An Eclectic, Different, Mature Album
JaradQuatre-Vingt7 | 04/13/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Ok, so as one of Alizée's fans since the beginning - I'm not going to go in the technicalities of it all - I'm just going to get straight into rating of the album. In comparison to Alizée's previous 3 albums, this one is far more electronic and 'techno' in sound. It's very eclectic and a more mature depiction of her. It's certainly different from her previous 3 releases. And it's a good improvement over her last album released in 2007 `Psychédélices'. The album is certainly worth buying.
So here's my rating:
1 = First-class/Good Track... ½ = Not too Bad/Ok... 0 = Not working
1. Eden, Eden = 1
2. Grand Central = 1
3. Limelight = ½
4. La Candida = 1
5. Les Collines (Never Leave You) = 1
6. 14 Décembre = 1
7. À Coeur Fendre = 1
8. Factory Girl = ½
9. Une Fille Difficile = ½
10. Mes Fantômes = 1
Total = 8½ / 10.
* However, I am going to subtract a ½ because I think the sound at times on some tracks could have been a bit more sophisticated in their production. Further, as a devoted Alizée fan, I expected the Album Photography to be much better - she's so beautiful, and I think they let that go to waste throughout the whole album in this regard. Sometimes Artists do well when they break away, but I strongly believe Alizée should get Mylène Farmer and Laurent Boutonnat back in terms of her music; as well as her new image.
Thus I'm rating this album as 8/10 (or) 4/5.
Laslty, here's my comparative rating of this album to her previous releases:
* Gourmandises (2000) = 9 / 10
* Mes courants électriques (2003) = 9 / 10
* Psychédélices (2007) = 6½ / 10
"
Some real gems
Roman | Rancho Cordova, CA | 04/08/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Forget what you know about Alizée! That is the first thing. I really liked her previous albums and that may have actually been a hindrance to enjoying this one at first because the music and even her singing style is very different. I'm more a fan of regular instrumental music. Once I got into it though, I found a real appreciation for some of the songs. This album is VERY catchy and will get into your mind and stick there. You decide if that's good. :)
This album, it turns out, has some real gems, such as my favorite, Factory Girl, which starts off with an epic style movement and Alizée just carries it right throughout the song, or the first track which will instantly transport you as soon as Alizée starts singing it, Eden, Eden. In spite of light and poppy electronica music, there is a profundity or seriousness to this album that didn't exist on her previous albums (albeit perhaps a few songs on Psychédélices), though she still has some really sweet sounds. Parts of À Caeur Fendre even sound a lot like Adélaïde to me at least as she sang it (as I recall the latter). At first I didn't like Limelight all that much, but now I understand the "epic flavor" they were trying to give it (in the full album version). It really helps the album once you "get it". I think she is trying to push the boundaries of what "Alizée sounds like". It very much reflects her 25 years of age I think. How can anyone who gives her a chance not fall in love at least a little bit with her voice? :)
Except for maybe one track, this album really puts her voice forward, on top of the music and that gives a weight to it that I think plays really well (especially for those who love Alizée). :P For example, if not for the way Alizée sings Mes Fantômes, it would just be a really simple song with not much to comment, but because of how she sings it, and actually the excellent way it was mixed, you may find yourself really falling into it. This song is another that will instantly surprise you as soon as you hear her voice.
I thought the music video for Les Collines was very good. It was edited very well for the song, establishes well the image of the album, her image as it is being portrayed for this album, and speaks to the theme of the album: Edie Sedgwick, The Factory Girl--muse of Andy Warhol. Moreover, it was a great choice for the first single because the music really gets "hyped up" at parts. Good energy.
In spite of a couple really deep songs and quite likable others, for continued listening, I do wish the album was a bit more dynamic. Musically it does not cover a lot of ground. Some say this is a good thing because it has a consistency to it that really makes it play well as a whole, but it gets old quicker for me because in general it's a bit "slow". Maybe I have little patience! I think the songs hang together better in the context of the album, but at the same time I find it easier to fall into and appreciate them individually.
It seems to me that music for this album has great potential to be really amped up and played around with a lot for a concert without ruining the essence of the song. They could just go crazy with some guitar or synthetic music and make the music really explode with instrumental interludes and so forth! That could be really awesome for a fan! That thought alone really makes me want to go to a concert."
Excellent Album!
Lefty | Minnesota, USA | 04/07/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Alizée's voice blends very well with the electronic music used in this album. But the "electro" aspect of the music does not overpower the songs, which are written in a very classic pop style. The melodies are simply beautiful. Alizée is not known for a lot of vocal tricks, but her vocal timbre is so compelling to listen to and her range is quite amazing. The album is strong from the first song to the last. This is not an album where I find myself skipping over songs. It all holds together really well. I really liked her last album "Psychédélices", but I think this album is more consistent and is definitely a move in the right direction for Alizée. I wholeheartedly recommend this album!
"
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1