The two hundred and twenty-sixth album: #226 Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson
We've only covered Gainsbourg for the songs list so far, where it focused on his individual songs. For the albums list, the compilers selected this concept album with a throughline of the singer's romance with Melody. While the chanson style is one that is a familiar one as I heard it often enough growing up, it feels like the list doesn't show it (or really that many non-English language acts) that often. It feels like a nie break, a gentler album that plays on the feeling of atmosphere and feeling that these French songs bring, one where you get enough of the lyrics to set a tone, but don't quite need it to be brought into this world.
What helps the album in particular is that while the vocals may be more traditional, it's actually quite pop-like in its setup, using electric guitar and organs and a lot of other flourishes that feel like they'd suit Phil Spector - but with a depth of lyrics and focus on vocals rather than those being drowned out as you would get in those numbers. It's cleverly and nicely done and there's something gloriously immersive about it.