Étienne Daho
Les chansons de l'innocence retrouvée

Before starting, a small disclaimer: I practically know nothing about French pop (oh, as if you're a scholar on everything else, sure...), but I think I couldn't have found a better artist to introduce me to this "world." It was Saint Etienne who introduced me to him; with them, he released an EP in 1995 ("Reserection," under the name St. Etienne Daho) which incidentally, I haven't listened to yet, but just knowing about it made my seeker nose tingle, Saint Etienne are serious people, no doubt about that. Ok, but let's get to the point, who is this Etienne Daho? Born on January 14th, exactly like me, albeit a few decades earlier (1956), a star in his homeland and highly esteemed internationally, at least among fellow musicians. Handsome, elegant, charming, great voice, a bit of a Brian Ferry/Morrissey look, a child of the '80s, which he came out of alive and well, managing with this 2013 album to achieve an absolutely well-deserved and unanimous acclaim from the public and critics, at least at home.

A personal recommendation, preparatory to listening to "Les chansons de l'innocence retrouvée" but not only: at least listen to his '98 best of album, simply titled "Singles": it's an absolute gold mine, delicious and intriguing melodies given out in abundance, and it perfectly illustrates the artistic evolution of Etienne Daho; from the synth/new wave of his beginnings to a more personal style, a pop/pop rock tastefully arranged, partially influenced by the grandeur of chanson but not forgetting electronic origins. An artist who, as I've had the chance to hear, has consistently offered quality pop with great content and melodic caliber, "Les chansons..." is no exception, highlighting the more singer-songwriter side of Etienne Daho. One of this artist's winning qualities is undoubtedly a fascinating voice, the kind I like: warm, soft, slightly nasal timbre. Distinctive feature? Extremely elegant. His singing style has been compared to Leonard Cohen among others; Etienne is less hoarse than the later Cohen and a bit less nasal than the early one, certainly much more of a singer, and on this album there are indeed suggestions and atmospheres reminiscent of "I'm Your Man" and "Ten New Songs".

"Les chansons de l'innocence retrouvée" is quite a varied album, but the dominant style is a crossover of chanson/new wave/glam, a nocturnal and decadent glam, as French as necessary but with a very international mentality, sung with a super-sexy voice. Many characteristics generally associated with Suede and Brett Anderson I find here, on this record, expressed in a way that truly sends me into ecstasy. Opening the dance with a strong piece is always important, damned important I would dare say, Etienne Daho does it with "Le baiser du destin": a very new wave electronic base, rhythmic pace, voice and orchestrations slightly reverberated. Evocative atmosphere, pleasantly disorienting, almost arcane; moonless nights in the alleys of Paris. The beginning is dazzling, the continuation perhaps even better: the first four songs of the album are almost a continuum; "Strange, I've seen that face before, seen him hangin' round my door, like a hawk stealing for the prey, like the night waiting for the day, strange, he shadows me back home, footsteps echoes on the stone, rainy nights, an hustling boulevard, parisian music drifting from the bars". That's how Grace Jones sang, the mood is this, you can perceive it in the flow of "L'homme qui marche", piano and synths, bass lingering lazily, a visionary melancholy that seems to come out of Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World", and then in an orchestral and decadent "Un nouveau printemps", a lascivious, theatrical, disorienting chanson; the ghost of Leonard Cohen materializes, watching from afar. A very elegant, very jazzy piano riff introduces "Les torrents défendus", and here the night ends, the sixties component prevails over the eighties, majestic string flights, a danceable rhythm, and here we return to Grace Jones; a piece like this would have been perfect for her, that singing/narration would have absolutely elevated her.

Extremely high level even beyond the initial quartet, in the intense orchestral crescendo of "Le malentendu" echoes a sorrowful and heartfelt Jacques Brel, and, just to not miss anything, there is also a prestigious collaboration, in "L'étrangère" we find Debbie Harry; it's not a true duet, the illustrious guest introduces and then accompanies here and there, the center stage remains firmly in the hands of Etienne, who once again offers impeccable orchestral arrangements, with a near-Gypsy aftertaste and a very powerful and catchy, elegantly radio-friendly refrain. Excellent confirmations, the sly and composed elegance of "Un bonheur dangereux" and "Onze mille vierges" but also unexpected surprises like "Le peau dure", which might seem like a foreign body, instead it is that ray of light passing through a dimly lit room: here electronics are momentarily set aside and a semi-ballad pop rock emerges, very '70s in taste, a perfect combination of electric and acoustic guitar, instant classic melody and splendid vocal performance. And then it ends with a bang, reserving one last coup de théâtre: "Les chansons de l'innocence" is an unexpected disco-funky performance, beautifully round and engaging, pulsing bass and female backing vocals; where there was once a moonless night, illuminated by a few faint street lamps, now a sparkling disco ball shines high and bright. Seriously, I would have expected anything but something like this to close an album like this, yet it works perfectly, demonstrating a truly uncommon class and a subtle cleverness.

As you have surely guessed for me it was love at first listen, I would almost dare say that "Les chansons de l'innocence retrouvée" has surpassed Dijon mustard as my favorite French product, and then there's the satisfaction of sharing a birthday with such an artist, which is not a trivial matter considering that my most famous birthday mates are the honorable Giulio Andreotti, peace be upon him, and Giancarlo Fisichella, to whom I've always quite disliked. Finally, I can say, puffing my chest "today is my birthday and also Etienne Daho's", oh, but forgive the egocentrism, no, I'm not French, I'm like this on my own. Getting back to us, an album of Pop beyond categories, suggestive and deliciously glamorous, I highly recommend it.