[2010-02-26] Amazon Mp3 Samples

[battousai]

http://www.amazon.fr/Une-Enfant-Du-Si%C3%A8cle/dp/B0039YT8B6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1267197422&sr=8-2

[jmaca]

http://www.amazon.fr/Une-Enfant-Du-Si%C3%A8cle/dp/B0039YT8B6/
fixed

[Fèvier]

Wow this is way more electronica than I expected :eek:
(good thing I have a taste for electronica/techno music :D)

Thanks for the link

Edit:

either Grand Central or LimeLight have that weird sounds from the teasers.
and La Candida sounds amazing :D

[lefty12357]

All the songs have really nice melodies. I think I'm going to enjoy this album a lot. It seems to me though, that these songs sound like they will be difficult to sing in a live situation.

[Amigo!]

It seems to me though, that these songs sound like they will be difficult to sing in a live situation.


By that do you mean "large" venue or "small"?

Because I can see these working out well in a small venue.

I guess you mean by her voice?

[lefty12357]

By that do you mean "large" venue or "small"?

Because I can see these working out well in a small venue.

I guess you mean by her voice?

Yeah, I mean that would be difficult in a larger venue. The melodies cover a fairly wide range of pitch, but are being done rather softly and not just belted out, which requires some delicate control on Alizée's part. I don't know if she can do that in a large, noisy environment. Alizée has had problems with this in the past. Smaller venues would maybe be a better choice where she can sing more like she does in the studio environment.

Did you notice how low she gets in some areas, and yet she reaches some fairly high notes as well. It sounds to me like she really has challenged herself on this album, and even though we only have short samples of the songs, it sounds like she did a great job to me.

The only other thing I'd say is, I was hoping a few songs would really rock out a bit. But again, we've only heard short samples and it's hard to judge how the songs sound in their entirety. Regardless, I think I'm going to enjoy this album a lot.

[paintballpdh19]

wow great find... all the songs are different than her past ones... cant be sure if i will like this album better than the other ones... i'm just so used to the others being so different.

[lefty12357]

When I look at how everything about this album is being done, from promotion to the song samples themselves, I'd have to say that Alizée's first goal is to be respected as an artist. I'm sure she hopes this album will chart well and sell a lot, but I think respect is what matters most to her right now. And from what I've seen and heard so far, she deserves it, and she's got mine. I hope the French music listening and buying public will feel the same.

[paintballpdh19]

When I look at how everything about this album is being done, from promotion to the song samples themselves, I'd have to say that Alizée's first goal is to be respected as an artist. I'm sure she hopes this album will chart well and sell a lot, but I think respect is what matters most to her right now. And from what I've seen and heard so far, she deserves it, and she's got mine. I hope the French music listening and buying public will feel the same.

this is the same way i feel... and i do hope this ablum does well and catches on in all different places around the world so Alizee will continue to make music.

[Toc De Mac]

Wow ! What a nice Friday surprise ! :eek:

This album seems like it will be genius, with a consistent atmosphere to all of the songs. :) My first reaction is this: How beautiful of a song is Eden Eden? :o

[lefty12357]

Wow ! What a nice Friday surprise ! :eek:

This album seems like it will be genius, with a consistent atmosphere to all of the songs. :) My first reaction is this: How beautiful of a song is Eden Eden? :o

I agree, and the melody of "Mes Fantômes" sounds beautiful to me too.

[Fenris]

It certainly sounds like a well produced album, and there seem to be no boring filler songs. But no great Hit either. Nevertheless, i think i will love this album.

But it's too early to judge from these short snippets.
At least the big majority of the songs is in french, as i hoped.

La candida sounds cute, i think the mexicans will love it!

[lefty12357]

Eden, Eden is already stuck in my head, even though I've only heard the short sample. It sounds like a classic to me already, as if it came from a bygone, but very cherished era.

[Jenny_HRO87]

When I've listened to the samples first I was a bit perplex because it's really different to her previous style... but I just had to listen a second time to adore it... I really like the songs but I hope the album isn't too "slow" to become a hit.... just "La Candida" isn't my taste... maybe the full version is better..

But I really need "A coeur fendre" as the second single! I totally love it! :wub:

[Fenris]

ok, the more i listen to it, the more i love it.
This album will be great! Bravo Alizée and to all those who participated.

My favorites so far are 14 décembre, A coeur fendre, mes famtômes and la candida.

[lefty12357]

When I've listened to the samples first I was a bit perplex because it's really different to her previous style... but I just had to listen a second time to adore it... I really like the songs but I hope the album isn't too "slow" to become a hit.... just "La Candida" isn't my taste... maybe the full version is better..

But I really need "A coeur fendre" as the second single! I totally love it! :wub:

I'm concerned about the "slow" issue too. But I hope she will be rewarded for her very worthy effort, both with respect for her as an artist, and great sales. As I said before, I think she deserves it. I just hope others think so too.

[Vista]

In most of the songs, the instrumentals' volume appears to dominate. I would prefer that Alizée's voice be dominant.

[Plaz]

not bad at all... i said on another forum months back that the album would sound pretty much just like this :)

[pepelepew]

I really like some of the melodies and especially Alizee's voice. As I've said before I don't like electronica, but I think I can stomach it with Alizee. I am also concerned that it is a bit subdued, but I'm hoping with at least some of the songs there are speedy change ups. I will be surprised if their is a real instrument sound like a guitar riff from time to time for my taste. I will definitely buy it and I hope it sells millions. I also believe Alizee worked hard on this one. I am also concerned how it will translate to live concert settings as Lefty eloquently put it with the softness of her voice against the electronics, but if mixed correctly I think she can pull it off. Also what will it look like with her back up band only being a person on a key board synthesizer/computer. I'm having a hard time rapping my head around that scene. All that being said I think I will grow to like it. As I've said before Alizee could sing the phone book and I would like it especially if she had Clapton as her guitarist and Peart as her drummer lol!:)

[Lerxst]

It's hard to judge based on short samples, but "14 decembre" sounds very promising.

[lefty12357]

@pepe, I am a traditionalist myself in many things related to music. I prefer a band comprised of at least a drummer, bass player, guitar player and keyboardist. And I think such a setup makes for a much better live show. All the electronic stuff is fine to me if it is used in addition to, not in place of, a real band.

I’ve had to make some “adjustments” in my way of thinking with what Alizée is doing now. I have always preferred the more “organic” side of her, even though her early music was often heavily sweetened by synths anyways.

I'm sure if it was up to me, this album would be produced a little bit differently. But the melodies sound really good to me and I feel very positive about the album. I prepared myself mentally for this a long time ago, and I find it's less electronic than I had expected.

@Vista, I agree. I think Alizée’s voice should be mixed more “up front”.

[Ben]

I think you got the link wrong...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B00000DGXX/ ;)

Or well, at least that's what this album most reminds me of. Good thing I guess, it's a fantastic score.

[lefty12357]

Yeah, that is some good stuff, Ben. I have another album by Wendy Carlos that was all done in nontraditional tunings. It's almost too much to wrap your brain around.

And this leads me to state an exception to my previous post. I do like music like Vangelis, Tomita, Carlos, etc. I'm less fond of minimalist electronica. I just have always thought of Alizée as being more traditional and pop, and so therefore would be better served by a more traditional band setup, especially for live performances. But it looks like they have done a good job blending Alizée with this music. I am quite pleased so far. :)

[Ben]

There's a sound during the second verse of Fifty-Sixty that always reminded me of Clockwork Orange. Which I guess makes sense given that this album is an extension of the theme of that song. The similarity hits me most during the new bit from Limelight that uses the teaser music. While the radio version of that track took awhile to grow on me, I think the album version may be a favorite.

Anyway, as much as I loved Psychédélices, I think an album like this right out the gate would have made a much cleaner break from the Mylene-era. Though at 36:26, it's very short!

[Moi-aimes-Alizée]

I love it, I was sceptic about it, limelight wasnt my fav. Les Collines was good but not really funny convincing. But now I am convinced. This album is one of her best and it's amazingly beautiful songs in it :) Love track 1,2,7,8,10 ! Amazing. Just amazing to see :) love it! Can't wait to hear the full versions I hope they will be as wonderful! :)

Edit:

Alizée sure has it all. So nice when she puts it into material! <3 http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B0039YUVLW/ref=dm_dp_trk10?ie=UTF8&qid=1267197422&sr=8-2
I have been KIA and MIA so nice to hear a call from old days ;)

[pepelepew]

@pepe, I am a traditionalist myself in many things related to music. I prefer a band comprised of at least a drummer, bass player, guitar player and keyboardist. And I think such a setup makes for a much better live show. All the electronic stuff is fine to me if it is used in addition to, not in place of, a real band.

I’ve had to make some “adjustments” in my way of thinking with what Alizée is doing now. I have always preferred the more “organic” side of her, even though her early music was often heavily sweetened by synths anyways.

I'm sure if it was up to me, this album would be produced a little bit differently. But the melodies sound really good to me and I feel very positive about the album. I prepared myself mentally for this a long time ago, and I find it's less electronic than I had expected.

@Vista, I agree. I think Alizée’s voice should be mixed more “up front”.I am pretty much with you on all counts Lefty. I don't mind some electronic accompanyment, but dominated by it doesn't normally do it for me. I am an old fart oldschool so asside from personal preference I don't have a clue whether this album is a winner or not. I sense it may be by the comments I have seen by fans especially the enthused younger ones. They will be the ones that make or break this endeavor by Alizee. Because of your direct involvement as a musician I trust your instincts also Lefty. I wish she had picked you to produce and play on this album. That would be killer!:)

[FanDeAliFee]

I think you got the link wrong...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B00000DGXX/ ;)

Or well, at least that's what this album most reminds me of. Good thing I guess, it's a fantastic score.

Ben,

Your post takes me way back to the mid-70s, when I lived in an undergrad dorm in metro Boston housing men assigned by lot to 8-bedroom suites which shared common plumbing.

One of my cohabitants liked almost nothing better than listening to the accelerated <i>William Tell Overture</i> from <i>A Clockwork Orange</i>, which score you cited. Not a drama major, but a triple-major in biology, chemistry and management, he nonetheless would re-enact the relevant scene from the film using a whole sheepskin splayed out on his bed as the target of his curious affections. Thankfully, he always kept his pants on - at least while his door was open. (I don't know about when it was closed!)

I say "almost nothing" because surely there was at least one thing he liked doing even better, which he practiced at least once weekly in front of the bathroom mirror - and probably lots more often just before important exams. This was the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e9CkhBb18E#t=0m54s", target="_TD">famous scene</a> which Robert DeNiro did in front of another mirror as "Travis Bickle" in the film <i>Taxi Driver</i>.

Curious if he ended up drinking bottles of <i>Woolite</i>, a few year ago I searched online. You will be relieved to know he is under medical supervision - he's a practicing plastic surgeon. IN NEW YORK CITY, BEN. I SAID IN NEW YORK! Are you REALLY SURE you need to have that mole removed? REALLY, REALLY SURE?

But probably the most memorable song from those times is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Je_t'aime..._moi_non_plus"<i>Je t'aime... moi non plus</i></a> which another cohabitant played many, many times <i>every</i> single day. I found that quite curious because evidently, he was rather wealthy for that era, with his own tricked-out Pontiac Trans-Am the guys called "The Pimpmobile." A handsome foreigner, he often entertained all sorts of lovely young women in his room, albeit only one at a time. I can only imagine they lacked all talent for singing.

You know, as a result, I've heard Jane Birkin <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxYte5oWfQE" target="_JT">have an orgasm</a> more often than all the American girls I've known put together. One more strange thing - when a French woman I'm with has an orgasm, I get a curious urge to read an old quantum mechanics book. I guess I'm traumatized for life, huh?

By the way, is there a thread on songs which Alizée and Jérémy should cover? ;)

[Addict]

It feels like just yesterday I was listening to clips like this of Psych. Time flies. I'm gonna be honest though, I didn't expect to like these as much as I do. They sound pretty great.

[Fèvier]

It certainly sounds like a well produced album, and there seem to be no boring filler songs. But no great Hit either. Nevertheless, i think i will love this album.

But it's too early to judge from these short snippets.
At least the big majority of the songs is in french, as i hoped.

La candida sounds cute, i think the mexicans will love it!

I know I do!!! :D
(not born in México, but I am Mexican so I guess that some what counts :rolleyes:)

[lefty12357]

There's a sound during the second verse of Fifty-Sixty that always reminded me of Clockwork Orange. Which I guess makes sense given that this album is an extension of the theme of that song. The similarity hits me most during the new bit from Limelight that uses the teaser music. While the radio version of that track took awhile to grow on me, I think the album version may be a favorite.

Anyway, as much as I loved Psychédélices, I think an album like this right out the gate would have made a much cleaner break from the Mylene-era. Though at 36:26, it's very short!

I loved Psych too, but I agree. An album like this would have been a cleaner break. And yes, it is short. I really don't understand this. I thought Psych was short too. You would think they would do over an hour's worth of songs and then throw out a few of the weakest.

I am pretty much with you on all counts Lefty. I don't mind some electronic accompanyment, but dominated by it doesn't normally do it for me. I am an old fart oldschool so asside from personal preference I don't have a clue whether this album is a winner or not. I sense it may be by the comments I have seen by fans especially the enthused younger ones. They will be the ones that make or break this endeavor by Alizee. Because of your direct involvement as a musician I trust your instincts also Lefty. I wish she had picked you to produce and play on this album. That would be killer!:)

That is very kind of you to say that and I appreciate it. But then you would just have a different group of people that don't like the results, and that group could be bigger. And finally, if Alizée were to ever become aware of my work and what I've done with her music, there's a reasonable chance that she wouldn't like it at all. And for some reason I've always felt she probably wouldn't like it.

As far as my instincts go, I have no ability to predict how this album will sell. I just feel from what I've heard that Alizée has done a very good job and deserves respect for that. My hats off to her team, also. We'll know more when we've heard the whole thing.

And finally, I can breathe a sigh of relief. I was hoping I would be able to like this album, and I think it's safe to say now that I do.

[user472884]

I'm beginning to think something may be wrong with my computer,

because there's no way they'd drown out Her voice in every single song

[Toc De Mac]

I'm beginning to think something may be wrong with my computer,

because there's no way they'd drown out Her voice in every single song

But, can't you hear it nevertheless, through the veil?

[CALJ35]

I've hoped for a long time that Alizee would prove that she is an artist and a singer--the combination is rare. This new album shows that she has not reached that goal and I hate to say it, but I don't think she will get there. And, there is certainly nothing wrong with being a great singer and performer. I suspect that her label pretty much insisted on an album within a short period--these songs seem rushed and regrettably the same. I can barely make out Alizee's voice on most of them. I believe that pop music is very much underrated and even dismissed. Alizee's first three albums have a lot of songs that I consider pop genuis. She should show us again that it is a great music medium and that she has no qualms about being a part of it.

[HelixSix]

From the clips on there I think there is something big missing - some songs with a good beat that you can't help but move with. Now unless the pace picks up at the end like most of them did with Laurent Boutonnat composing them I'm not sure how attractive this album will be to the mainstream audience.

Psych was a very artistic album, and I don't think she can afford to come out with another that's too fancy/soft that most people might not take to.

As a guy who likes electronica and trance music this is slow by my standards. Sure her voice is soothing as always, but there has to be some faster beats in there that are also unique.

I'm not gonna rule anything out yet but I think she is sacrificing success for her personal taste, and I do respect that. But I think we all want her to be successful right now, and if she really needs the $ this might be a problem.

[jung_adore_ALIZEE]

It seems to me though, that these songs sound like they will be difficult to sing in a live situation.

When playback is used it's not quite an issue anymore.

I suspect that her label pretty much insisted on an album within a short period--these songs seem rushed and regrettably the same.

A year and a half is hardly rushed.

And just because something is electronic doesn't make it Techno. Just seen that term slung around a bit and it is far from Techno.

Regards,

Jung

[lefty12357]

From the clips on there I think there is something big missing - some songs with a good beat that you can't help but move with. Now unless the pace picks up at the end like most of them did with Laurent Boutonnat composing them I'm not sure how attractive this album will be to the mainstream audience.

Psych was a very artistic album, and I don't think she can afford to come out with another that's too fancy/soft that most people might not take to.

As a guy who likes electronica and trance music this is slow by my standards. Sure her voice is soothing as always, but there has to be some faster beats in there that are also unique.

I'm not gonna rule anything out yet but I think she is sacrificing her own personal taste for success, and I really respect that. But I think we all want her to be successful right now, and if she really needs the $ this might be a problem.

Well, I can't really argue with you. You know your own personal tastes. And I also worry that this album may not appeal to the mainstream.

If I understood you correctly, I believe you meant to say she is sacrificing success to satisfy her own personal taste. I think Alizée is a very stubborn and headstrong woman, and no one in the world would be able to convince her that she is doing the wrong thing once she sets her mind to it.

[alizeeindia]

Eden Eden reminds me of Par Les Paupiya. Overall, the album seems good but a little slow.

[User22]

Definitely the solid album we were all waiting for....I love hitting "Tout écouter"!!! I love December 14th, o and wait....all of them!!!!*screaming like a 12-year old girl*:D:D:D

[desmodromic]

I love it and have no complaints! I'm a true fan with nothing negative to say.... ever.
Track 10 is especially soothing.

[Deepwaters]

LOL oh my, it looks like Her Grace's sorcery is in high gear, and claiming victim after bedazzled victim. That naughty girl. :D

This is an interesting sound. I'll have to hear the songs in full to say much more, though. It's really hard to get a full appreciation from these little snippets. I will say that I'm glad she's singing in the low registers again, I missed that. And I like the electro-pop direction.

Good going so far! :wub:

[user472884]

But, can't you hear it nevertheless, through the veil?

That's it.

Toc De Mac wins.

[Roman]

Well, I think I like Eden Eden and Grand Central. Her voice sounds really good. And Mes Fantômes is pretty trippy. I want to hear that one in full quality.

I'm sorry to damn it with faint praise, but while it is sweet and soothing and maybe will get Alizée some respect for making a nice artistic album, it seems like a rather "small" production. I don't see how the "mainstream" will take much notice of this. Of course, opinions differ. Many of you here seem to really like it.

I personally feel that if this is supposed to get her more respect than something that was awesome, sold millions, and carried her career for ten years, then I'm missing something. If one says that people have disrespect for the pop music that she made in the past, well, that is ignoring all of the fans. There's nothing wrong with pop music. It is what people like. I am a bit perplexed about that whole discussion of mainstream that was in that magazine article, and the comment about not being trashy holding Alizée back. I think she is either dealing with a lot of stuff that I just don't see, or well, what can I say, maybe she's just trying to do the best with what she has.

It's all very soft and as people say, with a consistent atmosphere. People said that would be a good thing, but it makes me remember why I thought the style changes in Psychédélices would be good. There was enough variety that one could like one song even if not the others or listen to something when in different moods. Well, you can't please everyone.

At least it doesn't seem to have any bizarre stuff like oh say, Timesteps or Biblical Daydreams from Ben's link. Sorry Ben, but I just can't take that stuff. I think it would be cool to maybe take some small elements from that and put it into a more "normal" (whatever that means) song. That could make the experience more profound.

So, I may just get up early tomorrow to find out what this radio program thing is all about - France Bleu. I'm not sure why exactly. After all that I have been through with mostly waiting for Alizée do to something... well, I am fatigued from wishing for something more for so long. I'm not ready to just sign off for good I guess, but I'm just not electrified like I was by her earlier stuff. It seems that the discovery of Alizée and becoming part of the fan community really was a miraculous thing that I don't expect to ever experience again.

[HelixSix]

Well, I can't really argue with you. You know your own personal tastes. And I also worry that this album may not appeal to the mainstream.

If I understood you correctly, I believe you meant to say she is sacrificing success to satisfy her own personal taste. I think Alizée is a very stubborn and headstrong woman, and no one in the world would be able to convince her that she is doing the wrong thing once she sets her mind to it.
Yeah you got what I meant. I corrected that sentence.

With her stubbornness I think we are seeing that she really wants to distance herself from that pin up image she had. I give her full props for that. And I think we are learning that she doesn't want to be a pop artist either.

I love it and have no complaints! I'm a true fan with nothing negative to say.... ever.
Track 10 is especially soothing.
I think you are very mixed up with what a fan is. If you were a Tiger Woods fan would you have no complaints about him no matter how many women he was with and how much he hurt his family? I think Tiger messed up pretty badly but I really hope he gets back on track.

Now that situation doesn't compare to anything Alizée has done, but I take the same approach. If she happens to be struggling a little I'm not gonna sit back with blinders on and act like everything she does is always right. I actually care what she does and if she makes mistakes I hope she is able to rebound.

I don't know what a "true" fan is, but if I was a performer I'd want at least a few people to give it to me straight, especially if they have legit reasons, rather than a load of suck up bs.

[lefty12357]

Well Alizée said she wanted her career to endure for the long run. I guess that doesn't mean she has to have a billion fans and be at the top of the charts all the time.

But in the music business, you shoot for the stars and hopefully you'll end up in the clouds. If you shoot for the clouds, you're likely to end up flat on your face on the ground. So in Alizée's mind, is this album a shot at the stars? If so, is she right? I don't know. I'm not necessarily a good judge of what the public will like and embrace. But if you want to shoot for the stars, wouldn't you work with writers and producers who have a habit of reaching the stars? Maybe that is not Alizée's goal.

Having not heard the whole album yet, my only suggestion would have been to add two more songs that really move. This would give the album a better length and provide some more energy. Otherwise, I like everything I've heard so far.

Edit: Oh, and a little side note on the term "Trash" that was recently used in the Technikart interview. I don't think this word is meant to be taken literally in its normal sense. Think of it as a word that is the name of a style or genre, like "Punk", "Metal" or "Pop". The word "Trash" has been around a long time in one form or another, often used to describe primitive, lo-fi, indie music. I think many British artists are currently known for being in this category, hence Alizée's reference to it in the interview. It's not meant to necessarily be derogatory or insulting.

[Deepwaters]

But in the music business, you shoot for the stars and hopefully you'll end up in the clouds. If you shoot for the clouds, you're likely to end up flat on your face on the ground.

Ah, but WHY has that been so?

Here again, Lefty, we confront the fact that the music business is changing, and the control of the record houses is slipping away. Not only is it changing from the artist's end, with it becoming easier and cheaper all the time to produce music without recourse to a record contract, but on the listener's end it's changing even more.

What's the difference in terms of business between a physical recording model and an internet-download model? This, mainly: all costs of production per recording vanish. There are no materials, no equipment costs, no distribution costs, no storage costs. No warehouses, no trucks or planes carrying music, no presses putting out the discs. This means that there is no urgency about selling music -- no need to reach the clouds -- because there is no window of time after which it must be judged to have succeeded or failed. There are no ongoing costs, and so no financial hemhorrage that sales have to stanch.

Now at the moment Alizée seems to be pursuing a pretty conventional sales path. She has a physical CD in production and will be making it available for purchase at the end of next month. And I'm going to buy one, and I imagine most of us will, even those like myself who did not order the deluxe package. But if she's smart, and if she's retained control of the rights to her music as I hope she has, then she'll subsequently pursue a non-traditional sales path as well.

Here's the thing. Traditional sales of physical CDs can't compete with digital piracy. But worldwide internet sales of downloads can, if it's made very convenient and very cheap. That was the lesson of iTunes, which of course the record companies ignored because they're a bunch of dinosaurs, and put all sorts of stupid barriers on it like DRM and national-market barricades (which in an internet-based sales environment make ZERO sense). You can't stop piracy by force. But you can manage it by making legitimate purchases easy and cheap. Easy and cheap means:

1) Available everywhere in the world with a mouse click.
2) No DRM on the music.
3) Cost of under a Euro per song.

That's going to be the main model of music commerce in the future. A secondary level of sales will involve vinyl records for high-quality sound, but that will always be a smaller, luxury market with downloads being the bread-and-butter. And then of course there are performances; that will remain pretty much unchanged, except that I expect we will see more smaller-venue performing and not so much reliance on blockbuster superhits.

A new world is being born. A lot of the old assumptions are losing their validity. They haven't become totally invalid yet, but they will.

[User22]

She was definitely shooting for the stars....and she reached the upper atmosphere. So I think her and also we will be very pleased with how it's going to sell. I absolutely love these songs....the last half of the songs are amazing x2:D

[alizeeindia]

Well having played the samples a lot many times, I just love this album. I am dying to get the full songs.

[Criss_pl]

I like those songs, but I would like them more if only songs exposed a bit more Alizée's voice. Maybe, it's only a samples issue, but for me melody covers the voice too strong.
30 seconds is, regarding to whole album, still a bit short preview, some songs sound promising, while samples of others doesn't present them fully.
I can't say that there is a song that I don't like, the are all enjoyable to listen. La Candida sounds a bit odd to me, but it's caused by Spanish lyrics, I never heard Alizée singing in this language, or I missed something?

For now, my personal favorites are Mes Fantômes and Une fille difficile.

And I repeat again. You guys have good points, Deep, lefty, Roman and many more here. I like reading your posts as you always have something smart to say:)

[lefty12357]

When I say “shoot for the stars”, I’m referring more to the quality of the product, as well as its appeal. I’m saying you must strive for your absolute best effort, because your reward will often be less than your effort. A mediocre effort will usually result in a less than mediocre payoff.

I pretty much agree with everything you’re saying, Deep. But it is difficult dealing with the transitional period between these two models. The conventional model still provides the pipelines to TV appearances and promotion. That infrastructure has been in place a long time and is quite entrenched. Until these other media outlets get with it, independents selling their own products strictly through the internet are going to find it difficult to get other media exposure. I’d hate to see Alizée only available on a crappy Youtube video.

If the Beatles had sold their music on the internet, would their music have been the same? Without the record company, they would have never met George Martin and received his guidance and mentoring. Many considered him the fifth "Beatle". The record companies can provide a useful service, such as developing and mentoring artists, and providing skilled producers who know how to coach an artist to be the best they can be. They can also help to weed out some of the chaff, thus allowing deserving artists a chance to be heard above all the mediocre noise out there. Unfortunately, the changes and consolidation that record companies have experienced over recent years have made them much less effective in this area. The new model should find a way to incorporate this function. In other words, the new model should provide a simple way for and artist to find their “George Martin”.

And some audiophiles are not happy with the quality of MP3’s. And still others (like me) still enjoy having a physical object with artwork to hold in their hands. And there are still many people who love to browse through a good record store. So there is a way to go, still. But that shouldn’t stop artists like Alizée from offering the new model as an alternative right now. And the sooner, the better. When you build a new bridge across a river, you leave the old one up until the new one is finished. But the new bridge nevertheless, needs to be built.

I don’t want anyone to think I’m against this new model. Hell, I’m using it myself. I just don’t promote it on this site.

Sorry for the long, off-topic post.

[Deepwaters]

Let's consider the Beatles for a moment and how they achieved success.

They were not originally recording artists. The original Beatles played the club circuit in Liverpool and Hamburg. (Probably a story in itself why those two cities; Liverpool is obvious because they lived there, but why Hamburg, Germany? I think it was just that was where they could get a gig -- it was a 48-week contract -- and beggars can't be choosers.) No records, no hits, no big venues, just pub music for a couple of years, 1960-1962. Both George Martin and Brian Epstein discovered them through their club performances. Epstein was a record-store owner. He became the group's manager. Martin became their record producer. They produced "Love Me Do" as a single in 1962 and it was a huge success.

Until 1966, the Beatles were first a performing band and second a recording band. After 1966, they stopped touring and worked in the studio. This period saw them produce what I consider their better music, the later albums being far more creative and original than the early stuff, which was basically pop fluff although it had a nice and original sound. But the recording industry (of course it was all vinyl in those days, there was no such thing as a CD) was not where they achieved their success.

No matter how you go about it, the hard part is being discovered. It's easy to get buried in the noise. Whether you're playing the pub circuit and scrambling for gigs (which is still possible I would imagine), producing records in the conventional way, or producing songs for download, the hard part is getting enough people to listen. I think in any popular art (true for mine as well as yours, Lefty) there's a critical mass that has to be reached and then you get "officially" noticed. It's never easy, unless you have Mylène Farmer giving you a jump-start before you even begin. :cool:

But even that is a mixed blessing. Alizée now finds herself needing to prove herself, that she can do it without the patronage, that she isn't just someone else's creation. Since she already has a fan base, she is part of the way there out the door, but she hasn't fully achieved it yet and I think she knows that.

I understand what you say about MP3 quality, but that technology continues to improve. Having grown up in the original vinyl era and more recently experienced digital recording, I can tell you that MP3 music quality is certainly no worse than the typical cheaply-made vinyl record played on a stereo that most people could afford from the old days. In fact, when I was a wee one, most music was played on mono, not stereo. (Vinyl/analog recording is potentially better than any digital format, but today's vinyl records are both much higher quality and much more durable than the mass-produced stuff from the past. A typical vinyl record from the 1970s was in stereo at least but not particularly high-quality. Whatever the medium, this is the norm for mass-produced stuff. However, the great thing about digital downloads is that they have the potential to reach a higher standard quality than anything in the past. As broadband becomes the norm and the storage capacity of portable music devices increases, we will get there. But I think there will always be a market for deluxe quality recorded music, too.)

[kristofer]

La Candida no suena española.............
La Candida doesn't sound like Spanish.
I hope the entire song is better than the little clip.

The rest of the album sounds fabulous though. (:

[Fall]

La Candida no suena española.............
La Candida doesn't sound like Spanish.
I hope the entire song is better than the little clip.

The rest of the album sounds fabulous though. (:
...Piensas en mi
Lo se, eres fiel
Jamas mentiras,
me muero me muero
Feliz tu sin mi,
Oh Dios no podras,
~something~
Aqui ~something~
Solo para mi...

I understood it fine with those two exceptions. I love the sample btw

[kristofer]

...Piensas en mi
Lo se, eres fiel
Jamas mentiras,
me muero me muero
Feliz tu sin mi,
Oh Dios no podras,
~something~
Aqui ~something~
Solo para mi...

I understood it fine with those two exceptions. I love the sample btw

I guess French-accented Spanish just doesn't work well for me. I can understand it with a Bulgarian accent but not with a French accent. Bwaha that's horrible. Así es la vida, supongo~ :rolleyes:
I love the "something"s though. Hahaha.

[Sachin_22]

All songs are nice....

[FanDeAliFee]

I like those songs, but I would like them more if only songs exposed a bit more Alizée's voice. Maybe, it's only a samples issue, but for me melody covers the voice too strong.

With memory and telecommunications so cheap, it would not be very costly to release multiple tracks (e.g. vocal, instruments) to the public and let them adjust the mix they prefer. Obviously there is no control to do the mixing on a fixed-function device like a CD/DVD player, but a PC or smartphone is quite programmable to accommodate any novel option a publisher might like to offer. I doubt enough people would want to do this to make it profitable, but young people today are into "modding" things like video games and so perhaps that day is soon coming.

I note that there is a (highly echoic) a capella version of <i>Fifty-Sixty</i> on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkuqMrXWIUQ">YouTube</a>. Did Alizée release this, or was a third party able to isolate her voice from a final mix this well these days?

Until these other media outlets get with it, independents selling their own products strictly through the internet are going to find it difficult to get other media exposure. I’d hate to see Alizée only available on a crappy Youtube video.

YouTube now supports high definition video. And <i>The New York Times</i> reports (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/technology/internet/21youtube.html) YouTube said it... would begin a program called “Filmmakers Wanted” that would allow... independent producers to make their films available to YouTube. Filmmakers will be able to determine the rental price of the movies and would keep the majority of the revenue collected...

Hulu already provides an outlet for indy films. <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123499181&ft=1&f=2&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NprProgramsATC+%28NPR+Program s%3A+All+Things+Considered%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">NPR reports</a> on a filmmaker claiming his $100K budget work made $1 million.

And I think you know that iTunes is already the biggest music retailer in the USA, and sells without physical media.

The question of where people learn about the music they land up buying is a separate issue. Old people still watch broadcast TV and read newspapers, but youngsters are rapidly abandoning both for Internet sources of video and text. I am not a music marketing guy and I'm too lazy to do lay research, but let me share some <a href="http://alizeeamerica.com/forums/showpost.php?p=152676&postcount=21">interesting stuff concerning listening habits and music selling</a> which I ran across in following my regular news feeds.

For what it's worth, I don't listen to <i>ANY</i> broadcast TV or radio after spending decades doing so. No AM, no FM, no XM, no ABC, no CBS, no NBC. Not even any "modern" cable or satellite video. The stuff I get comes from the Internet via a data line and is ON DEMAND. There is no "prime time" at my house. Even my rustic local news sources come via the Internet. Now, I do get material from traditional mass-media publishers - but it need come via the Internet to reach me.

Even most youngsters may not be like me yet, but they are moving that way. And again, the US is ALREADY a home-broadband-majority nation, a threshold we crossed in 2007.

I am not really a music devotee and with so much great voice prose finally available on demand, it is rare I waste my ears on ANY sung music, save when drifting off to sleep. Alizée's manager should be pleased she breaks a pattern.

Alizée found me through YouTube; Britney did only through her extracurricular escapades, as reported by the general news. I still have never heard Britney sing - I guess a great many people liked her singing and perhaps still do. Curiously, however, I have often used music to illustrate historical material. We even produced and aired singing radio ads for mid-19th century politicians.

And some audiophiles are not happy with the quality of MP3’s. And still others (like me) still enjoy having a physical object with artwork to hold in their hands. And there are still many people who love to browse through a good record store.

If record publishers don't provide digital files at the bit rates at which they do the digital mastering, it's because customers, by and large, won't pay for the improvement. The curious thing would be that the overhead for another SKU would seem to be preventing this choice.

I prefer to miniaturize everything that needs to be stored, so it can be stored with economy and carried with ease everywhere. I also prefer to keep designs and toss goods, if the former can be turned into the latter on demand, without delay, for free.

The essentials of the physics, psychophysics and economics of audio is found <a href="http://alizeeamerica.com/forums/showpost.php?p=146133&postcount=8">here</a>. The only real challenge to audio "fidelity," not discussed there, is the fact that your speakers, body and all the objects around them form a complicated amalgam of audio resonators/attentuators which changes its characteristics when you cross the room, open your mouth, gain weight, get constipated, and what not. In principle, one could measure the response of the system and distort the recording to compensate for it, but it is very rare to do that. Most differences are of course inaudible to anyone who does not believe in magic, and many other people simply don't care to bother with improving audible "deficiencies".

As one professional musician (Alizée) says: <blockquote><i>...someone like me has a musical library that is 40GB in size! I prefer to take all my music in my pocket...</i>[on her iPod]</blockquote>No wonder I love her!

As for the joy of fondling material goods, please be my guest.
<i>De gustibus non est disputandum.</i>
(Did I get that right, Deep? I never studied Latin in school, as you did.)

Any activity which in the past has repeatedly brought one pleasure will be attractive, because it recalls the associated emotional memory. I am not surprised if that even includes an activity which formerly was rewarding because it was utilitarian and now no longer is compared to an alternative. A man may prefer to make love to an old woman whose beauty has long vanished, rather than to a beautiful new one in the prime of life, because he remembers the innumerable times he made love to the former when she was in the prime of life. Perhaps there is someone who sings and dances ten times as well as <i>la fille corse</i>, but every time I attend her, I remember all the great pleasure she has given me in the past, not just at the moment. Memory makes the fan, I guess.

I do like to walk for exercise and in my early middle years, I would make a two-mile walk part of my regular daily work commute. But I prefer using Google to suffering what Michael Douglas is burdened with in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFkyV7d5t8o"><i>Disclosure</i></a> when one is urgently trying to get something done.

...the great thing about digital downloads is that they have the potential to reach a higher standard quality than anything in the past. As broadband becomes the norm and the storage capacity of portable music devices increases, we will get there. But I think there will always be a market for deluxe quality recorded music, too.

While not universal, broadband has been the norm (majority) in US homes for years now. Memory is cheap, too. (Now flash is maybe a couple bucks per GB; disk, maybe a dime per GB.) Technically, we are <i>already</i> "living in the future." Perhaps it just takes habits a long time to adjust to new opportunities when the old systems are not unbearable. As I asserted before, impossible cost is not the reason most people don't want higher bit rates on digital audio files.

[lefty12357]

A few quick notes to respond to Docdtv;

Alizée made the a cappella of Fifty Sixty available for download in MP3 format so fans could make remixes, which I thought was a great idea. Unfortunately, it contained all the processing and all the added voices mixed together which limited what you could do with it.

As for "crappy Youtube", I am referring to the possibility of the loss of pro live performances with an audience. However, here are a few models that I think have the potential to change that.

http://www.youtube.com/user/DrumChannelOfficial

http://www.ambrosialive.net/
:)

[Toc De Mac]

New slightly different samples available:

http://www.qobuz.com/telechargement-album-mp3/Alizee-Une-Enfant-Du-Siecle/Rock-Pop/Alizee/Jive-Epic/default/fiche_produit/id_produit-0884977545036.html

:)

[Merci Alizée]

wow!!! awesome really a good find, thanks a lot for the link

[Fall]

I'm really loving the samples of La Candida, the spanish song. Can't wait to hear it!! :wub:
Thanks for sharing!

[Människöpesten]

Factory Girl, another reference to Warhol, and it sounds great!

[lefty12357]

Thanks, TDM ! These samples do reveal a bit more of the songs and I'm liking UEDS even more.