B i o g r a p h y (by Vincent Jeffries)
A collaboration between musician/vocalist Imogen Heap and producer/arranger/songwriter/musician Guy Sigsworth, Frou Frou manufactured an impressive brand of vocal-driven, electronic pop formerly the exclusive territory of Björk. The British duo had been collaborating for years without a record deal, and after what must have been countless hours matching Sigsworth's studio finesse and trickery with Heap's breathy yodel, the group's debut, Details, was completed for American release on MCA Records in 2002. Heap and Sigsworth first worked together on "Getting Scared" from Heap's 1998 solo record iMEGAPHONE. After completing the promotion for that splendid debut, Heap was ready to begin work on a new project and the two hooked up again as Sigsworth had privately been compiling music specifically for Heap while producing other projects. The first track conceived by the new, more formal (but as yet unnamed) pairing eventually turned into "Flicks" from Details, perhaps Frou Frou's most Björk-reminiscent number. Sigsworth — who had in fact worked with Björk (Homogenic, Vespertine) and Madonna ("What It Feels Like for a Girl") among many other significant '90s pop and electronic artists — grew up listening to eclectic female artists like Kate Bush, and along with Heap, developed an appreciation for classical music. Far from being the kind of campy moniker one might expect from a more sugary pop outfit, the name Frou Frou was decided upon when Francophile Sigsworth noticed the phrase in a Baudelaire poem. Apparently, when uttered in French, the phrase is meant to approximate the swishing of skirts as they swirl about the legs of comely dancing women, as in a burlesque performance. Born composers, multi-instrumentalist Heap and studio/sound/ producer/musician Sigsworth are credited with many side appearances in support of other artists, especially Sigsworth, who was often used as a bit of a song-fixer. While those aren't bad jobs to have, artists of Frou Frou's caliber need to step out on their own, and while Heap worked as a solo artist for a majority of her career, Sigsworth had never been so strongly identified with any previous project. Instead of relegating the male producer/writer to a barely credited back seat, as often happens with a female-fronted team effort (for example, Glen Ballard's participation on Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill), Frou Frou was conceived and honestly portrayed as a true collaboration, making it significant for its marketing truthfulness if nothing else. Details has some relatively conventional pop moments like "It's Good to Be in Love," but more experimental cuts like "Only Got One" display a more definitive quality. The true accomplishment of Frou Frou — which is in evidence on just about every track the "band" created — is their uncanny ability to infuse highly manipulated, digitally crafted music with a warmth quite rare in pop and almost unheard of in music so technologically progressive. In the studio, Frou Frou achieved unique sounding beds for Heap's luscious voice via more-than-would-be-expected acoustic and natural instruments. These actual instrumental performances were recorded first, then heavily manipulated in an editing stage, giving the duo their own process and thus, their own sound. This approach made their music lush, dynamic, and more earthy when compared to typical electronic/dance and canned pop.
Details - 2002-06-04 -
Let go Breathe in It's good to be in love Must be dreaming Psychobabble Only got one Shh Hear me out Maddening shroud Flicks The dumbing down of love Old piano ( Bonus track / Uk )
A New Kind Of Love Close up Guitar Song Holding Out For A Hero
Details
Let Go
Drink up baby down Hmm, are you in or are you out Leave your things behind 'Cause it's all going off without you Excuse me too busy Writing your tragedy These mishaps you bubble-wrap When you've no idea what you're like So let go So let go Jump in Oh well what you waiting for It's alright 'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown So let go Let it go Just get in Oh it's so amazing here It's alright 'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown It gains the more it gives And it rises with the fall So hand me that remote Can't you see that all that stuff's a sideshow Such boundless pleasure We've no time for later now You can't await your own arrival You've twenty seconds to comply So let go So let go Jump in Oh well what you waiting for It's alright 'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown So let go Yeah let it go Just get in Oh it's so amazing here It's alright 'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown So let go So let go Jump in Oh well what you waiting for It's alright 'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown So let go Let it go Just get in Oh it's so amazing here It's alright 'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown Breakdown 'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown So let it go Oh it's so amazing here 'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
*** Thanx a lot to r.j & Troy & Syrus & Kami who corrected this one ***
Breathe In
I Read you And God i'm good at it I'm so spot on Chord Shapes in air Go press that dissonance If you dare And you Breathing in Finesse an innocent From her partying And I'm high enough from all the waiting To ride a wave on your inhaling And I'm high enough from all the waiting To ride a wave on your inhaling 'Cause I love you no Can't help but love, you know What Part of no Don't you understand I've told you before To just get Off my case This isn't happening Stop this now And I Where was i I have to be somewhere Now where did i put it And I'm high enough from all the waiting To ride a wave on your inhaling And I'm high enough from all the waiting To ride a wave on your inhaling 'Cause I love you no Can't help but love you know Is this it Is this it Is this it Is this it, no Is this it, no Is this it Yes Hello we're back And we're taking calls Now what was the question And I'm high enough from all the waiting To ride a wave on your inhaling And I'm high enough from all the waiting To ride a wave on your inhaling And I'm high enough from all the waiting To ride a wave on your inhaling And I'm high enough from all the waiting To ride a wave on your inhaling 'Cause I love you no Can't help but love you know 'Cause I love you no Can't help but love you know
*** Thanx a lot to r.j who corrected this one ***
It's good to be in love
I don't know where to start Say i'm tired or throw a party These cucumber eyes Are lying the more that I smile about it And all of my clothes feel like somebody's old throwaways I don't like it It's good to be in love It really does suit you Just like everything I'm happy you're in love 'Cause every colour goes where you do I'm adoring you It's all good You're so beautiful I'm black and blue all over You're breaking my flow How could you know what I'm saying about it When all of my clothes feel like somebody's old throwaways I don't like it It's good to be in love It really does suit you Just like everything I'm happy you're in love 'Cause every color Goes where you do I feel so powerless, I I've got to stop it somehow Oh come on what can I do Why's it happening How's it happening Without me Why's it happening How's it happening that he feels it without me It's good to be in love It really does suit you Just like everything I'm happy you're in love 'Cause every color goes where you do *** Thanx a lot to Julianna & Kami for this one ***
Must Be Dreaming
Pay close attention Don't listen to me from now George'll be flying this one And it's anyone's guess how he does This is the right turn wrong Universe taking me in full bloom Fireball careful with that there See what you made me do I must be dreaming or We're onto something I must be dreaming For I don't fall in love lawlessly I must be dreaming or Pinch me to waking So undeniably yours As long as I'm losing it so completely Incendiary glance Be come and collide in me Zoom in enhance hold While I go helplessly sky high Magic eye sugar rushing don't stop I must be dreaming or We're onto something Hey just watcha make me for I don't fall in love lawlessly I must be dreaming or Pinch me to waking So undeniably yours As long as i'm losing it so completely Euphoria I can't take any more of yah Euphoria I can't take any more of yah I'm losing it I must be dreaming or We're onto something Hey just watcha make me for I don't fall in love lawlessly I must be dreaming or Pinch me to waking So undeniably yours As long as I'm losing it I'm losing it I'm losing it I must be dreaming I must be dreaming I must be dreaming
*** Thanx a lot to r.j & Kami & Erik who corrected this one ***
Psychobabble
How did you get this number I can't get my head 'round you Of course you're not coming over Snap out of it You're not making any sense You couldn't be more wrong, darling I never gave out these signs You misunderstood no meaning Snap out of it I'm not falling for this one If love is surrender Then whose war is it anyway Do just what I tell you And no one will get hurt Don't come in any closer 'Cause I don't know how long I can hold my heart in two If you think that it's so damn easy Then what do you need me for Just look at the state of you, babe Snap out of it You're not listening to this And just for once could you Let me finish my sentence Do just what I tell you And no one will get hurt Don't come in any closer 'Cause I don't know how long I can hold my heart in two Make no sudden movements And no one need get hurt You're making me nervous If you know what's good for me Why would I be loving you Now, I've had it up to here Don't ever try that again Why are you so quiet so suddenly Go on, I bet You're just dying to try me Do just what I tell you And no one will get hurt Don't come in any closer 'Cause I don't know how long I can hold my heart in two Make no sudden movements And no one need get hurt You're making me nervous If you know what's good for me Why would I be loving you So, what do we do now What do we do now What do we do now What do we do now
*** Thanx a lot to Jeromeo & Kami who corrected a mistake ***
Only Got One
If this is a question Is maybe a lie If yes doesn't mean it Does when lessen why You are held in a queue Someone will be with you shortly Say I'm wrong You decide I don't believe the words you sing sometimes But then it's your life Hmm, it's your life It's your life Hmm, it's your life But you've only got one But you've only got one But you've only got one If I just to spite you Placate your disgrace Will song turn to silence Will mask wear your face Are you down to be open Show me yours and i'll show you mine Or are you down just to be down I don't believe the words you sing sometimes But then it's your life Hmm, it's your life It's your life Hmm, it's your life But you've only got one Hmm, it's your life But you've only got one Hmm, it's your life But you've only got one But you've only got one...
*** Thanx a lot to Kami who fixed some mistakes ***
Shh
Sunbeam stop tugging me Pull that door shut quietly Darling what are you doing We don't have time for this Mmm dey mmm da mmm daaeeoo Mmm dey mmm da mmm daaeeoo Crazy, hmm, what are you then Give me an hour and I'll give your dream Mmm dey mmm da mmm daaeeoo Don't make a sound shh listen Keep your head down We're not safe yet Don't make a sound and be good for me 'Cause I know they're waiting somewhere out here Leave it I won't go back We have to do it 'cause there's nothing left here Don't care what do they know I've seen it baby and i know it's real Mmm dey mmm da mmm daaeeoo Mmm dey mmm da mmm daaeeoo Showtime I knew they'd come Woah are we having fun or what yeah Mmm dey mmm da mmm daaeeoo Don't make a sound shh listen Keep your head down We're not safe yet Don't make a sound and be good for me 'Cause I know they're waiting somewhere out here Don't make a sound shh listen Keep your head down We're not safe yet Don't make a sound and be good for me 'Cause I know they're waiting somewhere out here I feel good all over I feel good all over I feel good all over Wear your inside out...
Hear Me Out
I join the queue on your answerphone And all I am is holding breath Just pick up I know you're there Can't you hear I'm not myself Oh go ahead and lie to me You could say anything Small talk will be just fine Your voice is everything We owe it to love And it all depends on you So listen up This sun hasn't set I refuse to believe that it's only me feeling Just hear me out, I'm not over you yet It's love on the line can you handle it So how do I do normal A smile I fake The permanent wave of Cue-cards and fix-it kits Can't you tell I'm not myself I'm a slow motion accident Lost in coffee rings and fingerprints I don't wanna feel anything But I do And it all comes back to you So listen up This sun hasn't set I refuse to believe that it's only me feeling Just hear me out, I'm not over you yet It's love on the line can you handle it So listen up Look at me straight Just hear me out Don't make me wait I'm not myself I can't take this Love's on the line Is that your final answer I join the queue on your answerphone And all I am is holding breath Just pick up I know you're there So listen up This sun hasn't set I refuse to believe that it's only me feeling Just hear me out, I'm not over you yet It's love on the line can you handle it So listen up This sun hasn't set I refuse to believe that it's only me feeling Just hear me out, I'm not over you It's love on the line can you handle it So listen up This sun hasn't set I refuse to believe that it's only me feeling Just hear me out, I'm not over you It's love on the line can you handle it
*** Thanx a lot to Leslie & r.j who corrected this one ***
Maddening Shroud
Sometimes I like to get away from this maddening shroud Sometimes I'll have you know, it's all insane Maybe it's time for me to pack it in Maybe it's time for me to jack it in Maybe it's time for me to halt I've got a good mind to throw it all away Throw it all away Throw it all away I've got a good mind to throw it all away After all, what is it worth Sometimes I like to get away from this saddening crowd Sometimes I feel my life is all in vain Maybe it's time for me to pack it in Maybe it's time for me to jack it in Maybe it's time for me to halt I've got a good mind to throw it all away Throw it all away Throw it all away I've got a good mind to throw it all away After all, what is it worth Some days my strength walks out Some days I can't go on It is for real We can walk about We can work it over and over and over and over and over I've got a good mind to throw it all away Throw it all away Throw it all away I've got a good mind to throw it all away After all, what is it worth I've got a good mind to throw it all away Throw it all away Throw it all away I've got a good mind to throw it all away After all, what is it worth
Flicks Lung of love Leaves me breathless Tongue of fool Lap me in enmity Four walled secret lies among the hessien And a flicker of the future Could've saved the cindered sister And I'm motioning still they stand inside me And moments until the one I leave Colourless I kiss her cold forehead I feel life Loose it in a minute and The ones to come feel too far to care And I'm motioning still they stand inside me And moments until the one I leave People concertina to my private magic lantern move for me With the senses all inclusive In the theatre of triggered memories And I'm motioning still they stand inside me And moments until the one I leave... *** Thanx a lot to Sean & Serena & r.j for this one ***
The Dumbing Down Of Love
Well-painted passion You rightly suspect Impersonation The dumbing down of love Jaded in anger Love underwhelms you No box of chocolates Whichever way you fall And if I tell you Lover alone without love What will happen Lover alone without love Will you listen Lover alone without love Without love No no I'll get this I want to treat you You're still not famous And you haven't struck it rich Under-achieving 'Cause no-one's receiving This tunnel vision Is turning out all wrong And if I tell you Lover alone without love What will happen Lover alone without love Will you listen Lover alone without love Without love Music is worthless unless it can Make a complete stranger Break down and cry And if I tell you Lover alone without love What will happen Lover alone without love Will you miss him Love alone without love Without love Without love Without love
*** Thanx a lot to r.j for this one ***
Old Piano What's that you're saying there Oh well Rain rushing window pain Oh well Not sure what space i'm in Oh well But i'm safe inside me here Oh well... Lying here Ly... ly... ly... Lying here alone
*** Thanx a lot to Johan & Erik for this one ***
Non Album Tracks
A New Kind Of Love ( Early song )
A new kind of love Genetically altered Enough of love life And I can't believe it's not love I can't help myself And you don't have to say that "It sparks across flames You'll feel it kicking in soon" I have fallen in love By the feeling you are I have fallen in love With a feeling So you're running late And it's not even like you You were doing so well Did the dog eat your homework again I can't help myself Cause my friend says in real life "It's only the police That ever come lookin' for you" I have fallen in love By the feeling you are I have fallen in love With a feeling I have fallen in love Her only feeling you are Cause if you're falling in love Let me feel it I've been busy You'll know then You know you're just saying that Are you going to get that What's that supposed to mean I've been busy, you know that You know you're just saying that Are you going to get that What's that supposed to mean I have fallen in love By the feeling you are I have fallen in love With a feeling I have fallen in love Her only feeling you are Cause if you're falling in love Let me feel it You let me feel it You let me feel it You let me feel it You let me feel it You let me feel it You let me feel it You let me feel it
*** Thanx a lot to Automatic TLC for this one ***
Close Up
( B-Side )
Is this a feeling of something About to happen Like snapping out of something I didn't realize I was in Was I sleeping What How can you be so sure If you've never been here before I don't understand It can't be that easy I love you i hate you i love you i hate you I can't keep my hands of you I love you i hate you i love you i hate you Get back, get away from them It's all wrong Keep calm for a moment Look in my eyes Get back, get away 'cause This could get ugly If you think that I'll let you go You're out of your mind Oh my God I'm not supposed to say this 'Cause I know that you're trouble but Is that your real name and why are you doing this And how did I get here Ok, no more questions No worries It's destination unknown So dive in The waters great Listen I'm starting to speak like you I love you i hate you i love you i hate you You can do no wrong I love you i hate you i love you i hate you Get back, get away from them It's all wrong Keep calm for a moment Look in my eyes Get back, get away 'cause This could get ugly If you think that I'll let you go You're out of your mind You're out of your mind You're out of your mind Anata ga koe no (hey, your voice) Anata sono made hashitai no (I just wanted to you talk about it) Anata ga koe no Anata sono made hashitai no Get back, get away from them It's all wrong Keep calm for a moment Look in my eyes Get back, get away 'cause This could get ugly If you think that I'll let you go You're out of your mind...
Guitar Song Take your time, we'll feel our rhythm And find our feet, just like lovers do Me and you Love me like that Won't you take me back to yours Just love me like that It's the only place, it's the only place I want to be Damn you, boy, you have no idea how close we are Every move of every muscle It gets me right where others all go wrong Love me like that Won't you take me back to yours Just love me like that It's the only place, it's the only place I want to be Heaven will be the morning when I wake up with you next to me No need to worry 'bout it 'cause I'll take care of everything When you just say the word, I'm there already, I'll be anything you need Yeah, I've seen you with her Won't you do that to me? Just like you do With her Love me like that Darling, let's go back to yours Just love me like that It's the only way, it's the way it has to be You and me You and me You and me
Holding Out For A Hero ( Shrek 2 OST - Bonnie Tyler Cover )
Where have all the good men gone And where are all the gods Where's the street-wise Hercules To fight the rising odds Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed Late at night toss and turn and dream of what I need I need a hero I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night He's gotta be strong And he's gotta be fast And he's gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light He's gotta be sure And it's gotta be soon And he's gotta be larger than life Larger than life Somewhere after midnight In my wildest fantasy Somewhere just beyond my reach There's someone reaching back for me Racing on the thunder Rising with the heat It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet I need a hero I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night He's gotta be strong And he's gotta be fast And he's gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light He's gotta be sure And it's gotta be soon And he's gotta be larger than life Larger than life Up where the mountains meet the heavens above Out where the lightning splits the sea I would swear that there's someone somewhere Watching me Through the wind and the chill and the rain And the storm and the flood I can feel his approach Like the fire in my blood I need a hero I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night He's gotta be strong And he's gotta be fast And he's gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light He's gotta be sure And it's gotta be soon And he's gotta be larger than life I need a hero I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night He's gotta be strong And he's gotta be fast And he's gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light He's gotta be sure And it's gotta be soon And he's gotta be larger than life Larger than life