Bang Bang, "Rendezvous" (2000)

Back in the day when I used to stroll into the HMV at Harvard Square (RIP) each lunchtime, I was endlessly fascinated by a CD by an artist I knew nothing about: Bang Bang. But have a gander at the CD cover, and you might understand why I was drawn to it:


That's an awesome picture. Of course, since it was a French import and hopelessly expensive -- not to mention that I had no idea what it even sounded like -- I had to be satisfied with merely fingering the CD each day. Um, pretty.

At some point HMV figured that no one would ever buy the wretched thing -- maybe because some person's fingerprints was all over the glossy cover -- and they put it on sale. Like, one of their occasional "things start from twenty-five cents" sale. This wasn't that cheap, but only set me back a couple of dollars. As it turned out, Bang Bang made trip hop; the album does feature Jay-Jay Johanson (who I may even have discovered via this) and was pleasant, but frankly not earth-shaking.

But at least I had a lovely cover to gaze upon.

Weirdly enough, a few years ago the second "cycle" of America's Next Top Model was won by Yoanna House (currently burning up a runway near you), and one of her photos looked like this:


I think I just inadvertently made the argument that I was Tyra Banks before Tyra Banks.

Also years later, I saw the group's second album in another sales bin. It...wasn't that good either, but did have a nice electro cover of John Martyn's "Auntie Aviator."

To recap: I now own both of Bang Bang's albums, neither of which is that essential; didn't spend that much money; and I'm a bad weave away from hosting a reality show. But Bang Bang did record a song I really love: called "Rendezvous," it was for the soundtrack of the film Sur Un Air D'Autoroute, of which I know nada. That's also about as much as I know of the song, because it's (1) in French, and (2) sung by a robot. But I can tell you that it's quite possibly about a meeting or something, and vocoderized electropop of the highest order.