B*Witched – C’est La Vie: The Collection | 365 Days Of Inspiring Media

Sony Music Entertainment UK

Release Date: June 30^th 2023

Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre

B*Witched – C’est La Vie: The Collection (Amazon mp3/iTunes)

Track Listing:

C’est La Vie
Rollercoaster
Blame it On The Weatherman
Jesse Hold On (Radio Edit)
To You I Belong
I Shall Be There (feat. Ladysmith Black Mambozo) (Radio Edit)
Jump Down
Are You a Ghost?
Birthday
Get Happy
We Four Girls
Oh Mr Postman
It Was Our Day
Don’t Say Never
My Superman
Play That Funky Music
Fly Away
Castles in the Air
Coming Around Again
Together We’ll Be Fine
Red Indian Girl
Mickey
Never Giving Up
Does Your Mother Know
Freak Out
Leaves
Somebody
The Shy One
Like the Rose
In the Fields We Lay
Rev It Up
Blame It On the Weatherman (Chicane Vocal Edit)
C’est La Vie (Dog in the River Mix)
Jesse Hold On (The Bold and the Beautiful Glamourmix)
Jump Down (Almighty Definitive Mix)
Rollercoaster (Silk’s Uplifiting Extended Mix)
Megamix

The Cranberries. U2. The Corrs. Snow Patrol. Westlife. Bellefire. Sinead O’Connor. Van Morrison. Boyzone. Ronan Keating. Irish music has been part of the fabric of music, period. For quite some time. I’d argue that after music from the U.S.A. and Britian, Irish bands and solo artists would have to rank in at #3 (in my opinion) in terms of impact and influence. They’ve made such an impact not only on Irish music and culture, but also on music globally too. Enter in another Irish group that were big around the 1990s that often seem to be underappreciated and overlooked (but are still nevertheless interesting and impactful). B*Witched entered into the fray during the 1990s and during their heyday, delivered two stellar albums- their self-titled 1998 album B*Witched as well as their 1999 sophomore album Awake and Breathe. After quite an hiatus, they reformed and released a project in 2014 titled Champagne and Guiness, while in recent years, they unveiled a 2019 cover of Wilson Phillips’ ‘Hold On’. Now (or as of 2023), they are back, unveiling a 37 track album titled C’est La Vie: The Collection. Sure, their unveiled a 34 track double disc album titled exactly the same, back in 2016. But with a repackaged cover, a few new songs, and a slight track listing difference, the band are nevertheless back. Who knows…maybe a new album/project is in the works. Maybe.

This ‘review’ isn’t a review as such. But rather, it’s my musings on a collection of songs, primarily from the 1990s, and see how they stack up…even now. The timeless ‘C’est La Vie’ anchors the album, and proves to us listeners why this Irish group is needed now, more than ever; while the happy-go-lucky bouncy pop number ‘Rollercoaster’ reminds us why 1990s music is so honest, innocent, raw, pure and just plain amazing. ‘Blame it on the Weatherman’ shows us the best of what the 1990s decade has to offer, while covers ‘Play that Funky Music’, ‘Coming Around Again’, ‘Mickey’ and ‘Does Your Mother Know’ (originally by the artists Wild Cherry, Carly Simon, Toni Basil and ABBA respectively) are a great way for people who don’t know much about B*Witched, to be introduced to the band. Then there’s ‘Birthday’, the band’s new track, that speaks about a message of self-empowerment and living life to the fullest.

So…where to from here, for this all-girl quartet? Dunno. Maybe their reunion for the song ‘Birthday’ was a one-off. Maybe they’re about to release something different and new. Whatever the case, this underrated band has delivered a collection worthy to be collected, by fans of the band, and fans of the 1990s alike. Well done B*Witched, for these set of songs. Looking forward to whatever that comes for the band, musically, in the upcoming months ahead.