Jean-Jacques Goldman
En passant 

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     Jean-Jacques Goldman has had quite a fruitful career. For many years he has been a much-loved and critically acclaimed solo artist, as well as being part of the supergroup Fredericks-Goldman-Jones. He has also written hit songs for Khaled, Céline Dion and Patricia Kaas, among others.

     I always enjoy the honesty of his lyrics: "Il y a des ombres dans je t'aime/ Pas que de l'amour, pas que ça/ Des traces de temps qui traînent/ Y'a du contrat dans ces mots-là"; so begins the opening track, "Sache que je". Goldman still has a talent for writing solid pop songs, and in this collection there is not a note out of place.

     The sound is mostly folk-pop, such as the gentle "Quand tu danses", although "Le coureur" builds to a nice rock crescendo before relaxing into a simmer of percussion and guitars. The next song, "Juste quelques hommes", sounds more like Goldman's 80's material - more keyboards and harmonies.

     I can definitely hear the influence of Bob Dylan on this album, especially on the track "Natacha", a melancholy ode to a Russian lover: "Tu dis qu'on a peur et qu'on glisse en ses peurs/ Comme glisse les nuits de Viatka/ Dans chacun de tes baisers Natacha/ C'est tout ça qui m'attache à toi."

     To hear a sample

snd.gif (383 bytes)"Natacha"

snd.gif (383 bytes)"On ira"

hp04600.jpg (9314 bytes)
Jean-Jacques Goldman
En passant
Item #04600   CD $21.95
Songs: Sache que je, Bonne idée, Tout était dit, Quand tu danses, Le coureur, Juste quelques hommes, Nos mains, Natacha, Les murailles, On ira, En passant. Lyrics included.


     The best song by far is "On ira", an optimistic tale of two lovers who promise to run away together: "Oh belle, on ira/ On partira toi et moi, où? Je sais pas/ Y'a que les routes qui sont belles/ Et peu importe où elles mènent". Not only is it beautifully produced, but it is an uplifting moment amidst the uncertainty and emotional turmoil of some of the other tracks. It is also sets the mood for the final song, the sparse, graceful "En passant".  
 

Also Available from Jean-Jacques Goldman:

Traces (1989) Item 01512, CD $21.95
Famille, Entre gris clair et gris foncé, C'est ta chance, Reprendre c'est voler, Long is the road, more…

Singulier 1981-1989 (2 CDs) Item 04711, 2 CDs $29.95
Collection of hit singles. Features: Comme toi, Être le premier, Envole moi, Encore un matin…34 songs total!

Fredericks-Goldman-Jones: Rouge Item 03437, CD $21.95
New low price, beautiful limited edition packaging. Songs: Serrre-moi, On n'a pas changé, Des vies, Il part, etc…

 

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