Acoustique
To hear a sample
Liane Foly - "Acoustique"
Item 04831 $21.95 CD. Songs: Aime-moi, C’est la vie, Tant pis si j’ai mal, La valse des anges, Il est mort le soleil, De l’autre côté du temps, Dame brune, Après toi, Quelqu’un comme toi, Va savoir, La vie ne m’apprend rien, Doucement, Au fur et à mésure, N’importe où fera l’affaire, Des heures hindoues. Lyrics only listed for new songs.With her 1997 release Caméléon, Liane Foly went from being a respected jazz singer with a devoted fan base and a growing mainstream presence to a multiplatinum, world-touring diva. Far from the grand production values of her last release, Acoustique is intimate and simpler, more refined. This sounds much more like the album that originally won me as a fan – her wonderful 1993 CD Les Petites Notes.
The soulful "Aime-Moi" begins the album. It is a warm, sophisticated sound for Liane, reminiscent of Lisa Stansfield’s best material. The production is mellow: jazz drums, percussion, acoustic guitar, and keyboards.
Her voice is emphasized rather than buried in effects, and it’s nice to hear her without the massive washes of echo and synthesizers. The new version of "C’Est la Vie" has a natural, infectious energy previously unmined. "La Valse des Anges" also comes across nicely in its new version, more poignant than before.
As for the new songs, "Il Est Mort le Soleil" is a wonderful torch song, the kind of material that allows Foly to make her mark with her distinctive vocal blend of jazz and soul. "Dame Brune" is her tribute to Barbara, the late great singer and songwriter. Foly herself is an accomplished songwriter, as the song "Après Toi" demonstrates.
Liane borrows from the US charts with a French- language remake of last year’s Babyface hit "Quelqu’un Comme Toi" (known in English as "Every Time I Close My Eyes"). Daniel Balavoine is another source ("La Vie Ne M’Apprend Rien"), as is Etienne Daho ("Des Heures Hindoues"). Foly’s own "Au Fur et à Mesure" is a fantastic jazz-samba excursion ideal for dancing, and after that song is the marvelously nostalgic "N’Importe Où Fera l’Affaire".
This collection of songs – romantic, worldly, and sometimes sad – perfectly convey Liane Foly’s power and charisma as a performer. With "Acoustique", her fifth album, she has begun to create an impressive body of work, and it is a pleasure to watch her evolve.
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