X-Factor made in France : and the winner is...

Comme je l'avait prédit il y a 15 jours, mes chouchous ch'tis (d'par ché mi, hein!) de Basilic s'en sont allés en demi-finale, sans démériter mais sur une interprétation déroutante de Jacques Brel qui n'a pas dû attirer les sms. Sinon, leur Temps à nouveau rock et le magnifique What a wonderful world étaient bien porteurs mais je pense toujours que le format "groupe" est moins fédérateur de sms-eurs... J'avais donc vu juste pour une finale Marie / Sébastien et si je ne m'étais pas prononcé sur le vainqueur, c'est que peu m'importait. A dire vrai, ce soir, au moment où les votes s'arrêtèrent, j'espérais tout de même que ce soit Sébastien qui l'emporte car le talent de Marie me paraissait encore un peu jeune quand celui de son aîné était exploitable tout de suite. Sony/BMG peut donc s'estimer content : le nouveau Patrick Fiori est arrivé. A moins qu'on le markette à mi-chemin entre Calogero & Fiori... On verra bien. En tout cas, pas de doute, il a la voix ; Un beau sourire, des yeux charmeurs aussi, de quoi faire craquer la minette en fleur et lui faire débourser son quota mensuel de sms sur son portable. De quoi vendre du CD ou du téléchargement légal ? Peut-être. Plus, je pense, en tout cas que Marie. Plus fiable aussi dans ses prestations. Je qualifiais Sébastien de candidat parfait de comédie musicale : il sait adapter ses larges capacités vocales à tout style de chanson et se donne à fond sur scène sans couac. J'avoue que ses récentes prestations sur Sorry seems to be the hardest word au piano, It's a man's world ou Je te promets étaient superbes. J'ai moins apprécié Angels, titre que j'adore et qu'il a pris sur une tonalité couplet trop basse à mon goût, mais qui lui a permis de continuer sur les envolées du refrain en tout cas. Unchain my heart était bien emballé même si j'aurais préféré une version dépouillée façon soul déchirée plutôt que groovy crooner en rut. M'enfin, il a bien mérité son titre. Maintenant, à voir ce que ça lui donnera pour la suite. Au fait, comment W9 s'en est-il tiré niveau audiences ? Y avait-il un public suffisant à suivre les primes pour espérer lui donner un nombre de fans suffisants... ?
J'ai de la peine pour Marie mais je pense qu'il faut qu'elle persévère et grandisse un peu. Elle a la voix. Maintenant, il va falloir qu'elle travaille pour gagner en régularité et expression scénique. Ce soir, elle s'est cependant bien approprié le Hurt de Christina Aguilera mais a crié trop fort aux mauvais endroits sur Le monde est Stone. Bon, faut dire que Fabienne Thibault était dans le public à côté de sa môman... Ca doit foutre la pression, ça ! Sa version de Poker face aurait été bien plus réussie si elle était restée dans le domaine accoustique de l'intro et de l'outro sans les arrangements bontempi du milieu : c'est le folk/rock larmoyant qui lui va. Comme le Ironic de la semaine dernière. Où le Lucie, même s'il lui manquait un peu de profondeur pour faire passer plus de cette émotion si chère aux producteurs cathodiques.
Enfin, cette soirée nous a offert aussi le retour sur deux collégiales (Wake me up before you go-go et Le temps qui court) des autres participants de l'aventure. Heureux Gauthier Dymon & Flo et Basilic s'éclatant face aux caméras. Ce sont les seuls autres candidats (avec Cyrielle) à avoir attiré un peu la lumière et mes tympans. Ce fut aussi et surtout l'occasion pour Julie Zenatti de présenter son nouveau single annonciateur de son cinquième (déjà!) album attendu pour Mars 2010, L'herbe tendre et non pas "verte" comme l'a présenté le clown déguisé en pingouin Devoise... Entre ses fiches et son oreillette, cela devait être insurmontable de retenir deux mots ! J'ai peur cependant que ce titre, superbe, tout en émotion et magnifiquement orchestré version piano/voix avec Alain Lanty sur scène pour l'occasion, ne soit pas très radiophonique pour vendre l'album sur les ondes françaises... J'ai entendu d'autres chansons plus "commerciales" dans le court métrage teaser de l'album de Julie, qui semble pour l'occasion avoir mis en retrait ses talents d'auteur au profit de Frédéric Chateau (toujours en disgrace de l'Obispo pool mais heureusement pas en manque de travail, Zenatti après Lorie -mais aussi Natasha St Pier-, c'est ce qu'on appelle un grand écart musuical sauf que les deux belles sont copines... l'une a du piocher dans l'agenda de l'autre!). Il me tarde quand même de découvrir cet opus en totalité. De même j'avoue pour celui de Sébastien. Alain Lanty lui a déjà offert de travailler avec lui dessus si je me souviens bien et je verrai bien Julie lui offrir quelque texte de sa blanche main pour parer les douces musiques d'Alain. Quant à Marc, je rêve d'un remix façon Cerrone d'une ballade à l'origine acoustique sur lequel le jeune homme pourra faire se déhancher les minettes en fleurs lui ayant offert la victoire.

Dannii Minogue's latest cash-in old material release

It's been some weeks since I have received and listened to Dannii Minogue's latest CD and I knew from the start I would post about it. There is no other reason than this one : The 1995 Sessions is pure pop at its best and I don't care it's a cash-in compilation for her fans of unreleased demos from 1994/1995 : it sounds so good and better than most of the music released nowadays !



Forget about the bad-looking silver cover or the atrocious name of the album, what's in store is a re-mastered collection of 12 demo recordings (+1 remix) Dannii intended for her third album back in 1995 after Get into you but that never got released because of a disagreement between her and MCA Records.
Strange enough is the list of collaborators on these songs as some of them had worked with sister Kylie around the same time (Rapino Brothers, Charlie Mole, One World) for her first DeConstruction album, but most of these were not included on the final CD...
I always find it a pain in the ass to think of all the recorded material those stars keep on studio tapes and unreleased while all fans would kill to get it to listen to. These could be used as B-Sides/bonus tracks or be compiled like Dannii does every two year on albums like Unleased or this one. Now I dream Kylie does the same too. But let's get back to The 1995 Sessions.

Free your love starts the tracklisting with ease as it is a winning anthem with strong chorus and melody and eurodance arrangements. It is the first of the two songs co-written and produced by the Rapino Brothers and its perfection leads the extended mix to be included to end the CD on track 13 too.
Next is another first of two collaborations but with the Ollie J/Rollover team this time. I mostly know their works for Bianca Kinane/Peter André and Skin deep sounds a lot more eurodance than their usual R&B influenced dance/pop. Oh how I like on this one the 90's sounding keyboards ! It reminds me of how much I miss this cheesy handbag (aka house/garage Loveland sound-a-like) nowadays. It makes me feel people of the 2000's will find it very dated too. But not me!
Love and affection follows and the sounds are even more struck in the 90's as it sounds like a Get into you reject, with a very poppy melody. This song is pure cheese, but very sweet, nearly PWL-ish. It has nice vocoderized singalongs too and more synthesized strings and piano that makes me think of M People classics too. This succession of good old days' anthems make me feel like I'm 15 years younger, dancing hands in the air at G-A-Y's Astoria Theatre again...
Let love into your life is another winner, produced by Tom Fredericks this time, and it shares the same dance energy and handbag arrangements of the previous tracks while uncredited backing vocalists add more house power to this song.
Next comes a song all Dannii fans know damn well for Everlasting night is one of her non-album singles, originally released in Australia in 1999 after a famous performance at the gay & lesbian aussy Pride march Mardi Gras 1999. The version included is the original version of it, produced by Mike Percy & Tim Lever, and I think their version, if less anthemic, sounds more orgasmic, with a chorus less repetitive too, than Ian Masterson & Trouser Enthusiasts' 1999 remix.
A soft intro seems to slow it down but it is only a teaser for the absolute brilliance of Crazy (for your love). This second (of three in a row) One World production is pop perfection to my ears and I can't get it out of my head. Of all the songs included on The 1995 Sessions, it's the one that I've picked up and included in my current iPod hits list. I think I like this one best because, in truth, it sounds like a post-PWL song sister Kylie could have recorded...
Take my time loving you keeps the hiNRG-etic beats and catchy poppy chorus and I'm glad Mike & Tim, for these sessions, have made it without the outrageous rock guitar that spoiled the original version of Get into you. They've only kept what made This is it fabulous.
Now it's time for the other Rapino Brothers track and it sounds like it could have been kept for the 1997 Girl album. Love in me is a little more laid-back, though still dance, than the previous tracks included. It has a nice sax or trumpet gimmick with a sleazy feelin' to the verses while the pre-chorus and chorus makes it more uplifting.
Exclusively keeps the BPM on the downside, or more on the R&B side of pop than on the eurodance one for sure. It sounds more like I remembered the Rollover productions sounded in fact. Not a track I'd love to listen to in repeat but it's nice enough and it only lasts 2'27 so it's only fair not to skip it ;).
The tempo keeps on slowing down with the two following Terry Ronald & Charlie Mole songs/productions. Love will find a way first, is reminiscent of the Soul II Soul beat and of Dannii's first album smooth tracks to me. It would have sounded out of place within the tracks that opened the CD but now, near the end, it's OK... Don't wanna leave you now then is a pure ballad, first of the album, only fingersnaps giving some rhythm to the song. Most of the time, that would mean boring to me, but thankfully for it, the chorus has a nice uplifting melody. That doesn't save this 4'47 song, though. This is not the Dannii I love.
Last before the remix is the original DNA produced version of Coconut, before it gor remixed as a bonus track on Girl. I've never been in love with this song, with its repetitive lyrics and melody and the production here really sounds like a rough demo of what it'd become two years further on. Dannii's vocals have never sounded so bad as in the highly pitched bits before the end : she sounds as if under helium !

In final, it is not a bad album, I adore the 7 first songs and would only pass on two near the end. But I do feel it could have been better... After all, it is a demos compilation so what's up with this poor tracklisting ? Where is the Love To Infinity produced Got this feeling ? They even could have included the Eurogroove collaborations of these times Rescue me and Boogie woogie for good measure. I feel Dannii has still got unreleased gemms on her side for next time... And I CAN'T WAIT !!!!


If, like me, you can't get enough of good ol' Dannii, another must-have is her latest re-issues, the deluxe editions of her first two albums.
If the Love and kisses doubleCD focuses on remixes and only adds the B-side Hallucination on the original tracklisting, the Get into you doubleCD enlists 4 bonuses to the original 13 tracks album, Feel's so good (a Steve 'Silk' Hurley production), Hold on, If you're in love and It's time to move on (This is it's Cassette B-Side), with a second CD full of remixes too. Only No secret (This is the way's B-Side) is missing...



Shall I finally say all three releases come with beautiful 24 pages deluxe booklets with lyrics and photos and THAT really makes a difference in these days of digital music ...You ought to buy these in CDs !

X Factor français ...suite

Une tranche sur blog de X Factor hebdomadaire lasserait peut-être donc je n'y reviens que cette semaine après une nomination surprise en ballotage pour les géniaux Basilic. Après un suspens insoutenable et des hésitations complètement farfelues d'Alain Lanty, heureusement, le quatuor coaché par Marc Cerrone continuait l'aventure ce soir, l'émission laissant sur le bord de la route le belge Guillaume, abandon logique d'après les prestations de ce soir.

J'avais commenté l'émission lors du deuxième prime, quand le duo Gauthier Dymon & Flo avait quitté l'aventure. La semaine suivante, c'était le groupe qui avait gagné les suffrages de Cerrone contre eux, le trio féminin Character Soul qui les avaient imités, la péroxydée Cyrielle bataillant bravement sa place avec le C'est comme ça des Rita Mitsouko.
De ce prime du 23/11, j'ai surtout retenu que Annie, aussi attachante qu'elle pouvait l'être, était plus au niveau d'un karaoké que d'un prime d'émission de télé. Ce ne fut donc que justice la semaine dernière, si ce fut son tour de quitter l'aventure, après une reprise simpliste de France Gall et celle consensuelle du Heal the world de Michael Jackson. Etonnemment, c'est la version big band de Guillaume de The way you make me feel qui m'a emporté pour les titres hommages au King de la Pop. Sinon, bien sûr, mes nouveaux chouchous Basilic n'ont pas démérité avec leur acapella doo-wop de Blame it on the boogie. J'avais moins aimé leur reprise de Bowie mais leurs prestations hebdomadaires m'enchantent et me surprennent toujours néanmoins. Ce soir, leur jazzy Sweet dreams (are made of this) était à tomber par terre. Quant à l'émotion qu'Olivier a fait passer dans la reprise de Phil Collins qui a suivit, il y a belle lurette que je ne l'attendais plus d'une scie usée comme l'est Against all odds... Pas de doute, ils ont le X Factor pour moi !
Sinon, j'ai enfin commencé à apprécier Sébastien la semaine dernière avec son solo piano/voix sur Si seulement je pouvais lui manquer de calogero puis son énervé Dirty Diana. Cette semaine encore, j'ai une nouvelle fois eu du mal à lui reprocher quelque chose dans ses prestations, que ce soit la Lettre à France de Polnareff ou le Kiss de Prince. S'il a indiscutablement l'art et la manière de jouer de ses cordes vocales, il me manque cependant quelque chose au fond pour l'apprécier vraiment ; une petite dose de charisme en plus ? De la sincérité ? Il sera parfait en chanteur de comédie musicale.
Cyrielle, elle, pour une fois n'a pas du aller rechanter pour les repêchages cette semaine, comme quoi sa prestation sexy (?) sur Shakira et sa reprise dans le souffle (rauque) du J'envoie valser de Zazie ont plus plu que son brouillon Bad et le très beau Dis-lui toi que je t'aime de la semaine dernière. Elle méritait cependant bien de rester par rapport à Guillaume mais la semaine prochaine, pour moi, c'est son tour de partir.
Parce qu'enfin, il reste le cas Marie, capable du meilleur comme du pire, parce que petit bout de diva pas encore arrivé à maturité je pense. Elle s'est complètemennt démontée la semaine dernière après l'échec de son Beat it et du coup, est passée à côté du pourtant splendide Jacques a dit, mais elle plait ! Cette semaine, je suis resté insensible à l'énervant Radio song (mais c'est du Superbus, tout s'explique!) et son Toxic était un bon show canada-dry ; à part l'intro ralentie, je n'ai pas vu Marie dans sa prestation... Pourtant le 23/11, elle avait enflammé le plateau de W9 avec sa reprise de Johnny, à bien nous donner L'envie de la voir aller jusqu'en finale... Maintenant, je me contenterai bien d'un Basilic versus Sébastien, le quatuor remportant la palme évidemment dans mon coeur.
Mais comme on ne vit pas dans le monde des Bisounours, et que l'expérience anglaise l'a prouvé au long de ses six (déjà) saisons, j'ai grand peur que la finale ressemble plus à un match Marie / Sébastien, petite graine de star contre pourfendeur de coeurs de midinettes. En effet, aucun candidat "groupe" n'a jamais gagné le X Factor outre-manche. Ça doit être moins consensuel, un groupe... Dommage. Mais le principal est qu'ils soient remarqués et signés ! A moins que le public n'ait entendu leur supplique des rattrapages de ce soir, sur le Help! des Beatles, et votent massivement pour eux à partir de maintenant. Je vais peut-être même m'y mettre moi aussi...
Rendez-vous bientôt pour la finale et mon débrif sur ces pages.

Sorties CD "Au féminin" pour Najoua Belyzel

C'est l'heure du dernier rush de sorties CD avant Noël et pas mal se conjuguent au féminin : Sans parler des stars internationales comme Lady Gaga et son Monster ou le nouveau Best of de Janet Jackson, pour les francophones, il y a Amel Bent et son troisième album Où je vais, Patricia Kaas et son nouveau best of 19 bien faiblard par rapport au précédent double CD de 2001, Natasha St Pier et son premier best of, Tu trouveras... 10 Ans de succès [acte 1], avec 3 inédits dont un en anglais et ses reprises de Vivre ou survivre et Là-bas avec Florent Pagny. On y découvre aussi dans le livret qu'elle se la joue mémère en tricotant une collection pour Bergère de France (LOL)...
La sortie principale en ce qui me concerne est le second album de Najoua Belyzel, Au féminin, illustré par une belle pochette violine où la chanteuse s'offre sous côte de maille en acier qui explose.

Disponible en edition simple 16 titres et collector relié façon livre avec 3 titres bonus, c'est un très bel objet dont l'attente a été longue mais ça en valait la peine.

On a découvert Najoua (Mazouri de son vrai nom) en 2006 avec son tube Gabriel puis l'album Entre deux mondes ...En équilibre et les autres singles extraits Je ferme les yeux et Comme toi. Un nouveau titre inédit avait suivi en 2007, Quand revient l'été puis enfin, le titre du retour cette année avec le superbe La bienvenue.



Si j'avais aimé ses premiers titres, sur la longueur de l'album complet, j'avais trouvé que la façon dont elle jouait de ses trémolos ou décrochages de voix, à la longue était exaspérante. Heureusement, je ne devais pas être le seul à le penser parce que cette signature vocale a été largement gommée sur ce nouvel album et je ne prends plus que du plaisir à l'écouter.
Ce que l'on ne sait pas non plus toujours, c'est que Najoua travaillait déjà avec son compositeur/producteur Christophe Casanave au sein du groupe Benoit, qui se fit connaître en 2002 avec le tube Tourne-toi Benoit puis Comme Casanova.

Parce que d'inspiration dance/pop sans doute, également parce que la belle travaillait comme elle en binome avec un même compositeur/producteur et qu'elle abordait dans ses textes des thèmes forts, que ses singles aussi étaient soutenus par des videos léchées, Najoua Belyzel a été très vite cataloguée comme une suiveuse de Mylène Farmer. Ce ne devrait pas être une critique trop lourde à porter, car il y a pire que d'être comparée à l'icone francophone N°1, et puis surtout, ce sont les fans de Mylène qui ont retrouvé dans l'univers propre de Najoua des choses qui leurs plaisient aussi, de la même manière que les fans de Ysa Ferrer souvent aiment aussi Mylène Farmer... Mais à force, ça lui a fait écrire pour ce nouvel album un titre où elle exprime son ras-le-bol vis à vis de ça et où elle met les points sur les i en disant bien que si elle respecte Mylène, elle ne la copie en rien. Na! Ça nous donne en tout cas un superbe nouveau single. Mais découvrons l'album pas à pas :

1/ La bienvenue 10/10
Je crois avoir déjà tout dit du bien que je pensais sur ce premier single annonciateur de l'album précédemment dans l'année lorsque je l'avais présenté sur ce blog. C'est une chanson pop/dance sautillante au refrain imparable et au thème fort sur le destin de femmes battues et des enfants pas forcément désirés non plus à la naissance que l'on rejette ensuite. Comme toujours, Najoua parle d'un thème fort sur une musique entrainante et plus joyeuse que les paroles.
2/ Ma vie n'est pas la tienne 9,5/10
L'album se poursuit plus calmement avec de beaux choeurs masculins très présents mais la douceur ne dure que le temps du premier couplet. Le refrain arrive et la chanson s'illumine comme un joyau électronique pop avec des synthés très revival années 80's à la Fade to grey.
3/ La trêve de l'amour (acte 1) 10/10
La même ambiance electronique/new wave se poursuit pour l'intro avant qu'une rythmique plus dance n'explose sur La trêve de l'amour et je sens que la comparaison avec Mylène Farmer va encore y aller bon train ici. Ça ferait cependant un excellent single.
4/ Ma sainte-nitouche 8/10
Une rythmique très appuyée et presque lancinante démarre Ma sainte-nitouche, bon texte sur les exaltées du scalpel (fans de chirurgie esthétique donc), bien que musicalement, le titre soit très répétitif. Heureusement, le bridge très aérien lui apporte une bouffée d'air frais qui le laisse redémarrer jusqu'à la fin sa boucle dance.
5/ Quand revient l'été 5/10
On parlait d'air frais, justement, Quand revient l'été casse le rythme avec son intro chuchotée d'I love you, I love you et sa mélodie presque baroque soutenue par des violons plus que par une boite à rythme. Je n'avais pas accroché sur ce single d'entre-albums et je comprends d'autant mieux ici pourquoi : même si quelques touches sont electroniques, la matière principale de cette chanson est symphonique et ce mid-tempo me passe vraiment à côté...
6/ Jérémie 9/10
La trève est finie et Jérémie démarre avec une rythmique façon Bontempi bien binaire. Psychowak a écrit sur son blog que ce titre faisait trop cliché. Je crois justement que c'était le parti-pris du duo : pour porter ce texte presque naïf sur ce garçon heureux qui aime les filles ou les garçons, et qui rêve d'habiter au coeur du Marais, ils ont façonné une rythmique très enfantine avec des arrangements très clinquants, très Glam's oserais-je dire, qui vont du coup comme des gants (en strass) à cet hymne de gayttitude épanouie. Le risque, évidemment, c'est de subir les foudres d'une partie de son public gay ne se retrouvant pas dans le rose bonbon outrancié du titre. A ne pas sortir en single !
7/ Née de l'amour (acte 2) 10/10
L'acte 2 de sa trilogie sur l'amour commence à pas feutrés avant que les arrangements dance ne l'emmènent comme précédemment sur un territoire proche du Farmerien, pour une totale réussite musicale. Le refrain est enlevé, entrainant et mémorisable, avec un bel effet de puissance qui fait basculer le morceau après le bridge vers un ad-libitum que les fans devraient scander en choeur en concert ; une réussite.
8/ M (hey, hey, hey) 20/10
Le titre dédié à sa relation avec M(ylène) justement suit et c'est le nouveau single choisi. Pas difficile de comprendre pourquoi : c'est une machine à grimper les charts ! La mélodie est imparable, la rythmique trépidante et tubesque, les arrangements electro/dance et le refrain sans paroles universel. Quand aux paroles des couplets, Najoua s'est bien débrouillée pour utiliser ce qu'on lui reproche pour s'en détacher. A noter que le titre s'offre une parure plus electro encore pour le single avec le Graey remix en face B à ne pas manquer.
9/ Denis 8,5/10
Denis n'est pas une reprise de Blondie mais une chanson originale et la seule de l'album en anglais. Si Najoua rêve d'une carrière internationale avec ce titre aux sonorités pop/dance/electro/R&B façon Lady Gaga ou Katy Perry et inspirées new-wave années 80's style Tainted love, il est indéniable que son accent risque fort de lui attirer les colibets outre-manche par exemple. La chanson est cependant bien entrainante mais mes oreilles me demandent si elle n'aurait pas plutôt du s'appeler "Danny" ...
10/ Combien de fois (acte 3) 10/10
Combien de fois, en guise d'acte 3 de sa trilogie sur l'amour, pourrait bien être un futur single. Non seulement parce que la mélodie, agréable et très musicale sur les couplets, devient imparable et très uplifting pour le refrain, mais en plus, comme cette chanson se décline en version acoustique dans les bonus... on sent que c'est une chanson spéciale pour Najoua. C'est en tout cas la chanson "charnière" de l'album, celle où l'ambiance bascule définitivement vers le côté acoustique et calme plutôt qu'électronique dance, et ça, c'est pour moi dommage.
11/ Viola (duo avec Marc Lavoine) 7/10
Ce qui l'est moins c'est que le premier titre très calme est porté en duo avec Marc Lavoine dont le grain de voix velouté porte à merveille la douceur de la mélodie de cette chanson qui parle notamment de l'excision. Habitué à travailler avec Christophe Cazanave (Toi mon amour en 2005 et La semaine prochaine cette année), Marc a choisi cette chanson (qui existe en version solo dans les bonus) pour graver sur CD un duo avec Najoua, que la belle verrait bien porter l'album en tant que single extrait. Bien que très acoustique par rapport à ce pour quoi on l'aime habituellement, Viola pourrait bénéficier de l'effet duo pour la faire connaître d'un plus grand public... A suivre, donc.
12/ Quand revient l'été (intermezzo) 2/10
Petit intermède de reprise instrumentale avec clavecins du titre bien connu des fans. Je ne vois pas l'intérêt... J'aurais préféré une version semblable de La bienvenue. Mais bon, je n'aimais déjà pas vraiment la chanson chantée, je n'allais pas aimer son instru !
13/ L'âme exilée 6/10
L'intérêt était peut-être d'amener encore plus la musicalité vers celle de L'âme exilée, lente ballade mystique au phrasé et à la mélodie d'inspirations très très Farmeriennes. L'absence de refrain reconnaissable et mémorisable pénalise cependant ce titre dont il ne reste qu'une impression, une ambiance de mélancolie quand la chanson s'arrête.
14/ Au féminin 4/10
On enchaîne avec la chanson qui donne son titre à l'album, avec une intro sifflotée et une mélodie baroque presque, dans le sens où je verrais bien des gens en costume Louis XIV danser le menuet sur ce titre. Ça n'est pas du tout ce que j'aime.
15/ Fille d'orient ou d'occident 7/10
Le rythme redevient plus plat avec Fille d'orient ou d'occident, sorte de complainte existentielle sous forme de mélopée ascensionnelle de 2'05 : trop courte malgré tout.
16/ Tout va bien 6,5/10
Les guitares acoustiques seules (ou presque) habillent cet ultime titre pour la version CD standard et je ne regrette pas d'avoir acheté la version deluxe. Je serais sinon resté un peu sur ma faim si l'album s'était terminé par ce mid-tempo calme et doux qui parle des adieux sereins que font les personnes qui vont nous quitter pour que l'on puisse faire son deuil et refaire sa vie. Beau texte mais je regrette l'absence d'arrangements électroniques de cette seconde partie de l'album plus encore sur ce titre.
TITRES BONUS :
17/ Viola 7,5/10
Je trouve que la version solo est meilleure car la voix veloutée et basse de Marc Lavoine apaise le texte dans la version duo, je trouve, quand la version solo supportée seule par la voix de Najoua, lui donne plus de poids, du coup.
18/ Combien de fois (acoustique) 8,5/10
Version acoustique mais pas si différente de la plage 10, pas suffisamment en tout cas pour ne pas rester sous le charme de sa mélodie fraiche et entrainante.
19/ Viens, viens 9,5/10
L'édition collector se termine par cette reprise de Marie Laforêt que Najoua avait offerte aux internautes précédemment dans une autre version pour les faire patienter avant son deuxième album et là, de la même manière, ce titre me sert à me consoler de l'absence de beats electronique dans la deuxième partie du CD puisque Viens, viens les retrouve. Toute en montée, cette chanson progresse au gré d'une rythmique binaire et fait monter la sauce jusqu'à une explosion finale salvatrice et nous donne envie de ré-écouter tout l'album. Je ne connais pas l'original et j'aurais sans savoir pu penser que ce titre était le fruit des auteurs du reste du CD. Najoua se l'ait approprié sans aucun doute pour le plus bel effet.

En conclusion?
Je qualifierai Au féminin d'une appréciation de réussite globale, en cela que cet album bénéficie dans mon coeur d'une première partie pop/dance tellement réussie qu'elle me fait oublier que j'aime moins sa deuxième partie plus acoustique.
Il n'en demeure qu'après des débuts prometteurs, Au féminin confirme : une nouvelle icone française est née !

Falling for the cute pop-rock of Kris Allen

It's been over a week now I've totally fallen for an american pop/rock song full of guitar and made for US FM mass appeal, what is really not my usual cup of tea.
It is the first single released off the debut album of last year's American Idol winner, Kris Allen, and it is an incredibly catchy piece of soulful pop/rock number with a chorus that gets inspiration by slam/rap too. All this would have usually made it nearly impossible for me to like this song but this special mix had an instant appeal that made my heart melt completely : I'm truly addicted to it now and listen to it day and night on continuous play...

In fact, Live like we're dying is a cover version of a japanese bonus track on the first album of the irish band The Script. Kris Allen's version is very faithful to the original, but the explanation must be because it has been produced by the original co-producers Andrew Frampton & Steve Kipner, note for note.
Indeed, That may be a key point, although I didn't know it before ; Andrew Frampton used to be part of the Pete Waterman's post SAW PWL writing & producing team and is the one who gave Steps Love's got a hold of my heart & Never say never again as well as most of Natasha Bedingfield's hits (Single, These words, I bruise easily...). That man has been in the music business behind the scenes for a while now, co-writing & co-producing with maestro for various artists (including several other tracks with The Script) to release good soulful pop music.

To come back to Kris Allen, the 24 year old boy has a cute face, a nice voice but more noticely a special way to put his soul into his music and that's what gave him the winning place last year on the show. His rendition of Bill Withers' Ain't no sunshine was absolutely perfect !
I don't care much for the rest of his debut album right now but I may give it a a try once in a while soon...


To help you get into the song, I think it can help if you can sing along with him (or simply try to follow the fast rhythm of the chorus) so here are the lyrics :

Sometimes we fall down, can't get back up
We're hiding behind skin that's too tough
How come we don't say I love you enough
Till it's too late, it's not too late

Our hearts are hungry for a food that won't come
But we could make a feast from these crumbs
And we're all staring down the barrel of a gun
So if your life flashed before you, what would you wish you would've done

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start thinkin' it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got eighty six four hundreds seconds in a day
To turn it all around or to throw it all away
Gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying, Oh

And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye
Should be so careful who we left out of our lives
So when we long for absolution, there'll be no one on the line

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start thinkin' it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got eighty six four hundreds seconds in a day
To turn it all around or to throw it all away
Gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying, Oh
Like we're dying, Oh like we're dying
Like we're dying, Oh like we're dying
We only got eighty six four hundreds seconds in a day
To turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying

You never know a good thing till it's gone
You never see a crash until it's head on
All these people right when we're dead wrong,
You never know a good thing till it's gone

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start thinkin' it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got eighty six four hundreds seconds in a day
To turn it all around or to throw it all away
Gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying, Oh
Like we're dying, Oh like we're dying
Like we're dying, Oh like we're dying
We only got eighty six four hundreds seconds in a day
To turn it all around or to throw it all away
Gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying

X Factor made in France

J'ai résisté la semaine dernière en me disant que j'aurais plus à dire en cumulant deux primes, et le départ de la première candidate du plateau de W9 était justifié à mes yeux. J'ignorais que les perdants du second prime seraient de mes favoris...

Qu'est ce que les jurés français nous avaient-ils donc concoctés pour cette première saison de l'adaptation française du succès anglais, qui a révélé (puis oublié) Steve Brookstein et Leon jackson, mais aussi Shayne Ward et Alexandra Burke et surtout Leona Lewis ?

Passons d'abord en revue les jurés :

Alain Lanty : pianiste et compositeur à succès, mais aussi chanteur à l'essai le temps d'un album, Atlantique, en 1990, que je possède en cassette, dont furent extraits sans être vraiment remarqués dans le Top50 les singles Vous voudirez vivre à ma place et Tant bien que mal où M. Lanty s'offrait les choeurs d'une certaine Vanessa (Paradis). Il a écopé du groupe des plus de 25 ans et n'a pas su garder, d'après moi, les meilleurs talents (Alexandre notamment!).

Julie Zenatti : chanteuse découverte dans la troupe de Notre-Dame de Paris et qui depuis a fait son bonhomme de chemin avec 4 albums à succès d'où furent extraits moults singles, série inaugurée par le toujours splendide Et si je m'en sors. Un 5° album devrait bientôt voir le jour, devancé par un titre en hommage à Maria Callas où Julie nous offre sa belle voix cristalline d'une nouvelle manière encore. Elle coache les moins de 25 ans et mise beaucoup sur la voix et l'interprétation de ses poulains en les faisant travailler dur et en s'impliquant énormément.

Marc Cerrone, enfin, que l'on ne présente plus, batteur mais surtout icone du disco adulé du monde de la nuit et reconverti avec brio dans la House depuis son partenariat avec Bob Sinclar en 2001 et, bien avant Jean-Michel Jarre, adepte des concerts évènementiels. Qui n'a pas dansé au rythme de son Supernature ou Give me love ? Ce sont les groupes qui lui ont été offerts et pour un showman comme lui, son souci a été de garder des performers avant tout pour transformer sa catégorie en winning team.

Le prime de ce soir a commencé avec un quatuor exceptionnel remarqué lors des casting en groupe vocal et révélé la semaine dernière en groupe de rock avec un chanteur au charisme ravageur sur du Queen. Inspiré, vocalement au dessu du lot, il était comme en transe et bien supporté par ses comparses aux choeurs et instruments. Cette semaine, leur reprise In the name of love de U2 m'a moins converti mais il demeure que le groupe Basilic est le candidat le plus professionnel des 8 restants pour moi.

Suivait ce soir sur une reprise blessée de Christophe Maé la punkette péroxydée Cyrielle. Elle l'a bien interprété mais comme je ne raffole pas du répertoire de ce monsieur, j'avoue avoir préféré sa super prestation tout en second degré de la semaine dernière sur le Hot N Cold de Katy Perry ou même sa reprise de Téléphone sur sa séance de rattrapage, puisqu'elle a fait partie des deux derniers de la semaine passée dans les votes du public. A la fois puissante et fragile, sa voix passe plutôt bien et son look la rend remarquable, en tout cas plus cette semaine que la semaine dernière d'après les votes du public.

Sébastien, le ravisseur de place du clan Lanty (Alexandre faisait passer bien plus d'émotions avec une voix aussi bonne! mais il avait sans doute le désavantage d'être moins jeunot...), est un très bon chanteur de karaoké. Il a fait la semaine dernière un Daniel Levi convainquant sur L'envie d'aimer et cette semaine, Alain Lanty l'a fait renfiler un nouveau costume de comédie musicale, de l'opéra rock Mozart cette fois, pour une prestation plus criarde et totalement mortelle pour nos tympans. A croire que sa p'tit' gueule d'amour lui sauve sa place chaque semaine !

Un autre de mes favoris suivait heureusement avec le duo Gauthier Dymon & Flo, et non pas, comme Alexandre Devoise l' a annoncé toute la soirée "Gauthier, Dymon & Flo" malgré la precision de Marc Cerrone revenant sur leur patronyme. Totalement décalés, ils m'ont séduit depuis leur audition qui avait mal commencé mais leur décontraction, leur univers atypique, leur naturel et leur charme avaient su faire le reste jusqu'ici. La semaine dernière, c'est sur un Vous, les femmes (Pauvre diable) de Julio Iglesias qu'ils ont su tirer leur épingle du jeu, grace à une prestation tout en finesse et une théatralisation les opposant charmeur et timide se renvoyant la balle. Cette semaine, c'est en piano/voix calme et easy listening qu'ils ont entonné la reprise Video killed the radio star de Buggles avant que ça dégénère en partouze musicale extatique dont l'apogée a été quand Flo est monté sur le piano. Avec la voix délicate, mais sachant bien monter le volume de Gauthier, alliée à celle au timbre plus affecté ou chuchoté mais tellement sexy de Flo, ce duo m'a à chaque fois fait grimper au rideau. Leur prestation les a pourtant désignés comme devant rejouer une scène et j'ai l'impression que sentant de quel côté les suffrages du jury allaient tourner, ils ont chanté Salut les amoureux de Joe Dassin au lieu du Born to be alive prévu au cas où. Avec des paroles comme "On s'est aimé comme on se quitte...", ce titre paraissait bien être le chant du cygne de ce duo se sachant condamné à quitter le plateau de W9 mais j'espère bien les revoir très vite ailleurs... Ils ont chacun de leur côté une page Myspace (dans mes amis déjà, merci!) alors j'espère qu'ils vont persévérer en duo et continuer à nous faire rêver en distribution indépendente digitale (emusic?).

Guillaume, le grand rugbyman belge, est arrivé avec une belle interprétation de Déjeuner en paix de Stephan Eicher (chanson que j'ai toujours adorée!) où il a su manier avec talent sa grosse voix de rockeur un peu bourrin et son oeil de biche qu'il avait un peu trop fait larmoyer la semaine dernière sur du Bruel. Julie craque, moi ...moins, mais quand même, ça l'a fait cette semaine.

Annie, deuxième (et vraie pour l'âge) rescapée du groupe des "seniors", y est allée de sa petite larme sur Si maman si de France Gall quand, la semaine dernière, elle a tenté de faire vivre le Winner takes it all de Abba. Mais même si le personnage de ce sacré morceau de bonne femme du sud est attachant, je trouve que ses prestations font "amateur" comparées à celles des autres candidats. Ce soir, il manquait sur ses fins de phrases un peu plus de maintien dans la voix. C'est pour moi la deuxième chanteuse de karaoké du show, en beaucoup moins expérimentée (j'ai pas dit moins douée, hein!) que Sébastien.

Le dernier groupe de Cerrone suivait quand les trois filles de Character Soul ouvraient le bal la semaine dernière et même si je trouve que les voix de deux des miss ne sont pas toujours au top comparées à celle impeccable de la lead, à chaque fois, elles y vont à fond, vous filent la pêche et l'envie de se remuer. La semaine dernière, elles se sont éclatées sur It's raining men des Weather Girls mais les voix étaient forcément faiblardes comparées à celles de Martha Wash & Cie... Cette semaine, elles m'ont fait apprécié la scie des Black Eyed Peas I gotta feeling, ce qui déjà, à la base, n'est pas évident. Elles y ont mis du swing et leurs voix étaient mieux placées aussi. Leur ballotage en repêchage était pour moi tout aussi injustifié que celui de mon petit duo préféré et leur Woman no cry était vocalement très abouti, passeport idéal pour recueillir les votes de Julie et Cerrone. Alain Lanty a, je pense, joué le faux-cul en laissant la décision au coach des groupes. Marc avait vraiment l'air touché, les yeux azur éperdus derrière ses lunettes qui lui donnent un air de Michou hétéro, quand il a tranché en faveur des demoiselles, son coeur allant vers la disco/soul plutôt que vers la pop au gingembre de mes chouchous.

Le show se finissait avec, je pense, une valeur forte du programme, la petite Marie, 1 mètre cinquante à tout casser et une voix à briser le verre dans une ado émotive de 17 ans. La semaine dernière, elle s'était attaqué à Mariah Carey avec Without you et si elle s'était bien époumonnée, il y avait eu aussi quelques faussetées. Cette semaine, Julie l'a fait repartir vers la douceur tout en conservant de quoi exposer sa grande voix sur le Donne-moi le temps de Jenifer. Pari gagné : prestation la plus réussie de la soirée mais s'il vous plait, virez la coiffeuse : qu'est-ce que c'était que ce chignon qui ne ressemblait à rien et la faisait mal passer à la caméra ?! Bon, y'a juste un truc ou deux sur Marie, faut qu'elle arrête de pleurer pour un rien, heureuse, malheureuse, hop, je vide mes glandes lacrymales! Et puis, je n'sais pas mais quand elle chante, qu'elle est à fond dedans, tout à coup, y'a son oeil gauche et son oeil droit qui ne sont plus symétriques, comme si le gauche sortait de son orbite un peu, ça fait peur, limite! Je crois comprendre. Céline! Sors de ce corps !! Non, sans rire, c'est pas grave, faux juste éviter les cheveux tirés en arrière et lui garder une belle mèche sur le front, elle est mignonne comme tout en plus.

Bon, voilà toutes les conneries que j'avais à dire sur le démarrage (en deux primes) du X Factor français. Ah non, j'ajouterai qu'Alexandre Devoise remplit super bien son rôle de potiche à oreillette dont le but est de faire monter les votes mais que dans le genre, et avec le même costume satiné ajusté, Nikos s'en sortait avec plus de panache! M'enfin, comme y'a pas Star Ac" cette année, on fait avec ce qu'on a et au moins, X Factor ne joue pas dans le voyeurisme gratuit du château de la Star Ac en misant tout sur les primes à l'instar de la Nouvelle Star. Il manque juste les bleu/rouge et on s'y croirait... Ah non, là, le jury en sauve un. Sur M6, le jury n'est là que pour s'engueuler. Sur W9 aussi ça risque de castagner dur entre les jurés : avec Alain Lanty qui est bien parti pour vite perdre ses deux derniers candidats, M. Cerrone qui veut gagner à tout prix et trouve ses poulains les seuls (ou presque) qui ont vraiment du talent et la petite Julie qui ne parle que de techniques vocales et veut elle aussi que ses poulains gagnent... Elle n'a pas apprécié que son coaching soit comparé au petit conservatoire de Mireille et a su asséner à Marc que ses références dataient d'un autre siècle, le sien, en l'occurence!

Vivement lundi prochain...
Pour ceux qui ont manqué le show, c'est rediffusé le mardi soir je crois, sur W9 toujours!

Aden & Jordan Jaric don't Hit it up !

The first new release that fits in this blogpost's theme is Hit me up, first single by the Falcon studios pornstar exclusives, real-life couple Aden & Jordan Jaric. Fronted as "The Jarics", this new musical duo owes a big thank you to our foxy lady RuPaul for introducing them to studio wizards. "You want it?" asks a manly voice to introduce this piece of electro/dance but I must admit that, whatever the sex-appeal the boys truly have on video or pictures together, this song does nothing to me... The chorus is very repetitive and quite irritating while the vocals must have been rushed up in an hour or so. The verses are okay but the whole is a little too bland compared to the high level of their previous porn-to-music-stars. If this first single is what they can do best for popmusic, I'd say "stick to porn guys!" They put a lot more passion in their body actions than in their vocals parts...

UnClubbed : club classics unplugged revisited

"Club Classics Unplugged & Chilled Out ...Discover the songs behind the beats" states the sticker from my UnClubbed digipack CD.

If you liked the Sagi Rei accoustic versions of club hits or appreciate chilled out soulful revisitations of dance songs we all know, you should take a look on Sacha Collisson's latest project's page : www.myspace.com/UnClubbed.

Along Simon Greenaway, he was the one behind UK dance act Aurora, who gave us several club hits a couple of years ago : The day it rained forever, Dreaming, Hear you calling, Real life, and the covers Ordinary world, If you could read my mind, Sleeping satellite, Summer son (mostly displaying vocalists Lizzy Pattinson and Naimee Coleman's talents) and recently Love resurrection featuring Freemasons' past vocalist Amanda Wilson.

On Aurora's 2002 eponyme album, there already were acoustic versions (the beautiful If you could read my mind with Marcella Detroit for example) but with UnClubbed, things are pushed a little more far in the chill-out territory.
It's all about organic soulful sounds with guitar, flute and piano, all surrounding beautiful voices giving new life to past club hits.

The album opener is Aurora's favourite singer Lizzy Pattinson with a funky laid-back version of Moloko's Sing it back. Abigail Bailey follows with Finally, not the CeCe Peniston's 1992 overcovered UK #2 song, but the Kings Of Tomorrow lesser known 2001 #24 one... Her strong vocals are perfectly shown by a delicate all acoustic arrangement. Then comes the intemporal Shannon's classic, Let the music play, by Laura Vane, sounding like going back to its roots, a voice and a melody to simply express the music to make you move and dance in rhythm. Deee-Lite's Groove is in the heart is next with Bess Cavendish's well-suited voice. This song I've build to find irritating with the years sounds like fresh again to my ears and that's a surprise !

Then comes one of my favourite club classics EVER : Alison Limerick's Where love lives sublimely revamped by new diva Rita Campbell, who's previously sung for Stonebridge or on lots of PWL/Steps backing tracks in the 2000s. Oh how I wish I'd someday hear a full album of her ! My heart, my ears, all of me needs it... She breathes new life into this perfect song, building from a full accoustic first verse and chorus into a more beat-driven 2nd verse and chorus to fade.

Then, another pure classic, You don't know me, formerly by Armand Van Helden featuring Duane Harden, is stripped to the bone and sent straight into soul/blues heaven with Lewis Cutler's interpretation. Abigail Bailey returns on Rui Da Silva's 2001 number 1 Touch me, a song I didn't really know well but that's nice enough to wait till next treasure, Rapture, the Iio hit recently covered by Bananarama on their Viva album, with Sam Obernik (of Tim Deluxe's It just won't do fame). This version has kept all the energy of the original except the electronic arrangements are replaced by accoustic ones with rhythm guitar, and I, who have never been a fan of the accoustic guitar sound, am totally hooked, or should I say under the magic spell?!

Bimbo Jones' diva, Katherine Ellis, comes next with Hideaway, De'Lacy's cover, and as usual she gives strength and diva power to the song, making it sound punchy and rock, though with some jazzy musical elements in the instrumentations. Another intemporal anthem, You got the love, follows and for once it is a male vocalist that replaces Candi Staton's unforgettable version for The Source and it is none other than soulman Andrew Roachford. You can guess it is another highlight of the album but nearly all tracks here reach exceptional rates of quality.

Sacha Collisson invited Rosie Gaines to re-sing her own song Closer than close and it's all soul/jazz on this new version. Sunscreem's Perfect motion is next revamped and it is another favourite of mine that comes to a new life with Zoe Durrant's fresh vocals. Her voice also ends the CD on Mezmerized 09, which looks to me like being an original song especially written for the project. Maybe I'm wrong, though... But before the end, Justine Suissa did her best Tracey Thorn impersonation on the EBTG worldwide hit Missing, in the former spirit of the song, accoustic folk, and Sweet Female Attitude re-did their 2000 hit Flowers like Rosie Gaines previously did for the CD. I must admit that although the song was a #2 chart hit in the UK, I didn't know it at all. So it is hard for me to judge this new version, except that maybe it makes me feel the limits of such a concept album : I do appreciate chill-out versions of dance songs as long as... I already know these songs well. But that makes two out of 15 songs that I could get without so that's not bad at all!

Add to this several instrumental interludes to help these songs melt one into another and you'll get an ideal chill-out CD to be the musical background for an evening with friends or just while reading a good book in bed or cooling with the one you love in a warm bath with candles.
Go check yourself!

Viva Bananarama ! their tenth studio album

Keren and Sarah have just released their tenth album, Viva, on Fascination Records (house of Girls Aloud, The Saturdays or Sophie Ellis-Bextor) and as much as I loved the lead single Love comes, I feel a little deceived.
It's not that it is a bad album but maybe I was awaiting too much from the ladies' return. And 11 tracks is FAR too short a tracklisting for my tates, considering there are 5 other tracks already available as digital B-sides/pre-order bonuses... WHY OH WHY do CD buyers always feel betrayed nowadays? And the Music Industry wants us to still buy physical over digital ? I don't think so : I think they want us to buy both! And that can only lead to file exchange & piracy...
Let's get back to Viva though.



From the first listen, their new album has grown on me but I remember their first work on a new album was to do a disco cover versions collection and when I hear the brilliance of The Runner, I regret Viva is not the tribute album it was first meant to be. Instead, They've recorded more new songs (and some cover versions too) with help from Ian Masterson (remember Dannii's Neon nights or Sheena Easton's Fabulous disco album?) who produce them all here with up-to-date electro sounds.

Love comes opens it up with its catchy pop melody, electroïfied arrangements and the Nanas OH WOAH OH WOAH trademark lines. It sounds to me like the following step after their previous work on Drama and it's a brilliant lead single, although it only reached a poor #44 in the UK charts a couple of weeks ago. Love don't live here follows the same strategy, after an opera inspired intro ; same electro dance with catchy pop melody but with melancholic lyrics. A cover of Iio's 2002 hit Rapture is next and could easily be tried as following single to try to catch some more chart success. The original is not re-invented but the ladies' voices suit this song perfectly.
Dark retro synthés open the following Seventeen track and it sounds very 80's inspired, robotic beats a la Kraftwerk and keyboards from the Erasure recording room. I especially like the chorus line "Kiss me now, don't let me go. Make me feel like Marilyn Monroe" even though the melody is a little too flat to really suit a single release. This reference may show the Nanas are no girls no more and that their reference may be a little too old for the youngs of 2009. Their chart performances say it more : Bananarama's releases (just like Pet Shop Boys or Depeche Mode's) are for their fans (in their thirty or more), not for the mass audiences. Twisting follows with somewhat an even darker sound and monotone vocals around musically oriental influences I feel. I don't like it much... Strangely this one is the only original the Nanas have not co-written with Ian Masterson ; Rose & Foster were the partners for it.
Thankfully Tell me tomorrow is next and the girls are back to the disco influenced pop we know them for, at their best. This one could have easily been included on previous albums except there's a clicking sound all along the song that makes it sound modern. The chorus is pure catchiness and I hope it'll be a further single, just to hear remixes for it too. Their cover of the Three Degrees' The runner follows and increases the rhythm more. Words can not express how much I love their version !!! And it's even got some Ooh ooh ooh Oooh ooh ooh lines you can sing along to. Musically, Ian Masterson's production is clearly inspired by the original electronical disco of Giorgio Moroder but it sounds as much retro as up-to-date, in a glitterin' campy disco dance kind of way... I think that it is that particular track that makes me think of what a full album of disco cover versions from them could have been (their own Fabulous in fact) and I would have liked it a lot I'm sure!
Extraordinary gets them back on the electro dance/pop side of the CD with 80's influences, diva attitude and some vocoder effects too. A good track but not one I would see be released to radio though. Dum dum boy is next and the rhythm speeds up for a full electronic disco-pop number that sounds fanatstic to me. S-s-s-single bed follows with a downtempo funky rhythm and more vocoderized voices. It is another cover version (the original was by Fox) but it doesn't sound fabulous to me. In fact, they've kept the good for the end as final CD track #11, We've got the night, is the pure jewel of Viva. With anthemic lyrics, a catchier than ever chorus and a wise production, equally sharing the disco/pop influences with the electro/dance ones, this one must be a single somewhat ! I can't get enough of it...

We've finished with the CD's tracklisting but there are some more tracks being part of the Viva release :
First, there's Voyage voyage, a cover of Desireless' 1988 european classic and the girls even sing it all in french with a charming slight accent. One of the first rumoured songs for their disco album, this one ends up being a B-side on some vinyl collector or a digital bonus. It's a shame it hasn't been added on the CD with the others : it's a fresh & breezy version that sounds really good.
Digitally pre-ordering the album gave buyers some bonus tracks and Run to you is one of them. It's a 80's rock inspired electro/disco cover version of the original Bryan Adams hit and makes me think of past Sunblock's I'll be ready and other disco/house dance tracks of some years ago.
Tokyo Joe and The sound of silence are other cover versions, respectively by Bryan Ferry and Simon & Garfunkel, but both leave me cold. The first is really bland and the second really faithful to the original, sounding very fairy but while a dance versions would have make a difference, this aerial good performance can't make us forget the original.
Final to the additional tracks is a new version of one of their old hits, Cruel summer '09, the official B-side of Love comes. I really like this punchy & electronic version more than the 2001 re-recorded one they did for Exotica or the 1989 house remix. This proves that, like a cat, a good song has nine lives.

We're through the review for Bananarama's tenth album Viva and you see this is a must-have album for all Nanas-addict over the planet for sure, a good album for pop collectors but not the BIG comeback album I was dreaming of, the one who would have given the nearly fifty ladies a new exposure on young audience. Next time maybe ?

Ocean Drive feat DJ Oriska or the french sound of summer

"Some people make it so why I couldn't do it ? I just wanna live all my desires"
That's the way goes the accoustic intro of Some people (mon désir) as well as its chorus. I didn't really took notice of this first single from Ocean Drive feat. DJ Oriska until follower Without you (perdue sans toi) came to my ears, using the same recipe, but englueing me into its musical mixture this time : same intro with a beautiful warm male voice with just an accoutic guitar which builds up with addition of layers of synthés, electro rhythm loops, sexy girl's vocal in french and anthemic catchy chorus.

I decided to learn more about who that Ocean Drive feat DJ Oriska project was and what a surprise : I found out the male vocalist is Gilles Luka, previously mindmaster of Galleon (remember So I begin, I believe and One sign in 2001/2002 ?) who wrote several hits for french pop/R&B goddess Nâdiya and went solo for a digital 80's influenced pop/rock album in 2008 80:08.

Ocean Drive was born by his association with two producers Just Uman and Nicolas Carel, and a little electro twitching by DJette Oriska. Although she is widely featured in the videos for Ocean Drive's first two singles, it is not her that sings the female parts in french but a vocalist named Sab.
I've read on their album's booklet french lyrics and additional production came from Johnny Williams and he is no newcomer in this business : with partner Louis Element, he was a leading force in the french dance music scene in the 90's, being part of Roman Photo, B-One and many more eurodance projects. He then went on becoming songwriter/producer with some real success as he was the one behind Allan Theo's hit album Emmène-moi in 1998 but more noticely the starting career of Lorie (writing and producing all her stuff for Près de moi, tendrement, Attitudes and many more). Another Gilles Luka usual partner in crime is brought in on two titles with rapper Smartzee. It is no wonder that with all the people and dedication involved in the project, Sony Music wanted With the sunshine, the album that has just been released, to become the sound of summer.



And I think it's perfect for the holiday clubbing, mixing 80's influences with elektro dance, french and english lyrics, male and female vocals, all together in a melting pot of musics. There's even a ballad, the touching and beautiful No one that was already featured on Gilles Luka solo album. His MySpace page reveals a new solo album (but in french this time) is on its way and the first single On s'évite (with a remix by Ocean Drive) displayed on his music sample player sounds irresistible : I can't wait !!

Let's go back to Ocean Drive and With the sunshine. The CD's first tracks are the two singles, Whatcha an all in english vocoderized and repetitive full on elektro number whose rhythm falls down in an odd calm pause before an electronical skat-ing. I don't understand its placing at #2 on the CD as I very much doubt it could follow Some people and Without you on the radios. But track #4 will for sure ! Because (connecte-toi) clicks on all the same buttons as previous singles with a great chorus and french verses and I can't see a single without these female vocals parts as the Ocean Drive project relies heavily on the DJ Oriska visual, even if she is not the one really singing. I don't forget these french lyrics make Ocean Drive elligible on radios in "french" quotas, and as that's rare in dance, a bigger exposure is guaranteed. With the sunshine (tellement loin) could also become single #3 but the lyrics are too summer-ish for an autumn release, I think.
I really like a lot We can make it, another all in english Gilles Luka song, and it is simply because the arrangements sound like a rip-off Giorgio Moroder's I feel love. That is not the first, nor the last, but it always have the same effects on me : I can't help but love this kind of disco with synthé layers constructed dance tracks. Don't give it up relies more on the usual sound but without french vocals so I guess it'll just stay a good album track. For nobody (donne-moi du son) is another Some people/Without you sound-a-like but the french vocals don't sound like being sung by the usual Sab : They sound more diva-like a la Geraldine from the Heben productions. In your eyes is a keyboard-led anthemic beautiful track and considering David Guetta's When love takes over success, it could possibly be promoed in the clubs to diversify their image a little. There's even bits of Visage's Fade to grey in the way this one sounds. Everyday is the one that sounds the more like a song escaped from Galleon's album but remixed with a little touch from 2009 and that makes me realize that, in fact, Ocean Drive isn't very far away from what Galleon was. There's only the additional elektro sounds of today and the french lyrics bits but the spirit as well as the lead vocalist are the same.
I've kept the two Smartzee featurings for the last as I thought they'd sound too R&B influenced for my tastes really. Digin' it is all rappin' it on minimal electro loops with a little bit of sung vocals but it is not catchy enough to follow the steps of Guetta & Akon's Sexy bitch hit. Your man has a stronger chorus and melody and a nice pulsating rhythm. Smartzee gives this track an energetic rap that boosts it up and if the electro/R&B trend keeps on building his way up in the charts, I think this final track could easily lift Ocean Drive ("without DJ Oriska but featuring Smartzee") back in the charts for a last round.

We're done with the album tracklisting, except for two last remixes, Without you by Romain Curtis, and the club extended mix of Some people. The real surprise would have been to discover a remix of the third single and then put a name on it. So will it be my favourite Because or For nobody, With the sunshine or outsider Your man ? Time will tell. All I hope is that Ocean Drive won't be another Galleon, two hitsingles, a further less successful third single and an album and off. Well, I know it may be just a summer project before re-launching his career but Gilles Luka has too much talent to just come and go from time to time in our CD players : there's place for him more steadily.

Just a last word about the dreadful multicolored cover image with DJ Oriska's sunglasses... the back page of the booklet has a way better designed multicolored look to offer, with a cola can with Coca look-a-like Ocean Drive logo and rainbow coloured soda drink escaping from it in a splash. THAT would have been a nice visual ! Maybe too camp, so uncommercial for the masses, but that's why I like it more...

Whitney Houston's come back and it is as if she's never gone...

Already time for another review guys and it's only been two days that I have this album but I can't wait more to entice you go and grab yourself a copy of it in musicstores anywhere...
This must-have CD is I look to you, the big comeback album by the forever one and only US diva Whitney Houston. Well, I know it may sounds too much, because her latest offerings, 1998 My love is your love and 2002 Just Whitney (I don't talk of the christmas CD One wish in 2003) were a little so-so, with so many collaborations but so NOT what miss Houston is : a mainstream singer, made to sing big ballads and soul/R&B inspired pop, not to record tuneless hiphop with top rappers of the current billboard charts. What songs will she be remembered for : Whatchulookinat, My love is your love ? Maybe Heartbreak hotel and It's not right but it's OK, but only by the kids... Only her duet with Mariah Carey, When you believe, was a great moment of the post-Bodyguard era...
What we needed was the return of the diva who sang Saving all my love for you, The greatest love of all, Where do broken hearts go, One moment in time, All the man that I need, I have nothing and the unforgettable I will always love you. The comeback of the Voice who could sing her heart out in joyful and dancing pop numbers like Love will save the day, I wanna dance with somebody (who loves me), So emotional, I'm your baby tonight, Queen of the night, I'm every woman, Step by step.
Clive Davis, the artistic director of the lady on all her first albums, knew all that. Her personal problems with drugs, the violence from her man Bobby Brown, nothing should have let her away from her fans a year more. This album is her redemption, her resurrection, the comeback to life for a great artist, rising up above the ashes of past years' bad times. Some will say her voice has lost some power, because of the drugs and, like it shows on the CD cover photograph, she's 43 now. But (nearly) all songs on I look to you, and there's only 11, sound like top material recorded by a top performer. All I have to say is "Go buy it !"



It starts with Million dollar bill and it sounds like a very retro disco/funk winner. Penned and co-produced by Alicia Keys, this first single (but not first title used for promotion) has a good organic rhythm and arrangements with a catchy chorus that will instantly makes you feel good, nod your head in rhythm and get your feet tapping. At 3:24, this old school pop winner is way too short : you want to push the Repeat button when it's finished. Nothin' but love follows and this one is a collaboration between producers Fernando Garibay and Danja with help from Harvey Mason. It is a hand-clapping uptempo song with nice background vocals supporting the lady. Despite what usually works with Britney on Danja's productions, there is no sign of vocoderized vocals here but the track sounds very modern and club friendly. The tempo is calmed down a little with Call you tonight, a nice and pleasant mid-tempo summer popsong, with a great guitar arrangement all along and sing-a-long chorus. This Babyface inspired number is written and produced by StarGate and I can't help but think these norwegians may have lost one third of the team when they decided to relocate their studios in the US but their talent is still intact and their greater-by-each-day success is truly deserved.
A simple piano starts the R.Kelly song that gives its name to the album, I look to you, and we're back when Whitney's singlehits were big anthemic ballads where her voice alone could take some lyrics and empower them into a torching song that made every lovers around the world watch the sundown hand in hand and kiss before the film "the end" credit appears. Is it too Cliché for you ? Not for me. Despite my love for dance/house, I'm a true romantic at heart and that kind of big ballad takes me away and have me singin' along for my neighbours' shame. Will it be a single or not ? Who cares ? Nowadays, singles are only promos for radios and with albums like that, nearly all songs are singles in our hearts (and iPods).
Next is the only song of the album that features a vocal contribution by another artist and it is Akon who gets this special treatment. Written and produced by him, this standout track, that was one of the first recorded and destined to be a single, says it all in its title : Like I never left. And it's a sure hit. It's got a finger-snapping beat, an instantly memorable chorus, the trademark nasal vocals by Mr. "#1 hit" Akon and I even wonder why it hasn't been the first single. It is followed by the only cover version of the album, A song for you, originally by Leon Russell, and it all starts with an accoustic and somewhat jazzy piano intro. It sounds as if we were in an old smockey bar next to an old pianist doing his thing with closed eyes, with a classy lady singing next to him for the audience. But then it surprisingly changes, with a nearly housy beat and electro loops, into a full-on clubby vocal anthem. It is another StarGate production and it definitely is a winner in my heart !
Now is the time for I didn't know my own strength, the first song that was promoed to get prepared for the album's release. Especially penned for Whitney Houston, this classic Diane Warren ballad was one of the first recordings with David Foster on production duties. As if we were still in the golden years when the magic pair had half the Billboard's top ten in their hands. The lyrics are really moving because reflecting somehow Whitney's own bad times and I predict a single release. A dance remix has already leaked and, like for all Diane Warren anthemic ballads, it has becomed a fabulous club anthem, in the hands of Rafael Lelis. Worth it, co-written and produced by Eric Hudson, trendy producer (Mary J.Blige, Jesse McCartney, Brandy, Leona Lewis...) and son of one of Madonna's Holiday songwriter, is another old-school inspired mid-tempo with a hand-clapping beat that makes you want to sing along to it. At 4'45, it is the longest song out there and Whitney's voice sounds really inspired on it, making me think of Mariah Carey at her best, sometimes. Strangely enough, its chorus sees Whitney going "This is for the lovers... this is for you" when the following track's name is For the lovers. So track #9 already is another Danja production and at its first notes, it makes me think of a Michael Jackson song, with a syncopated beat pulsating all through the song. When the chorus comes, it sounds all the more uplifting but I should confess this one really sounds modern in the electro/R&B trendy way that nowadays american girls want to sound (think Rihanna, Lady Gaga, etc) but it suits the 46 year old lady with ease, and there's single potential for sure with this one.
Next is the other Akon song/production and I got you starts with flashing synthé sounds before the chant begins. A spanish accoustic guitar stays in the sonic background while Whitney Houston tries to give life to this really flat mid-tempo. Wasn't there something better recorded in the studios to just include this second Akon song inside the 11 tracks CD ? That makes me wonder why the album is so short. By current standards, it should have featured a couple more songs at least, but I know it wouldn't have been the guarantee for more quality. With Salute, it's already time to close this album and it's a pleasant mid-tempo written (and produced this time) by R.Kelly. I especially like the "salute" word closing the chorus and the nice work done on the background vocals but let me say the two last songs on the album don't do justice to the rest of it. There is something missing to finish it in a grande finale ; there's not even a hidden track or something to cheer it up a little after the last two more depressing than joyful rhythms... But we still have got the perfect 9 first tracks to be replayed if you use the Repeat button so what are you waiting for ? ...Repeat.

04/09/09 Edit : I've just discovered Million dollar bill is being promoed with ...a Freemasons remix : I just can't wait to see it get a full release !

David Guetta's 4th album "One Love"

I told you previously in my french DJs' summer albums post that I couldn't wait for David Guetta's fourth studio album One love to be released and now it's been released a week ago and I've listened to it more than a couple times, I can review it fully.



Well, I guess I was awaiting too much of it, its first single When love takes over gave me great expectations while second one Sexy bitch should have let me know it was gonna be a mixed bag, full of too much US R&B influences... Not that it isn't a great album but David Guetta's moved a little too far away from his usual sounds for me.

1/ WHEN LOVE TAKES OVER feat. Kelly Rowland 3:12
The song starts with these gorgeous Coldplay inspired piano notes and builds up into the anthem of the summer 2009, maybe the club anthem of 2009, who knows? It could be. The song has everything : a beautiful melody, great arrangements, memorizable lyrics, perfect chorus, a nice slowed down bridge and a powerful vocalist. I really hope Kelly Rowland has learned of her recent hits (all in the club territories, over her R&B flops) and will work on a full electro-house solo album. Doesn't even Beyoncé get remixed to have higher hits (Freemasons somewhere?).
I must have listened to this song a million times already but I'm sure I ain't never gonna get bored of it... Did I told you it reached #1 in the UK charts? 20/20.

2/ GETTIN' OVER feat. Chris Willis 3:00
The song starts like previous Guetta/Willis collaborations, with minimal keys and soulful Chris Willis voices belting out but then, at 1'10, comes a dirty elektro loop that is on full repeat mode to get on our nerves before more nearly acapellas by Chris Willis heal our ears, but then the awful sounds come back and alternate with the "just no gettin' over you" final parts. It seems to me like David Guetta had recorded a Love is gone clone and wanted to disturb it a little, to make it sound raw, so re-arranged with cut/paste techniques : sometimes beautiful, sometimes boring : 14/20.

3/ SEXY BITCH feat. Akon 3:16
Having recently watched a lot of Kid Cudi vs Crookers' video on MCM, I can't forget Sexy bitch verses' sounds a lot like Day N Nite : minimal beats and confessional conversational lyrics. But then comes the pre-chorus then real chorus with full uplifting elektro treatment... This one is a grower, with the underground appeal it's been censured into Sexy chick for US radios : it's already reached #1 in the UK charts : 18/20.

4/ MEMORIES feat. Kid Cudi 3:28
Weren't we talking of Kid Cudi ? He is next on board with a darker voice on Memories verses and a full "Hey hey, hey hey" chorus line that must be one the the poorest chorus lyrics I have ever heard! But it must be about the rhythm, not about the lyrics, to make people move bodies and dance. So it's okay, I suppose. I won't trade it for the joyful Day N Nite though... 12/20.

5/ ON THE DANCEFLOOR feat. Will.I.Am & Apl de Ap 3:45
This first of three Black Eyed Peas/Will.I.Am collaborations starts with an annoying and repetitive rap before the music gets even more annoying mixing acid loops and shoutings by the boyz. This one's got me using the SKIP button each time I listen to my CD ! 00/20.

6/ IT'S THE WAY YOU LOVE ME feat. Kelly Rowland 4:10
Thankfully for my ears, When love takes over, Part II comes in with a more syncopated arrangement that makes me nod my head in rhythm but still an uplifting melody and charming vocal by Miss Kelly Rowland. Oh how I would like this one to be released as a single... but I doubt another Guetta/Rowland will be granted with such a bliss unless 2/3 of this tracklisting becomes singles : 19/20.

7/ MISSING YOU feat. Novel 3:07
A pulsating rhythm, a warm voice and african inspirations all melt into the following track, but just like on Gettin' over, there's too much elektro loops at some times to make it really work in my heart : 15/20.

8/ CHOOSE feat. Ne-Yo & Kelly Rowland 3:57
Now this is what some would call a missed opportunity : gettin' Kelly Rowland AND Ne-Yo sing on the same song and finally get THIS ! It sounds like an unfinished demo with an annoying repetitive chorus line "You wanna make me choose" repeated like endlessly on speeded up beats all with noizy blib-blips... I don't understand how this studio jam (afterhours and after smokin' a lot for sure) could have saved its place on the CD and really hope This kind of "music" ain't the future of Music ! 02/20 (for Kelly's contribution...)

9/ HOW SOON IS NOW with Sebastian Ingrosso & Dirty South feat. Julie McKnight 4:09
David Guetta or his record company must have been in the know some tracks were hard on the ears because they are always followed by old-school house anthems and How soon is now, a collaboration with Sabastian Ingrosso, Dirty South and Fred Riesterer is another perfect feel-good-with-your-hands-in-the-air lightful anthem where Julie McKnight's beautiful voice shines all through it : 20/20.

10/ I GOTTA FEELING (FMIF REMIX EDIT) by Black Eyed Peas 3:54
Some people may not know but Black Eyed Peas' recent #1 hit I gotta feeling from their #1 album The E.N.D. is produced by David Guetta and this remix by Mr. Guetta and Fred Riesterer has its own place on his album. For once, I like it more when the 'Peas are singing than when David's alone at twitchin' the knobs : over 30'', it becomes very annoying, and there are too many alarm sirens sounds too. I believe my parents would instantly die by blips overdose if I was tempted to hold them listening to it till the end ...and it's less than 4' long ! 12/20.

11/ ONE LOVE feat. Estelle 4:01
Once more, salvation comes from a true diva, from England this time (she may have found her American boy but she's all a british girl!) and Estelle's one and only collaboration gives its title to the album. One love has got some african inspired beats with non-primal electro arrangements and a beautiful vocal line, nearly gospel at times. Another anthem in the making and for sure a future single ! 18/20.

12/ I WANNA GO CRAZY feat. Will.I.Am 3:24
"Let's go!" shouts Will.I.Am in I wanna go crazy intro and I'm fearin' another awful mess ...that it is not, for once. This new collaboration is not the one I like best out of this bunch for sure but this time they made it hearable till the end. Allow me to think that Will.I.Am ain't a singer nor a good rapper on my shores... His flow is very binary, but isn't rap musically very primary too? 15/20.

13/ SOUND OF LETTING GO with Tocadisco feat. Chris Willis 3:45
Previously Guetta's favourite Chris Willis comes back for a second track, a new collaboration with Tocadisco and, just like Tomorrow can wait, it's another winner. Mr. Willis should get the chance to have a solo album of his own, for his vocals are always so soulful, and at the same time so perfect for house music ; I can't understand how he is so under-used by dance music producers round there. I'd hear it easily on radios if it was released as third single over Gettin' over apparent choice ! 17/20.

14/ TOYFRIEND with Afrojack feat. Wynter Gordon 3:17
Toyfriend starts with oriental chants with what sounds like a boat siren and it sums up perfectly what the song is : a journey into India/Africa with an electro mixing desk in our baggages. I can nearly see it in the background of a DVD showing David Guetta on a flight to Ibiza or Istambul. Refreshing but not my cup of tea... 13/20.

15/ IF WE EVER feat. Makeba 4:40
A nice female voice opens up for the final track of One love's tracklisting, with beats sounding like waterdrops falling behind the melody line. But when the chorus comes, all breezy and light, with a powerful wall of sound, it is a pleasant surprise. But the speed falls back for verse two, before a pulsating beat arrives in time for second chorus and lead the song into clubland, afterhours. It must be 5 'o clock in the morning, time to cool off at the beach before movin' back home for a nap... Ibiza dream : F*ck me, I may be famous? lol 16/20.

16/ WHEN LOVE TAKES OVER (BLAME REMIX) * feat. Kelly Rowland 5:13
First of two digital bonuses is an electro meets 2step/garage remix of the first single and I can't hide the truth : it's a real massacre !!! This remix has erased all the lightness of the track and the drum'n'bass rhythm has never done anything to me : 06/20.

17/ IT'S YOUR LIFE * feat. Chris Willis 3:45
Chris Willis gets a third card on the album's digital edition with It's your life, a better song than half the tracks on actual CD so I can't understand how it could have been put aside ...well, except Willis ain't a big name like Ne-Yo or Will.I.Am in the US bizness so it's safer to keep this one as a bonus. It is another winning collaboration between the two's, with aerial arrangements, hypnotic but discreet groove and amazing vocal performance : 18/20.

SPECIAL EDITION BONUS MEGAMIX CD including
I NEED YOU NOW feat. Samantha Jade
Now's another new song that only appears mixed in between others on the One love megamix on bonus CD for the special edition release. I need you now is another wonderful club anthem (except Miss Jade ain't got Miss Rowland's powerful voice) that should have won its place onto the physical CD! All I need now is to find where the complete (unmixed) version of the song is available to download and buy it straight away to complete my special One love folder on my mp3 player. 17/20.

* Digital Bonus Tracks

So what? it's a mixed review... but if I let aside a couple of tracks that are unhearable and a couple others that don't fit to my tastes, there's still enough to make a great electro/house album, more than able to cross-over in the US and make his electro/R&B sound the sound of tomorrow. Minus these bad tracks' notes, the global appreciation goes up from 13,4/20 to 15,6/20.
One more thing to add : for the first time, David Guetta has joined forces with other co-producers than Joachim Garraud on this album #4. In an attempt to prove that he is a producer of his own, who ain't staying in mister G's shadow, he has mainly worked here with Frédéric Riesterer or Jean-Claudre Sindres and Antoine Clamaran's co-producer Sandy Vee, and it does still sound like Guetta.