Frou Frou created an impressive brand of vocal-driven, electronic pop. After the British duo had been collaborating for years without a record deal, the group's debut, Details, was completed for American release on MCA Records in 2002.
Heap and Sigsworth first worked together on Getting Scared from Heap's 1998 solo record, I Megaphone. After completing the promotion for that splendid debut, Heap was ready to begin work on a new project and the two hooked up again as Sigsworth had privately been compiling music specifically for Heap while producing other projects. The first track, conceived by the new, more formal (but as yet unnamed) pairing, eventually turned into Flicks from Details, which is perhaps Frou Frou's most Björk-reminiscent number.
Sigsworth grew up listening to eclectic female artists like Kate Bush, and along with Heap, developed an appreciation for classical music. He has specifically worked with Björk (Homogenic, Vespertine) and Madonna (What It Feels Like For A Girl) among many other significant '90s pop and electronic artists. Far from being the kind of campy moniker one might expect from a more sugary pop outfit, the name Frou Frou was decided upon when Francophile Sigsworth noticed the phrase in a Baudelaire poem. Apparently, when uttered in French, the phrase is meant to approximate the swishing of skirts as they swirl about the legs of comely dancing women, as in a burlesque performance.
Born composers, multi-instrumentalist Heap and studio/sound/producer/musician Sigsworth are credited with many side appearances in support of other artists, especially Sigsworth, who was often used as a bit of a song-fixer. While those aren't bad jobs to have, artists of Frou Frou's caliber need to step out on their own, and while Heap worked as a solo artist for a majority of her career, Sigsworth had never been so strongly identified with any previous project. Instead of relegating the male producer/writer to a barely credited back seat, as often happens with a female-fronted team effort, Frou Frou was conceived and honestly portrayed as a true collaboration, making it significant for its marketing truthfulness if nothing else.
Details has some relatively conventional pop moments like "It's Good to Be in Love", but more experimental cuts like "Only Got One" display a more definitive quality. The true accomplishment of Frou Frou (which is in evidence on just about every track the "band" created) is their uncanny ability to infuse highly manipulated, digitally crafted music with a warmth quite rare in pop and almost unheard of in music so technologically progressive. In the studio, Frou Frou achieved unique sounding beats for Heap's luscious voice via more-than-would-be-expected acoustic and natural instruments. These actual instrumental performances were recorded first, then heavily manipulated in an editing stage, giving the duo their own process and thus, their own sound. This approach made their music lush, dynamic, and more earthy when compared to typical electronic/dance and canned pop.
In November 2017, it was announced that Heap and Sigsworth would be reuniting to tour as Frou Frou in conjunction with an Imogen Heap solo tour in 2018. The duo released a live recording of "Guitar Song" on April 19, 2019. "Guitar Song" is one of two singles not released at the time of the band's initial break-up.
Maddening Shroud
Frou Frou Lyrics
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Sometimes I'll have you know, it's all insane
Maybe it's time for me to jack it in
Maybe it's time for me to track it in
Maybe it's time for me to halt
Oh, I've got a good mind to throw it all away
Throw it all away
After all, what is it worth?
Sometimes I like to get away from the saddening crowd
Sometimes I feel my life is all in vain
Maybe it's time for me to jack it in
Maybe it's time for me to track it in
Maybe it's time for me to halt
Oh, I've got a good mind to throw it all away
Throw it all away
Throw it all away
After all, what is it worth?
Some days my strength walks out
Some days I can't go out
It is for real
We can walk about
We can work it over and over and over
I've got a good mind to throw it all away
The lyrics to Frou Frou's song Maddening Shroud are poignant and melancholic as the singer expresses a desire to escape the mundanity of their life. The phrase "maddening shroud" suggests a feeling of being trapped or suffocated by the chaos and noise of everyday life. The singer admits that sometimes they feel like everything is insane and throws into question the worth of their life, pondering whether it is time to "jack it in" and give up.
The repeated phrase "throw it all away" emphasizes the feeling of desperation and the desire for a fresh start. The second stanza echoes the first, with the added image of a "saddening crowd" emphasizing the singer's loneliness and isolation. The line "some days my strength walks out" is particularly powerful in its admission of vulnerability and fragility. However, the final line of the song "we can work it over and over and over" suggests that despite everything, there is still hope and the possibility of overcoming these feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I like to get away from this maddening shroud
Occasionally, I feel the need to escape from the overwhelming anxiety and confusion that surrounds me.
Sometimes I'll have you know, it's all insane
There are days when everything seems to be completely crazy.
Maybe it's time for me to jack it in
Perhaps it's time for me to quit or give up on what I'm doing.
Maybe it's time for me to track it in
Perhaps it's time for me to retrace my steps and figure out where I went wrong.
Maybe it's time for me to halt
Perhaps it's time for me to stop and reflect on what I'm doing and where I'm going.
Oh, I've got a good mind to throw it all away
I am seriously considering getting rid of everything I have and starting over.
Throw it all away
Literally throwing away all of my material possessions and previous way of life.
After all, what is it worth?
After all, what's the point of everything I have if it's only causing me stress and anxiety?
Some days my strength walks out
Sometimes I feel like I've lost all of my strength and motivation.
Some days I can't go out
There are days when I don't even have the energy or desire to leave my home.
It is for real
These feelings of hopelessness and despair are real and not just in my head.
We can walk about
Despite everything, we can still move forward and try to find a way out of this difficult situation.
We can work it over and over and over
We can keep trying and working through our problems no matter how many times we fail or feel like giving up.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEXANDER FOLA NILERE, GORAN BREGOVIC, GUY SIGSWORTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind