What's with Mylene?

[Edcognito]

Originally Posted by Roman

And, of course, Laurent Boutonnant is generally ignored, but that's what he gets for not being a performer and not writing lyrics. I always wonder just how much influence he has/how much work he really does.

Originally Posted by OGRE

What? He is the composer! He creates music behind the lyrics. Listen to his art. I am biased becasue I love his compositions, but for me he is one of the top (if not the top) pop composer of my lifetime.

We often miss the music because we are so focused on following the melody and harmony of the singer, and listening to the lyrics. But listen to this man's music....he has a LOT of stuff going on in his art. In fact, it's not just Alizée's angelic voice that keeps me listening over and over again to the songs, but it's also Boutonnat's compositions....they stay fresh. I keep finding little things he does...very subtle sometimes....that add depth and meaning to the voice and the lyrics.

And some things he does are so simple, yet moving. The three or four second sustained electric piano chord that rises and falls in JBG creates a wonderful feeling. His subtel "code" beeps (syhthesized) at the trail out of that same song is a very nice touch. The oriental woodwinds in Coeur déjà pris...magical. I could go on and on. This guy is great. But you gotta listen. Listen to everything, especially all the extra stuff he does.

If he ever comes out with an istrumental CD of his music I will buy it in a heartbeat. He really is that good.

Ogre - I don't think Roman was saying/implying that Laurent wasn't great (GREAT even!), but that his contribution to all this is somewhat overlooked by the two principles - Aliée and Mylene. I think he was saying that Laurent does not get enough credit for what Alizée (& Mylene) wrought!

Ed


P.S. - Deep - I got off work at 2:15 a.m., got to sleep at 3:10 (roughly) and was awakened from a sound slumber at 6:45 a.m. (by my wife's BRAND NEW 11 mos. old Rottweiler puppy.... That dog is LOUD!) - so i'm REALLY groggy right now, because i haven't been back to sleep since! So i will answer your post when i'm more awake - there are points i want to make, but i'm too "sleep deprived" to be as sharp as I need to be to discuss anything with someone of your demonstrated high level of wit, humor and intelligence!

Ed

[fsquared]

Originally Posted by OGRE

What? He is the composer! He creates music behind the lyrics. Listen to his art. I am biased becasue I love his compositions, but for me he is one of the top (if not the top) pop composer of my lifetime.

We often miss the music because we are so focused on following the melody and harmony of the singer, and listening to the lyrics. But listen to this man's music....he has a LOT of stuff going on in his art. In fact, it's not just Alizée's angelic voice that keeps me listening over and over again to the songs, but it's also Boutonnat's compositions....they stay fresh. I keep finding little things he does...very subtle sometimes....that add depth and meaning to the voice and the lyrics.

And some things he does are so simple, yet moving. The three or four second sustained electric piano chord that rises and falls in JBG creates a wonderful feeling. His subtel "code" beeps (syhthesized) at the trail out of that same song is a very nice touch. The oriental woodwinds in Coeur déjà pris...magical. I could go on and on. This guy is great. But you gotta listen. Listen to everything, especially all the extra stuff he does.

If he ever comes out with an istrumental CD of his music I will buy it in a heartbeat. He really is that good.

I'm actually rather uninformed about his work. Besides Mylene, and Alizee, and Nathalie Cardone, what should I be on the lookout for?
Thanks!

[Calisto]

Originally Posted by OGRE

What? He is the composer! He creates music behind the lyrics. Listen to his art. I am biased becasue I love his compositions, but for me he is one of the top (if not the top) pop composer of my lifetime.

We often miss the music because we are so focused on following the melody and harmony of the singer, and listening to the lyrics. But listen to this man's music....he has a LOT of stuff going on in his art. In fact, it's not just Alizée's angelic voice that keeps me listening over and over again to the songs, but it's also Boutonnat's compositions....they stay fresh. I keep finding little things he does...very subtle sometimes....that add depth and meaning to the voice and the lyrics.

Yes! I couldn't agree more. I didn't really start paying close attention to these details until I got a nice pair of headphones. Even though I've listened to all of Alizée's songs hundreds of times, there is still new subtle musical effects that I catch occasionaly that I never noticed before. A lot of people would think it's not really a big deal, but all of these small musical effects going on in the backround really come together to make some truly stunning music.

Toc de Mac and Hey Amigo are two of my favorites from a musical standpoint. They are composed brilliantly, and as OGRE said there is a LOT of music going on in the backround of these songs...amazing stuff.

[ed2010]

Originally Posted by OGRE

( edited for the sake of brevity )
We often miss the music because we are so focused on following the melody and harmony of the singer, and listening to the lyrics. But listen to this man's music....he has a LOT of stuff going on in his art. In fact, it's not just Alizée's angelic voice that keeps me listening over and over again to the songs, but it's also Boutonnat's compositions....they stay fresh. I keep finding little things he does...very subtle sometimes....that add depth and meaning to the voice and the lyrics.

If he ever comes out with an instrumental CD of his music I will buy it in a heartbeat. He really is that good.

I have to agree with Ogre 100% here. I can listen to Alizée and Mylene over and over and not get tired of it. And the compositions are a HUGE part of that. Their music really does stay fresh and listenable. I am not sure who in American music I can compare it to...

[Rev]

I agree also, LB is GREAT.

[Roman]

Originally Posted by Deepwaters

...pointing out that we're in the 21st century and able to make contact with people we will never meet in the flesh, so that meeting in the flesh becomes almost irrelevant....

And he's pointing out that you've (we've) never even communicated directly with her once. Ergo... Of course, you're points are well taken as well (at least by me).

Originally Posted by Edcognito

Ogre - I don't think Roman was saying/implying that Laurent wasn't great (GREAT even!), but that his contribution to all this is somewhat overlooked by the two principles - Aliée and Mylene. I think he was saying that Laurent does not get enough credit for what Alizée (& Mylene) wrought!

Ed

Thank you Ed. Indeed, if you look at Mylène's early videos it says at the beginning 'un film de Laurent Boutonnant' or something like that. It seems that he is a "producer" not just a musical composer. The music is the obvious part, but since I don't ever hear much about what Mylène or Laurent do, I'm kind of ignorant about it. I think a lot of assumption also occurs with regard to what people claim Mylène did (not that I have any reason to doubt it). Who comes up with all of these grand sets and directs what everyone is doing for concerts, etc? I know, like movies they have various people in situations. I know that Alizée described her first encounter as being with Laurent and that he told her that he wanted to work with her and then as I recall she had to meet with Mylène and do some more auditioning type stuff. Going back to movies, people don't generally pay all that much attention to the directors either - maybe they do more now a days since the making of stuff comes with the DVD. I think they are the most important than anyone else in a movie. It's not the same in this situation, but still. And for the record, yes, I really love some of his music (though saying that makes me also wonder how much he collaborates with others to create the music, but now I'm just starting trouble). The strings followed by the drums and whatever that electronic sound is in the beginning of Hey Amigo is just fabulous. That's probably a large part of why it's one of my favorite songs.
And yes, Calisto, I think people really ruin the experience of good music by having crappy audio equipment or listening solely with a low quality compressed file. Mademoiselle Juliette is like that too. It has these little sounds that make it a better song if you hear them and the hear the rich quality of the sound played on proper equipment. People half listening over the radio are just not getting it.

[Calisto]

Originally Posted by Calisto

Yes! I couldn't agree more.

Originally Posted by ed2010

I have to agree with Ogre 100% here.

Originally Posted by Rev

I agree also, LB is GREAT.

OGRE for President!

[OGRE]

Originally Posted by Calisto

OGRE for President!

And my first Executive Order will be to declare August 21 a Holiday.

[ed2010]

Originally Posted by OGRE

And my first Executive Order will be to declare August 21 a Holiday.

You just got my vote!

[davmuz]

Well, I think Mylene's the sort of talent who choses to sing in any language she wants too. Seriously 'Avant Que L'Ombre' left me (and anybody else who was watching) in tears. The 'Alizee - Farmer' fight is a media myth, one I wouldn't pander too and on an artistic level not worth a look at. They're both a gift, proud in my record collection.