Benjamin Biolay, «Volver»
It's one of those artists who didn't shine in their early days, and who have their faults, but whose albums, suddenly, testify to an undeniable artistic height. Such is the case with Benjamin Biolay's latest albums, the most recent of which is Volver. A brief commentary on a great opus.
Volver? An album drawing its atmosphere from Paris, Rome and Buenos Aires, cities very dear to Benjamin Biolay, as he has mentioned in various interviews over the last few years. It's also a real album, as they were still making them in the seventies, since despite its instrumental variety, it remains faithful to a real literary identity - that's the advantage of being the fruit of a singer-songwriter - and to a coherent musical atmosphere, marked by Benjamin's (not so) husky voice and modern artistic production.
Volver, It's also a fine example of the heritability of properties: if the album as a whole is very interesting, then so too are the tracks. We'll mention just three. Starting with the eponymous track, for its music so close to its composer, but also for its lyrics, including those of the chorus: «Life doesn't like to be looked in the eye / It may inadvertently make you think it's two / But it's only one / No rancor, no hard feelings whatsoever.»
Memory, then resonates as an experience shared by us men who have left women behind, and who have regrets. Regrets that are certainly unjustified, and that would be cancelled out by contact with reality; but regrets nonetheless. Even more masterful is the song Happy hour is my favorite, giving way to unprecedented artistic emotion, based on Catherine Deneuve's voice, which has rarely been so much in evidence.
Write to the author: jonas.follonier@leregardlibre.com
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Benjamin Biolay
Volver
Polydor
2017
15 titles
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5 comments
Thanks, Rémi, for your comment. I'm glad you figured it out on your own! There's no shame in that—it's common to get lyrics wrong, especially when the singer's pronunciation isn't exactly their strong suit ;) Best regards, Jonas
Thank you very much for your comment, Liliane. Yes, «La Superbe» had indeed reached new heights, and for me it's precisely one of the «last albums» (in fact, all those after 2009) - six years ago we could still talk like that, but now that there have been other albums (and what albums!), «La Superbe» is indeed starting to date. 🙂 An excellent Sunday to you, Jonas.
😁 Sorry,I’m sure I’m going to come across as both uneducated and clueless, but I found several completely incorrect transcriptions of the text regarding those two lines. I had considered that it might refer to IQ, but I had to dig around (even though I own the album....) Shame on me. Best regards
Hello
As a longtime die-hard fan of Benjamin Biolay, I completely agree with Liliane Gimenez—he’s like a wine that you watch mature and blossom over time. I’m always afraid of losing my objectivity when I talk about him, but at his concerts, his kindness and his raw sensitivity make him a truly delightful person.
I came across your site while looking for an explanation of a line from “VOLVER”: “Three-quarters of an hour ago, I was thirty years old, with the butt of an orangutan.” I have a few theories, but I’d like to hear your thoughts.In any case, thank you for your website and your insights on artists I particularly appreciate. Thank you.
Hello, I’d still like to point out that with the album *LA SUPERBE*, Biolay had reached the pinnacle of his career, which earned him two Victoires de la Musique awards in 2010. Palermo Hollywood from 2016 is magnificent, and if you go back and listen to his early albums like *Rose Kennedy* or *Trash Yéyé*, you’ll find some real gems (he was already pretty brilliant back then...). I completely agree with you—Happy Hour is incredibly intense… yet another track that will be forgotten… except by the fans. How sad….
Right now, check out his collaboration with M.I.L.K., "Make My Way to Paris"—it's an addictive track.
I'd just like to add that, apart from the music, Benjamin Biolay is a lovely guy, so warm and caring with his audience.
Thank you for your article.
Have a nice day;
Liliane
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