Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55

Calm music is needed today. I often use music as a drug -- a way to elevate or change moods, to energize, to relax, to mess with my senses... We all do it to a certain extent.

In that context, 5:55 is a nice glass of red wine. It's not enough to leave you wobbly all night, but it is enough to take the edge off and relax you just a bit.

Gainsbourg occupies a territory between (non-vocal acrobatic) Kate Bush and Air (which makes sense, as Air was involved in the recording) -- she's got the sultry seductress whispery voice going on, but she rarely affects any emotion beyond that. Whether she's singing the ominous airliner going down lyrics of "AF607105" (which would be a great companion piece to Laurie Anderson's "From the Air"), or the supposedly angry "You'll never work in this town again" lyrics of "Jamais," she maintains the same breathy tone. While I like the album overall, I find this to be a bit disconcerting, as if the whispering girlfriend has taken over Seinfeld.

Pulp fans will also notice Jarvis Cocker's (another collaborator on this project) influence in the vocal pacing and delivery on songs like "Everything I Cannot See." Compare Gainsbourg's pacing in this song to Cocker's on "This is Hardcore" for a prime example.

Now don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying this album is unoriginal or derivative, it's just one of those albums with the influences on its sleeve (and in the credits). There's some nice stuff here, and this CD has been in the player quite a bit over the past couple of weeks. Bass players will find some juicy lines to steal here, especially the ridiculously fluid lines on "5:55" and the fun funk on "Jamais." In fact the musicianship is stellar throughout. I just wish that the gentlemen from Air hadn't influenced Charlotte quite so much in the vocal department. It would be nice to hear her let her emotions out.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with you. I got the leak on this a few weeks ago, and I have to admit, a little sleepy, even for Air, who I really dig. But all in all, "5:55" is a great track.

1:59 PM  

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