Damien Saez is a household name in France these days. After the success of his first album nearly 5 years ago (with songs like Fils de France), he has successfully won the hearts and minds of a certain sociopolitical youth constituency.

Although bashful at times, Saez seemed fairly comfortable exuding a rock star persona in front of his sold out final show at the Bataclan tonight. Beginning the first half with a new set of English songs (which will be featured on his October-release album), Saez followed in the second half with what the crowd of frenchies really wanted to hear: his older french anthems.

Saez has spent the last month partying in New York City… staying with various friends and then shacking up in the Mercer Hotel with a bevy of models. His eye is set on conquering the US airwaves, and if Petite Brigitte’s friends are any judge of what will work in America, it seems like he does have crossover potential. Saez is sans doute a musical genius, and his songs are a melange of groups like Coldplay, the Verve, and Nick Drake. His English lyrics could use some polishing… I’m not sure how a song entitled “Yellow Tricycle” will work in the US…. but on the whole an impressive English debut. Now that the Americans seem more ready to let the French back into their lives (hey, they are listening to Justice now!), Monsieur Saez could be set for a US tour by the end of the year. Bonne chance you son of a … French.

PETITEBRIGITTE

Source : petitebrigitte.com