Yann Tiersen
On Tour

THE REVIEW

Yann Tiersen returns with a live CD: "On Tour" is a collection of ten live recordings during his latest tour forming a rather quirky on-the-road compendium, outside of his usual music. Indeed, the choice cannot have been too simple to create a record that captured the highest and most intense moments of his performances.

We have in our hands a travel diary then, with the most deliberately rock and profound moments, leaving aside all his compositions of maximum expression and of sonic and visual suggestion (his music indeed creates moments of soft images between fantasy and reality) and everything is anything but his characteristic sound we are used to. Leaving at home violins, harmonica, piano, and all those beautiful instruments suited to those whimsical and music box-like creations that were so well-liked for the excellent soundtrack of "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain", now our artist surprises everyone and releases a CD that sounds different, almost fierce. Also included is a cover "La Rade" (present both live and recorded in the studio) dedicated to the "Lebanese friends", "On Tour" is another Yann Tiersen, who takes advantage of the presence of musicians like the rapper Diam’s in the angry "Ma France A’ Moi", or like on the record Elizabeth Fraser in "Mary", or again, in "State Of Shock", the voice and guitar of Marc Sens. Touching is the conclusive and unreleased "Esther", six and a half minutes of emotion and admiration.

Therefore, very far from his latest studio work "Les Retrouvailles" and also completely different from the live recording released in 2002. Another disorienting find from the eclectic and brilliant Yann.