folk singer. Mores the pity, because this album is an arresting trip through traditional songs guided by Blake's captivating voice, which calls to mind Vashti Bunyan's dusky fragility albeit in a lower register. It's not been in print on vinyl since 1971, so don't expect these gems to stay around long.