Things fall apart

April 2, 2020 11:52 AM

Cristina Monet-Palaci could be described as the First Lady of ZE Records. Her chirpy, sinister single "Disco Clone" was the first the label released. She gained infamy for her updated cover of "Is That All There Is", which Leiber and Stoller forced the label to withdraw (though it came out through other means). After releasing two albums, Doll in the Box and Sleep It Off, she married ZE owner Michael Zilkha, and kept a low profile as the "Madame Bovary of the freeway." Though she spoke of recording another album, her only post-1982 recording is DJ Ursula's single "Urgent, Anxious". Cristina died on 2 April 2020 from complications of the coronavirus.

Bonus tracks:

"Things Fall Apart" from ZE Records: A Christmas Album

Cristina's "Drive My Car" single

posted by pxe2000 (4 comments total)

Years ago I downloaded "The Lie of Love" from Matthew Perpetua at Fluxblog. I never followed up much beyond that, but it's a lovely song.
posted by cgc373 at 12:38 PM on April 2, 2020

Things Fall Apart is one of my go-to holiday songs. The rest of her catalog was a delight too.

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posted by Kattullus at 1:34 PM on April 2, 2020 [1 favorite]

She did a Cole Porter cover, that I sort of remember, can anyone remember which one?
posted by PinkMoose at 3:13 PM on April 2, 2020

Oh wow :-(
Those 2000s-era remasters of Sleep It Off and Doll in the Box were definite staples of my college years, both dance parties and ballad singalongs alone in my room. Amazing pop and such a great voice.

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posted by cluebucket at 12:56 AM on April 3, 2020 [2 favorites]