Jacques Dutronc - "Madame L'Existence" CD, Album, France, 2003 (Columbia)

When I purchased Jacques Dutronc's "Madame L'Existence" it was more out of curiosity than being loyal to the Dutronc brand.   I was aware of Dutronc's music from the 1960s and 70s, mostly due to my devotion to Serge Gainsbourg's music and his world.  Still, I don't speak French, but my love for French pop and literary culture is an obsession that is hard for me to explain.  All I know is I want to explore this foreign world, and individuals like Boris Vian and Gainsbourg were the bookends on the shelve that allow me to wander between "BV" and "SG" and back again.  

I adore Dutronc's 60s recording because it reminds me of a hybrid between Ray Davies' commentary on London culture as well as garage rock.  Dutronc seemed to do music that had a wink to the eye, and one of great wit.  Perhaps mostly due to the lyricist Jacques Lanzmann, who was much older than Dutronc, still, served as his mouthpiece with respect to music.    Lanzmann was in his 40s when he wrote lyrics for Dutronc, which dealt with the French teenage culture, but with a profound wit of an older man looking over the scene.  A critical eye perhaps, but I often think of his relationship with Dutronc must have been similar to the much older Paul Verlaine's tutoring the teenage Rimbaud, minus the sexual relationship of course. 

So, I was very curious to know what Dutronc would sound like in 2003, and what I heard was a pleasant shock.  For one, it sounded nothing like his 60s work, but in fact covered in a layer of electronic mood pop music, with Dutronc sounding not that far off from late Serge Gainsbourg.  No longer singing, but in a mixture of talking/phrasing his words for dramatic effect, it had a slightly sinister quality to the music.  Not sure if smoking or drinking, or even aging, has caused the great difference from within his voice, it still had the spirit of Jacques Dutronc.  

The one song that stays in my mind like a fly being caught on flypaper is "Face à la Merde" (In Front of the Shit), which has a haunting melody, and it does have a Gainsbourg approach to life.   A superb album, and as far as I know the last studio album by Dutronc.   I will like to hear from him sometime in 2018. 

LCD Soundsystem - "American Dream" 2 X Vinyl, LP, Album, 2017 (Columbia/DFA)

To be honest with you, I had a gut reaction or feeling about bands coming from the New York City area in the 21st century.   The feeling is, I've done that and been there.   When I read about bands like LCD Soundsystem, it didn't sound appealing.  Especially when its leader James Murphy started producing bands like Arcade Fire, which is not exactly a passionate love for me, but actually a band I can't stand.  Still, I wonder, is this more of a 'me' problem than an LCD Soundtrack problem.  Listening to their new album "American Dream," I have decided that I'm a music snob, and regional (not) sensitive.  But alas, I have the vinyl of this album, and I blasted it through my speakers, and it's... terrific.

First of all listening to this album, I think of Pulp, David Bowie (Lodger), Talking Heads (Remain in Light), and oddly enough Public Image Ltd.   So yes, in my first listening experience I'm playing the game of 'where have I heard this sound before?"   And it's true, Murphy is obviously a fan of all that I mentioned above, yet, is that a bad thing?   No.  

I can't speak for his other recordings, due that my prejudice stopped me from even hearing one note of the older material.  So "American Dream" is very much the only experience I have with LCD Soundsystem.   First off, this is a fantastic sounding record (on vinyl).   The mix and textures are superb, and Murphy's and the other's melodies are really good.  He doesn't do original, but what he does well is taste.  He has the 'taste' to capture moments from other bands and make it his own, in a fashion.   I do have this snob thing about originality, but fuck that.  I think I found a new category of music that's influenced and very much part of a music's history, but a new work.  It kind of reminds me of how David Sylvian in Japan adopted Erik Satie to one of his songs.  Murphy is smart, and as mentioned, he has a taste. 

The record is also analog-ish, and I suspect Murphy is an instrument junkie. One other thing, even though the inner sleeve shows all eight musicians, this album is basically all James Murphy playing most of the instruments, with maybe two others at a time, helping him out on the recordings.  Nevertheless, there is not a bad cut on the record.   "Call The Police," "American Dream," (especially this song) is good as one can get, and the last track is a sonic beauty "Black Screen" which I suspect is about Bowie's death.  The other groove like here is that three sides have the inner-groove (is that what it's called?) where the song keeps going.  Nice vinyl touch.   Great album.