Ever since the death of her partner-in-crime Serge Gainsbourg in 1991, Jane Birkin has seemed like a woman not quite sure what to do with herself. Perhaps deciding that she works best as part of a duo, her new album is a collection of 16 smoky duets with a motley crew of singers, some well-known, others completely obscure. As you might expect, the songs' success depend very much on Birkin's chemistry - or lack of it - with her various collaborators. Placebo's Brian Molko, for example, hams it up ridiculously and ends up making both himself and Birkin sound completely ridiculous. Elsewhere, however, the haunting whisper of Portishead's Beth Gibbons goes down a treat, while Bryan Ferry contributes to an excellent cover of the old Roxy Music song 'Every Dreamhouse a Heartache'. The lady herself, meanwhile, remains the epitomy of Gallic cool throughout. Overall, Rendez-Vous is a mixed bag - but with just enough quality to make it a worthwhile listen.
