Benjamin Biolay
La Superbe

THE REVIEW

We remain God Thanks at the mercy
of coarse love
of a simple denial
of a bad life
of a rough transition
(La Superbe)

Who is Benjamin Biolay? Born in 1973, an actor, multi-instrumentalist (he plays guitar, viola, and tuba), a stunning French singer, and former husband of Chiara Mastroianni. Passionate about music since he was a kid, he devoured records of the Beatles, XTC, Smiths, Joy Division... and you can tell. Oh, can you tell.

He's been releasing records since 2002, starting with the promising debut of Rose Kennedy, a concept album, and since then, he hasn't stopped, stringing together a generous dozen of records including this double album from 2009, containing more than 20 splendid songs.

In France, he is very well known; here, almost no one knows him.

Now I ask you, what do you know about French music, besides Gainsburg and Mano Negra?

Buy this album, translate the lyrics, listen to his songs, and you will laugh, cry, and make love. Yes, this album talks about love, actually about LOVE. Benjamin tells us a story that begins on August 15th “15 Aout” with a letter written by Valerie Donzelli on a growing melody and ends on “15 September” with guitar, orchestra, and spoken word.

Listen to the first track “La superbe” and you'll immediately fall in love with Benjamin, an emotional crescendo with a sax in the background towards the end, strings, and his warm, deep voice. A perfect track.

It's hard to pinpoint a common genre; in “Brandt Rhapsodie” duetting with Jeanne Cherhal, you can sense the aroma of the Smiths with a surreal text (reading post-it notes). In “Buenos Aires,” a hinted and sweet melody welcomes Benjamin's voice in the foreground, only to explode in a chorus in Spanish bordering on metal... And who wouldn’t want to be the muse for the song “Tu es mon amour,” with its gentle and sweet, almost silly, arpeggio.

“La Toximanie” jazz, horns, brushes on drums, his voice, and a piano keeping the rhythm.

Author pop, French chansonier, love, lots of Morrissey, rock, orchestral arrangements, sex, and a sprinkle of electronics... But above all, his voice, warm, melancholic, intense, and capable of seducing... Could he truly be the heir of Serge Gainsburg?