Ange - 1982 - A Propos De...

Ange

1982

A Propos De...

01. Le Moribond (3:57)
02. Les Copains D'Abord (4:15)
03. Tu Te Laisses Aller (4:46)
04. Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S'Éveille (3:49)
05. A Jeun (3:41)
06. Le Rouge Et Le Noir (4:48)
07. Le Bal Des Laze (10:54)

-Christian Decamps / vocals, keyboards
- Francis Decamps / keyboards, vocals
- Serge Cuenot / guitar
- Jean-Claude Potin / drums, percussion
- Laurent Sigrist / bass


The previous Ange album was a real disaster and when I listen to the first song of this one, the worse can only expected. "A Propos De" is an album of cover songs from well-known French (and Belgian) singers / poets.
They already had covered "Le Grand Jacques" (one of our national hero in Belgium) with "Ces Gens Là" in their second album "Le Cimetière Des Arlequins". This version of "Le Moribond" is AWFUL. Disco / pop. What a treatment for this great song (covered as well by Leo Sayer in English, but I do not remember its English title).
Next one is on par : absolutely disgusting. It is of course difficult for people outside the French speaking territories to know Georges Brassens : a great French poet / songwriter. A great friend of Jacques BTW. This version is HORRIBLE.
Don't worry, "Tu Te Laisses Aller", from Charles Aznavour has the same disco beat : it is hard to believe. The grand Ange of not so long ago, would have brought a vibrant homage to these giants of another genre of course, but still a good source of inspiration. But you need to be inspired then.
Which was definitely not the case of Ange for this awful album which goes on with one great song from the anti-conformist Jacques Dutronc. "Il Est Cinq Heures Paris S' Eveille" is DREADFUL.
How is this possible ! Even if it were a joke it would be hard to believe. Ange doing this S H I T! Sorry there is absolutely no other words to describe this, and you know that I quite have praised this French band.
"A Jeun" is another Brel song. Less known but with great lyrics (as most of the time). The jazz-rock mood for this one and the theatrical vocals are not too bad. The lyrics talking about a drunken guy are well performed by Christian. It was about time !
"Le Rouge Et Le Noir" from Claude Nougaro (a French jazz singer from the old generation, dead by now) is not too bad either but I can not compare with the original since Nougaro has never been a fave of mine.
To close the album, we'll get the long "Le Bal Des Laze" from Michel Ponareff. He was extremely popular during the mid-late sixties - early seventies and was quite a controvertial character. He migrates in L.A. for a very long period of (almost) silence. He is now performing a very successful come-back in Paris as well as in Brussels these days (April-June 2007).
At least the long intro (four minutes) with the nice keys are reminiscent of the good old Ange. Good guitar work as well. This is finally a very good interpretation. Hopefully because with the first four songs, Ange produced really a pityful masquerade. This number really saves this record.