To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Serge Gainsbourg's death, hip artists (mostly British) have covered a superb selection from his songbook. English speakers shouldn't fret: The songs have been translated/adapted from the French. But fans of the original versions won't be disappointed either: most of the tracks here are appropriately reverential, but they also put contemporary twists on songs that sometimes date back to the late 1950s and early 1960s. The CD opens and closes with very different covers of "Sorry Angel": Franz Ferdinand and Gainsbourg's muse, Jane Birkin, collaborate on the rocking "A Song for Sorry Angel," while Nathan Larsson and the Cardigans' Nina Persson's "Angel's Fall" is much moodier. Other highlights include Portishead's spooky "Requiem for Anna"; Marianne Faithfull's raspy interpretation of "Lola R. For Ever," backed by Sly & Robbie; Gonzales, Feist and Dani's quirkily funky "Boomerang 2005"; and the Rakes' taut "Just a Man with a Job." Gainsbourg was known for his unabashed taste for eroticism, and in that regard, the album's most faithful tribute to his spirit is Cat Power and Karen Elson's whispery, Sapphic take on "I Love You (Me Either)." Monsieur Gainsbourg would have approved. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

This album brings together artists from the international scene to interpret English adaptations of various songs by Serge Gainsbourg. Features 15 total tracks from the likes of Franz Ferdinand with Jane Birkin, Portishead, Cat Power and Karen Elson, Michael Stipe, Jarvis Cocker & Kid Loco, The Kills, Cat Power with Karen Elson, Tricky, Marc Almond with Trash Palace and more.