Initials S.G. (CD - 2003)

One of the best Serge Gainsbourg retrospectives available, INITIALS S.G. features 23 of the French lothario's finest tunes, drawing primarily from his 1960s/'70s heyday. Many of the songs on this collection find Gainsbourg performing solo (including the wacky, swaggering "Docteur Jekyll et Monsieur Hyde"), but S.G.'s handful of duets easily garner the most attention, particularly the campy "Bonnie and Clyde," with his one-time muse Brigitte Bardot, and the steamy "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus," with his wife, Jane Birkin. Although Gainsbourg's dramatic pop arrangements and coarse spoken-word-like singing are an acquired taste, those who appreciate the decadent tunes of the hipster icon will be well-served by this excellent compilation. minimize