I assume the name Botibol is taken from the musical impersonator, eponymous anti-hero of the Roald Dahl short story - is the solo project of Vincent Bestaven, a French musician whose first album, 'Born From A Shore' was released earlier this year in his native country. It shows a nice touch for melody and the songs are quirky in a Mystery Jets kind of way.
Live, Botibol is apparently joined by a drummer to give a different dynamic to the material and he is just beginning to tour in support of the record. I think he has an interesting slant on songwriting and though not especially original, I can imagine him following in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Phoenix and finding a wider audience. Especially since all the lyrics are in English.
A tentative tip for future success but if he comes to a town near you, I advise you catch him live. In the meantime, I suggest 'Friends', 'Breakwaters' and 'Filling A Hole' as the tracks to check out from the debut album - which you can stream in full above.
STREAM: Botibol - Friends
'Born From A Shore' is available on import at Amazon.co.uk. For more info on Botibol, check Facebook.
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