Posts Tagged ‘une enfant du siecle’

Une Enfant Du Siècle, 4 months on

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Its hard to believe that we already find ourselves near mid August as this year continues its resolute trudge towards 2011. It then is equally hard to believe that four months and some change has passed since the release of UEDS.

And what an album it has turned out to be, a risky and inspired moved by Alizée that captured the imagination of critics if not the buying public (sadly). Still even though sales have been low on all accounts I am glad Alizée out there and made the album that she wanted to make, if anything she has garnered even more of my respect with this effort, showing she is a creative Tour De Force that knows how to surround herself with the right people needed to tell the story from cover to cover. In this case the story of Edie Sedgwick, a tragic story much has been written about already.

So that being said I thought it would be a good idea to repick my top 3 tracks now that I have lived with the album for a few months:

At position 3: Mes Fantômes

Alizée, Performer
- Jean-René Etienne, Lyricist
- Robin Coudert, Composer
- Robin Coudert, Producer

This is a track that sat well with me from the moment I heard it, and I still list it in my top three even though there are some parts of the production that grate me somewhat (I think they could have cut back just a little on the reverb on her voice). That being said, wow. There is just something to this track that totally captivates me, something that takes me back to my childhood even. Maybe its her haunting voice, maybe its that little something Vangelis (Chariots of fire) in the background and the soaring arpeggiator in typical Moroder fashion (Neverending story) that harks back to happier times. A sad song that invokes contentment in ones soul.

Position 2: Limelight

Alizée, Performer
- Raphael Vialla, Lyricist
- Raphael Vialla, Composer
- Angy Laperdrix, Lyricist
- Angy Laperdrix, Composer
- Robin Coudert, Producer
- Julien Galinier, Lyricist
- Julien Galinier, Composer
- Guillaume de Maria, Lyricist
- Guillaume de Maria, Composer

Limelight, the very first taste we got of UEDS, even when we did not know it. Those strings where teasing us on the very first mysterious teasers vids they put up. Remember that? Those had us going for the longest of time, well done for those. I can still remember listening to this track on Opendisc after a crazy struggle to purchase my boxset, and Morvan doing his best to help me listen so I did not miss out. The only all English track on the album it has now become my go-to track if people ask about her music, its really solid and deserves this second place. The vinyl rests in my music room.

Position 1: Grand Central

Alizée, Performer
- Robin Coudert, Producer
- Rebecca Zlotowski, Lyricist
- Jean-René Etienne, Lyricist
- Jerome Echenoz, Composer
- Jerome Echenoz, Lyricist
- David Stanzke, Composer
- Copyright : (P) 2010 Wisteria Song

One of the nicest beats on the album this is my current favorite, also voted the one I most want to see performed live. Just a solid track from start to finish it scores on good pop sensibilities and on Alizée’s use of those spoken word portions in a foxy voice that would make any man want to ask her number. Sleigh bells and the scarce appearance of a flute (Rob’s producer touch is evident) just rounds it all off nicely.

Special Mention:

I can’t do this without mentioning the Jean Elan remixes of Les Collines, especially the remixed video, well done for upping the energy on this already epic track. Dance floor ready to the max it has taken a prominent space in my playlist, helping to take the strain off the original mix which I have already overplayed to the point of tears!

That concludes our look back at this album, thank you to Alizée and all those involved. Can’t wait to hear what the future holds!

stop motion presentation

Monday, August 9th, 2010

There is this great stop motion presentation doing the rounds of the UEDS boxset, a like the use of Limelight as the backing track, it just reminds me how strong that track is again.

South African buying tips

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

Take2 has Une Enfant du Siècle on catalogue and you can order it on Monday (13 April), seems like they will import it from their US distributer (probably Amazon) and it will retail for R256, which is probably fair considering the risk of importing stuff privately. Order it here, note it will also be available under their Amazon import service.

Here is a reminder of what you will be getting.

Edie Sedgwick – The Ciao Manhattan Tapes

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Reinvented

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Now that the world has listened to “Les Collines” it seems appropriate to stand back and look at the bigger picture.

It’s hard to assimilate what has just happened, this album has been in the making for months and months during which we got very little information, not even a few bars of music to reference, but a few vague trailers and things to show us something was happen – clever -, and then little bits started appearing, the Technikart article was completely out of the left field, wow, didn’t expect that.

Then more magazine mentions started to appear, and then the communications started flooding in over twitter. A tantalizing boxset appeared, a strategic “leak” of Limelight and then the release now of the single.

Wow. Breath.

Listen to the songs, a million times. Assimilate, process.

Alizée has reinvented herself for this album, completely immersed herself in a completely different world. A minimal world where electronics produce mesmerizing landscapes of atmospheric sound, restrained and elegant, beautiful yet scary and dark like a moon landscape at earth rise. Alizée’s beautiful voice providing the perfect backdrop to all that.

Question is, what will the world think of this album? Admittedly its difficult for me to judge objectively. I have heard two songs, with very unique sounds, though there is something incredibly familiar about “Les Collines”, especially the french parts take me to back to something that may have been recorded on Gourmandises or MCE, an intangible something that flashes me back to bygone days. I love it, does the world love it. Is it good, or is it fantastic? Does it matter? And to whom?

At this point I am content to sit back and watch this all unfold before me, its surreal to see it happening, here and now.

I cannot wait to see what is planned next.

Reinvent yourself, watch Les Collines on Youtube: