Post by davidhr on May 10, 2009 15:13:36 GMT -5
As the time for the release of Lara’s new album approaches, comments are starting to appear about it. Here’s a translation of the review from Platine.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TLFM
**
Pushed back many months, here finally is the new album of Lara Fabian that we have waited for feverishly (she has even so the Platinum records !). An album of reprises where the singer with the superb voice has recorded some songs of those who will have influenced her. Lara sings therefore the singers. From France to Quebec while passing by Belgium (the three countries where she has lived). From the more stylish to the more popular. From Barbara to Nicoletta, while passing by: Piaf, Delia, Sanson, Hardy, Mouskouri, Croisille, to Chaterine Lara…, from Diane Dufresne to Celine Dion, from Maurane to…No, there is no Annie Cordy! And it is therefore a pity, for Lara doesn’t do here one single reprise of an artist to rehabilitate. She would have been able to give a moving version from the greatest Belgian singer, such as “L’artiste”. In lieu of that, Lara has preferred to risk comparison on ‘untouchable’ titles like the Barbaresque “Gottingen”, and/or wearing away the vocal cords like- “L’hyme a l’amour” (the gospel ending doesn’t suffice to make us forget Piaf). For to try to exist on the titles which have been indelibly imprinted by their creators, she has had therefore only the choice, once the nightclub arrangements, of making vocal mega-tones, wringing even the melodies to their limits…One suffers for her. Even more than that, it is not permitted for her to truly pass above…Even on the most ‘simple’ titles sung, such as Dalida, who did not write either the lyrics or the music. It’s happy that – all like this last one – the three writers of “18 ans” have disappeared, for Pascal Sevran (one of the two authors) would not have bothered to slam it…We will not go there, for we are more sad than mocking. Francoise Hardy had no more written her “Message personnel” (it is Michel Berger who had made it), and yet..then again, the song is made such body with the creator that it is quasi impossible to make it one’s own outside of the two intimates of Berger: Gall and Sandon. Besides, of this last one, Lara has recovered “Amoureuse”, easier to appropriate, for more international success than Hexagonal. Nevertheless, whether one wants to or not: to remake these titles is somewhat pretentious. Lara has certainly desired to make this disc with much humility, but this is not what comes out. Compared to these ‘sacred’ songs, happily she has also chosen some lighter works (and not inevitably very karaoke). Like the adaptation of Solei Solei from “Middle of the Road” by Michel Jourdan, which has been offered as the first extract. Or yet “Mamy Blue” or “Nuit magique”…Her better idea (and the most useful) remains however “J’ai douze ans” from Diane Dufresne, song also less well known to us than her interpretation. Provacative –and it is what one prefers of her – she has finally dared “L’amour exist encore”, the most international song from Quebec, to which one has for a long time compared her. Why not? One prefers however “Ca casse”, superb, which recalls for us that she is very much the most intimate with her most beautiful Belgian voice. For to finish, the reckless singer has added an original song, the title track of the album. Unhappily, this smells melodically like “Toutles les peines” fromm Patrick Fiori, her ex…All the women – and some men – are therefore remaining in her…
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviews of albums in France (true for America as well) seem to often represent the tastes of a particular reviewer, and may have very little to do with the actual quality of the work. It was noted, for example, that Platine gave “Neuf” an excellent rating, but was much more reserved about “Nue”. So none of this can be taken too seriously – including the comment about her original song, as others who have heard it say it sounds nothing like the Patrick Fiori song.
Which also raises the issue that a number of people (on the level of fans) have already heard the album – how is not clear. One common denominator of all the comments, including the Platine review, is the report that Lara’s singing is at the top of the form, with full range and power. Some fans have suggested that she read the reviews of the aborted October release, the ones in which fans asked her to return to singing the way she used to, and perhaps that’s the reason for the change. Whatever the cause, it is excellent news for those who were originally attracted to Lara for her vocal ability, and have seen her rein it in strongly following the release of “A Wonderful Life”. The negative comments that have so far surfaced have focused on what some consider to be sub-par musical arrangements. We’ll get a fuller spectrum of responses when the album is made available to all – two weeks to go (the release date is now reported in some quarters to be May 22)!
Lara has apparently included with the CD a personal message to each of the singers whose songs she uses. This is perhaps the reason behind the comment in Platine that she has attempted to show the utmost respect for them. Several of the comments are referred to in an article from zikeo.com for which Tmaj00 provides an English translation on his website at:
www.larafabiannews.blogger.com.br/index.html
Apparently much of this comes from the text on the Universal website, available (in French) at:
www.universalmusic.fr/artiste/lara--fabian/
Inlasco on Laradom has indicated that Lara has added two more dates to her concerts in Moscow, for a total of 5 between June 1 and June 6. Presumably this indicates that they are selling well. The fall/winter tour is now up to 24 dates in Belgium and France. It is pretty solidly booked through the end of January, so if Lara does intend to star in “Victor Victoria” in Paris – which Platine also said will happen - it will obviously have to be after that.
Finally, Larafabianweb.com has provided the link to a picture of Lara and Laura from “Les Petities Stars” in France TV2semaines:
www.larafabianweb.com/images/scans/tv2semaines2.jpg
Another light week coming up for Lara publicly, but the last one for probably a month or more...
David
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TLFM
**
Pushed back many months, here finally is the new album of Lara Fabian that we have waited for feverishly (she has even so the Platinum records !). An album of reprises where the singer with the superb voice has recorded some songs of those who will have influenced her. Lara sings therefore the singers. From France to Quebec while passing by Belgium (the three countries where she has lived). From the more stylish to the more popular. From Barbara to Nicoletta, while passing by: Piaf, Delia, Sanson, Hardy, Mouskouri, Croisille, to Chaterine Lara…, from Diane Dufresne to Celine Dion, from Maurane to…No, there is no Annie Cordy! And it is therefore a pity, for Lara doesn’t do here one single reprise of an artist to rehabilitate. She would have been able to give a moving version from the greatest Belgian singer, such as “L’artiste”. In lieu of that, Lara has preferred to risk comparison on ‘untouchable’ titles like the Barbaresque “Gottingen”, and/or wearing away the vocal cords like- “L’hyme a l’amour” (the gospel ending doesn’t suffice to make us forget Piaf). For to try to exist on the titles which have been indelibly imprinted by their creators, she has had therefore only the choice, once the nightclub arrangements, of making vocal mega-tones, wringing even the melodies to their limits…One suffers for her. Even more than that, it is not permitted for her to truly pass above…Even on the most ‘simple’ titles sung, such as Dalida, who did not write either the lyrics or the music. It’s happy that – all like this last one – the three writers of “18 ans” have disappeared, for Pascal Sevran (one of the two authors) would not have bothered to slam it…We will not go there, for we are more sad than mocking. Francoise Hardy had no more written her “Message personnel” (it is Michel Berger who had made it), and yet..then again, the song is made such body with the creator that it is quasi impossible to make it one’s own outside of the two intimates of Berger: Gall and Sandon. Besides, of this last one, Lara has recovered “Amoureuse”, easier to appropriate, for more international success than Hexagonal. Nevertheless, whether one wants to or not: to remake these titles is somewhat pretentious. Lara has certainly desired to make this disc with much humility, but this is not what comes out. Compared to these ‘sacred’ songs, happily she has also chosen some lighter works (and not inevitably very karaoke). Like the adaptation of Solei Solei from “Middle of the Road” by Michel Jourdan, which has been offered as the first extract. Or yet “Mamy Blue” or “Nuit magique”…Her better idea (and the most useful) remains however “J’ai douze ans” from Diane Dufresne, song also less well known to us than her interpretation. Provacative –and it is what one prefers of her – she has finally dared “L’amour exist encore”, the most international song from Quebec, to which one has for a long time compared her. Why not? One prefers however “Ca casse”, superb, which recalls for us that she is very much the most intimate with her most beautiful Belgian voice. For to finish, the reckless singer has added an original song, the title track of the album. Unhappily, this smells melodically like “Toutles les peines” fromm Patrick Fiori, her ex…All the women – and some men – are therefore remaining in her…
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviews of albums in France (true for America as well) seem to often represent the tastes of a particular reviewer, and may have very little to do with the actual quality of the work. It was noted, for example, that Platine gave “Neuf” an excellent rating, but was much more reserved about “Nue”. So none of this can be taken too seriously – including the comment about her original song, as others who have heard it say it sounds nothing like the Patrick Fiori song.
Which also raises the issue that a number of people (on the level of fans) have already heard the album – how is not clear. One common denominator of all the comments, including the Platine review, is the report that Lara’s singing is at the top of the form, with full range and power. Some fans have suggested that she read the reviews of the aborted October release, the ones in which fans asked her to return to singing the way she used to, and perhaps that’s the reason for the change. Whatever the cause, it is excellent news for those who were originally attracted to Lara for her vocal ability, and have seen her rein it in strongly following the release of “A Wonderful Life”. The negative comments that have so far surfaced have focused on what some consider to be sub-par musical arrangements. We’ll get a fuller spectrum of responses when the album is made available to all – two weeks to go (the release date is now reported in some quarters to be May 22)!
Lara has apparently included with the CD a personal message to each of the singers whose songs she uses. This is perhaps the reason behind the comment in Platine that she has attempted to show the utmost respect for them. Several of the comments are referred to in an article from zikeo.com for which Tmaj00 provides an English translation on his website at:
www.larafabiannews.blogger.com.br/index.html
Apparently much of this comes from the text on the Universal website, available (in French) at:
www.universalmusic.fr/artiste/lara--fabian/
Inlasco on Laradom has indicated that Lara has added two more dates to her concerts in Moscow, for a total of 5 between June 1 and June 6. Presumably this indicates that they are selling well. The fall/winter tour is now up to 24 dates in Belgium and France. It is pretty solidly booked through the end of January, so if Lara does intend to star in “Victor Victoria” in Paris – which Platine also said will happen - it will obviously have to be after that.
Finally, Larafabianweb.com has provided the link to a picture of Lara and Laura from “Les Petities Stars” in France TV2semaines:
www.larafabianweb.com/images/scans/tv2semaines2.jpg
Another light week coming up for Lara publicly, but the last one for probably a month or more...
David