While it may be prime heavy-hitter time at the movies, there's an unwritten rule about releasing one's albums too late in the year. Most critics' year-end lists are set by November and even if they have a copy of it in advance, chances are that your record is not going to have had enough time to sink in and unseat a year's worth of competition in the home stretch. I'm sure Charlotte Gainsbourg could care less, but for what it's worth, a more palatable release date would have had a lot more people talking about IRM as 2009 came to a close. A close collaboration with Beck (who handles production and nearly all writing duties throughout), IRM is a subtle stunner and an equally triumphant achievement for both parties. Beck's admiration for Serge Gainsbourg's musical legacy is very evident, especially in the gorgeously orchestrated "Le Chat du Café des Artistes" and "Time of the Assassins". But it's to his credit that the songs that bear his own audio signature ("IRM", "Greenwich Meantime") are just as strong, giving Gainsbourg ample opportunity to groove with her delicate, blank croon. And when the two stylistic worlds collide—as on the echo-chamber-spiced pop of "Me and Jane Doe"—the verdict on the success of this union is a solid très bon. It's neither flashy nor ground-breaking, but IRM is one of the most repeat-worthy pop records I've heard this year—I only wish I'd heard it a little earlier. As a stocking stuffer, though, it's a slam dunk.