Agnes Bernelle

Agnes Bernelle (7 March 1923 - 15 February 1999) was a Berlin-born (though soon England-based) actress and singer, famous (alongside being an international cabaret performer) for being codename “Vicki” – an OSS wartime 'Black Propaganda' radio announcer who demoralised a U-Boat Captain into surrendering via one of her targeted broadcasts. Other accolades include being the first non-stationary nude on a British stage, working with Orson Welles on the radio, collaborator with Tom Waits, being the proprietor of Ireland’s first disco…

In the 80s, Bernelle released two phenomenally titled albums. Father's Lying Dead on the Ironing Board and Mother, The Wardrobe is full of Infantrymen featuring cabaret songs that Bernelle had collected throughout her career including her own translations from German of Joachim Ringelnatz’s works. Father… is more traditional material, with obscure 1930s playwrights often supplying the lyrics, whereas Mother… features songs in the same style penned by the likes of Tom Waits, Peter Maxwell Davies and Marc Almond. The albums are camp at times, occasionally suffer from the fact that they were made in the land of 80s production, and a sixty-something Bernelle presents a voice more in keeping with Lotte Lenya than Ute Lemper (read: her range is not great and she intentionally does not try and overstretch her vocal talents, rather aims for the more theatrical delivery) but there are some real gems on these two albums. At times it is reminiscent of your grandmother disgracing herself at Christmas, but songs such as Chansonette, In Amsterdam, The Road To Marseilles, and Go To The Wall really stand up for themselves.

A little eccentric at times, but more wheat than chaff. If you’re a fan of Kurt Weill, Marianne Faithful, Gavin Friday, The Dresden Dolls, or French chansons you’d do well to check these two albums out.

Mother is HERE (75mb) and Father is HERE (48mb)

Whilst I’m pimping, I should mention that the modern-day musician most in keeping with Agnes Bernelle’s music (and I mean that in a very good way) is the manic, beautiful ukulele-toting chanteuse Patti Plinko. With a raw, captivating voice, seemingly demure appearance and disturbingly dark love songs delivered with a visceral intensity, Patti is the sound of the French Resistance in war torn Paris; all whisky, murder and high heel shoes. Check her songs out on Myspace and catch her up at Edinburgh Festival this August. You’ll be mesmerised.

www.myspace.com/pattiplinkoandherboy

Oh, and she wrote a song about me and it’s fucking ace.