Céline's new disque en français
Oct. 27th, 2003 09:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcPeople's opinions on Céline run strongly, no doubt about that. But whatever her often schlockly song selection in English (hey I like schlockly sometimes), she's an altogether different singer in her native language. And seems much more intent on being une artiste en français. Recently Céline released Une fille, 4 types, her first French language album in 5 years. After several listens in the last 10 days, I can recommend it; it's a mature and engaging collection.
Like her most recent French disques (the at-times interesting S'il suffisait d'aimer and the classic D'eux, released in the US and UK as The French Album), Jean Jacques Goldman is the creative force behind Une fille. Although the hands-on producer is Érick Benzi. The 4 "types", or guys here are Goldman, Benzi, Jacques Veneruso and Gildas Arzel, each of whom brings their own rock/pop sensibilities to the project. Goldman is often described as the Springsteen of French rock, due to his leftish values and social commentary as much as his rough vocal ability. Benzi is known for a rich sound that melds acoustic and electronic instruments. Veneruso works American pop idioms into clever and literate French lyrics. And Arzel is an old-fashioned blues rocker, adept at working with acoustice, electric or slide guitars. All 4 guys contribute to each track's sound, and all the tracks are co-written by at least one of them.
The tracks. The first single, Tout l'or des hommes (all the gold of men), isn't the strongest track but it's a good radio cut. It's pop-rock, lets Céline show her range beyond ballads, is already a hit in most of la francophonie. But it really isn't indicative of the depth here. Céline full-out rocks on Ne bouge pas,( Don't move), flirts with dance/trance on Contre Nature (Against Nature) and Le vol d'un ange (The flight of an angel), and acoustic pop on Je t'aime encore (I Still Love You, an English version of which is on her One Heart CD) Retiens-moi (Take me back) and Apprends-moi (Learn me). There are also several radio-friendly, catchy pop songs, including Rien n'est vraiment fini (Nothing is ever really over), Je Lui Dirai (I will tell him, a song to her son) and Mon homme (My Man). There are no über-ballads, a wise decision since so many are still getting over their My Heart Will Go On fatigue. Goldman is known for his songs that are social commentary, and the album's final cut Des milliers de baisers (Thousands of kisses) serves that role here; arguably it's the weakest track of the set, though it's not a bad song.
Favourite tracks? Contre Nature, Rien n'est vraiment fini and Je t'aime encore. But it's a very good album overall all.
And I'm not just saying that because she's my favourite singer, which she is. Though her relationship with her husband/grandfather is creepy, which it is. Really, it's a good disque.
Vas-y donc.
Like her most recent French disques (the at-times interesting S'il suffisait d'aimer and the classic D'eux, released in the US and UK as The French Album), Jean Jacques Goldman is the creative force behind Une fille. Although the hands-on producer is Érick Benzi. The 4 "types", or guys here are Goldman, Benzi, Jacques Veneruso and Gildas Arzel, each of whom brings their own rock/pop sensibilities to the project. Goldman is often described as the Springsteen of French rock, due to his leftish values and social commentary as much as his rough vocal ability. Benzi is known for a rich sound that melds acoustic and electronic instruments. Veneruso works American pop idioms into clever and literate French lyrics. And Arzel is an old-fashioned blues rocker, adept at working with acoustice, electric or slide guitars. All 4 guys contribute to each track's sound, and all the tracks are co-written by at least one of them.
The tracks. The first single, Tout l'or des hommes (all the gold of men), isn't the strongest track but it's a good radio cut. It's pop-rock, lets Céline show her range beyond ballads, is already a hit in most of la francophonie. But it really isn't indicative of the depth here. Céline full-out rocks on Ne bouge pas,( Don't move), flirts with dance/trance on Contre Nature (Against Nature) and Le vol d'un ange (The flight of an angel), and acoustic pop on Je t'aime encore (I Still Love You, an English version of which is on her One Heart CD) Retiens-moi (Take me back) and Apprends-moi (Learn me). There are also several radio-friendly, catchy pop songs, including Rien n'est vraiment fini (Nothing is ever really over), Je Lui Dirai (I will tell him, a song to her son) and Mon homme (My Man). There are no über-ballads, a wise decision since so many are still getting over their My Heart Will Go On fatigue. Goldman is known for his songs that are social commentary, and the album's final cut Des milliers de baisers (Thousands of kisses) serves that role here; arguably it's the weakest track of the set, though it's not a bad song.
Favourite tracks? Contre Nature, Rien n'est vraiment fini and Je t'aime encore. But it's a very good album overall all.
And I'm not just saying that because she's my favourite singer, which she is. Though her relationship with her husband/grandfather is creepy, which it is. Really, it's a good disque.
Vas-y donc.
