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Rating: There is always an ultimate design behind any work that a musician produces.
Even the most unfortunate (for example, Justin Timberlake to name one or Avril Lavigne to make the pair) when they make an album, put something of their own into it, maybe not their soul but a small or large surrogate of it, which can be liked or not.
That's another story.
And so do our Italians, the various Ricchi e Poveri, DolceNegre or Cristiani Malgioglio (but I don't even know if these still make records) when they start making a record, I SUPPOSE they have a vague idea in mind, right?! If nothing else, to tell the producer what they intend to do.
Ohh well, instead let's take this disc of a completely different genre that I bought 7 days ago from my trustworthy CD-Pusher: Pocket Symphony by AIR.
Now, after the first 15 minutes of prologue/gentle and drawn-out ambient like few others, I asked myself Wow, well, now they're going to start... and one, two, three... nothing... and now they'll wait for the next round... here it comes, ONE TWO THREE... but NOTHING... basically, an atmosphere from the mundane and pretentious Bassa Padana ... and so, for another good 35 minutes!
No point of interest, no interesting idea, no particular chords, not even a damn seductive or intriguing hypnotic loop, those that made Great the likes of Herbert, Eno, To Coco Rococo, PanAmerican, Amon Tobin, or others of the ambient/electronic/dance stream.
N O T H I N G.
Banal music.
These two frozen French penguins (rightly immortalized as such, like two ice figures without a reason, on the cover), leveraged some fun and at times interesting productions (see the excellent debut of Moon Safari from 1998 or the penultimate Talkie Walkie from 2004) have come out with a little album that makes you regret the worst of Jean Michelle Jarre or even the nonsense of the deceased Rockets (yes exactly, those who died of cancer from too much silver paint inhaled and perspired!!)
Here there is room only for three chords when things go well (not even a minor or sharp chord, just to be clear) for 4 - 5 minutes per “song” each… something that you don't know:
a) if it makes sense (as Blasco pontificates)
b) why such a sloppy job
c) if they have definitively prostituted themselves to the most base market (like New Essence at the newsstand + the AIR CD for relaxation)
d) if they did it with the left hand just due to contractual obligation.
Without a doubt, I opt for solution (d), the only one that can make sense, and I refrain from the idea of formulating a judgment on this careless and sickly-sweet little disc like few others where you can't even see a tiny little seed of an idea not even for money.
Ok AIR, you joked and I took the bait like a fool. I admit it, and for a moment I almost believed it :-)))
Indeed, for a joke, it was well concocted but that's enough now, come on... get back to serious stuff.
Pretend I NEVER wrote a review of this bullshit of a record... there you have it, I'll condone this one for the sake of sympathy!
But I'll be waiting for you with the next job.
And pray to God that it's as crap as this one so I come all the way to Paris house by house and hunt you down with my own hands.
It will take me 4 months but damn: I will find you...uhhuuuuuu if I find you!!!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Once Upon a Time (05:02)
No time before it's too soon
No time after it's too late
Time's getting old, time's over now
Don't try to be on time
Don't try to run after time
Time's getting on, time's over now
I'm a little boy, you're a little girl
Once upon a time
I'm a little boy, you're a little girl
Once upon a time
Time's getting on, time's over now
I'm a little boy, you're a little girl
Once upon a time
I'm a little boy, you're a little girl
Once upon a time
Time's getting on, time's over now
I'm a little boy, you're a little girl
Once upon a time
I'm a little boy, you're a little girl
Once upon a time
Time's getting on, time's over now
I'm a little boy, you're a little girl
Once upon a time
I'm a little boy, you're a little girl
Once upon a time
Time's getting on, time's over now
06 Left Bank (04:07)
Left Bank
Left bank, I'm waiting for someone
Someone to be my friend
Outside, traffic's running slowly
I hear it from my window
Without you, I'm getting lost
Without you, there's no release
I can't hold the sun
I can't hold the sun
It's raining, love is not around me
How can it get so cold?
Homesick, this is how I feel now
This is how you left me
Without you, I'm getting lost
Without you, there's no release
I can't hold the sun
I can't hold the sun
Without you, I'm getting lost
Without you, there's no release
I can't hold the sun
I can't hold the sun
07 Photograph (03:51)
I would like to own your photograph
The angels cry to have your photograph
As if you were awfully made for life
As fortune favor fools like candle light
I would like to own your autograph
The angels fight to own your photograph
But you reckon on the photograph
Look at you provision on the night
08 Mer du Japon (03:04)
J'en perds la raison
Dans la mer du Japon
J'en perds la raison
Dans la mer du Japon
10 Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping (03:35)
Without blindness, there is no sight
You'd see further if you'd only close your eyes
In unconsciousness I can find peace
Inside prison walls I can find release
There is a place that I have seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Down at the water's edge
Somebody waits for me
Is it too late for me
It's never too late, he says
[Left Channel]
Without blindness, there is no sight
You'd see further if you'd close your eyes
Unblock the failure
[Right Channel]
Without blindness, there is failure
People gather by the river
They were talking
There is a place that I have seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Leaning over the side
Trailing my fingertips
Feeling the water slip
Into the quiet night
Viewed from the wrong end of a telescope
I see myself, so far below
Still and silent, rest in peace
The thread unravels
Merciful release
There is a place that I have seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Now I can almost see
Figures upon the shore
He's gathering in the oars
Where are you taking me
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Other reviews
By Adil
The Air of nine years ago are now just a faded memory.
The single Once Upon A Time is a typical calling card of Air: a piano supporting the entire structure, a drum machine as discreet as it is bland, a lyric that calling it naif is doing it a favor.
By Torre Ste
Pocket Symphony is an attempt to return to the roots, and if this is the starting point, they are not doing badly.
All the songs keep the listener relaxed and the seven-minute tracks that could bore are gone, replaced by short and good compositional trials.
By Ilpazzo
Pocket Symphony is a small POCKET MASTERPIECE!
The absolute masterpiece of the album is 'ReadHead Girl' — pure melancholic beauty that hypnotizes delicately like the song of sirens.
