Comme à la Radio

Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Brigitte Fontaine’s landmark 1970 Saravah album Comme à la Radio, recorded with Areski Belkacem (who sadly died last June), Wadada Leo Smith and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. This deluxe 2-LP edition pairs the original album with a second LP of rare bonus material. The release is accompanied by a lavish 24-page bilingual booklet featuring an introduction by journalist Andy Beta, essays by Wadada Leo Smith, Brigitte Fontaine biographer Benoît Mouchart and Benjamin Barouh, plus a recent interview with Brigitte Fontaine and the late Areski Belkacem. The booklet also includes complete lyrics and a selection of rare archival photographs by Jean-Pierre Leloir and Philippe Gras. The reissue is announced alongside its companion, the deluxe 2-LP set Comme à la Radio "On Air", featuring previously unreleased ORTF live recordings and additional studio rarities.

Wewantsounds pursues its Brigitte Fontaine reissue program with Comme à la Radio, originally released in 1970 on Pierre Barouh’s cult Saravah label, fusing Fontaine’s radical lyricism with Areski Belkacem’s minimalist compositions and the fearless improvisations of the Art Ensemble of Chicago + Wadada Leo Smith. Its title track has since become a cult classic in jazz and groove circles.
The album has been newly remastered from the original tapes and is reissued in a deluxe 2-LP edition featuring 11 bonus tracks. The first LP presents the original album in restored clarity, while the second gathers rare non-album singles, English-language takes, alternate versions and previously unreleased instrumental recordings showcasing the Art Ensemble's artistry, including the elusive English version of Comme à la Radio, and a striking early version of L’été L’été.
Also included is a 24-page bilingual booklet featuring rare archival photographs by cult photographers Jean-Pierre Leloir and Philippe Gras, complete lyrics, and contributions by Andy Beta, Wadada Leo Smith, Benoît Mouchart and Benjamin Barouh, plus a recent interview with Brigitte Fontaine and the late Areski Belkacem. The reissue is announced alongside its companion Comme à la Radio "On Air", a deluxe 2-LP set presenting previously unreleased ORTF live recordings and additional studio rarities.
Comme à la Radio stands as a visionary landmark of French music and a defining statement in Brigitte Fontaine’s career. This expanded edition confirms its enduring influence more than fifty years after its original release.

LP1 Original 1970 Album

Side A:

1. Comme À La Radio [8.03]

2. Tanka II [2.04]

3. Le Brouillard [3.24]

4. J'ai 26 Ans [3.04]

Side B:

1. L'été L'été [3.56]

2. Encore [1.34]

3. Léo [3.50]

4. Les Petits Chevaux [0.43]

5. Tanka I [1.45]

6. Lettre À Monsieur Le Chef De Gare De La Tour De Carol [6.04]

LP2: Non LP singles, Alt. and Inst. Versions

Side C:

1. Comme À La Radio – English Version [8.08]

2. J’ai 26 Ans – English Version [3.56]

3. Le Goudron – 7’’ Single [4.12]

4. Le Noir C'est Mieux Choisi – 7" Single [5.03]

Side D:

1. Les Beaux Animaux – 7’’ Single [3.16]

2. L'été L'été – Early version [4.38]

3. L'été L'eté – Instrumental Version [4.23]

4. Tanka I – Instrumental Version [1.47]

5. Tanka II – Instrumental Version with Flute [1.40]

6. Le Brouillard – Instrumental Version [3.57]

7. Lettre À Monsieur Le Chef De Gare – A Cappella English Version [2.46]