Françoise Hardy - La question (1971)

From allmusic (4.5/5):

"Throughout her career, most of Françoise Hardy's arrangements have tended toward the lush, though in a good way. La Question is lush too, but it's one of her most sparsely produced efforts, usually finding her voice accompanied by little more than an acoustic guitar, touches of bass, and very subtle orchestration. Much of the record's lights-low ambience could be attributed to Tuca (no last name given), who played guitar, co-arranged, and co-wrote most of the tunes (though Hardy did contribute to the composition of a few tracks). It may be her best post-'60s effort, songs like "Chanson d'O" and "Le Martien" featuring some of her most whispery, seductive vocals. As fireside romantic music goes, it beats the hell out of José Feliciano."

sizeprize's review on RYM (5/5):

"Francoise Hardy could have been slotted into the typical French chanteuse category, surviving on her looks and singing easy standards. But while sex appeal and songs written by others are her fare, she delivers on that more than others, and adds to it a sincere artists' sensibility that makes her the opposite of an ingenue, but rather a smart, sexy, arty, womanly force.

The first word of this album is a come-on: "Viens..." delivered with smoldering boudoir sexuality that sets the mood for the whole album. The songs are of longing, doomed romance, loving like it's the only thing on earth. Hardy's voice and personality carry these smartly written songs, but the mood is built by the wonderful orchestration that surrounds them, not layering over the directness of the voice but enhancing it.

This is an amazing record."

Get it here.