Collection D'Arnell Andrea
Tristesse des Mânes
Prikosnovénie

Some words are simply sufficient to describe the new album of Collection D'Arnell Andrea: a great moment of happiness. Especially as we thought we would never get to hear new songs, the last original opus dating back to 1996 (except a compilation released some years ago).

The band Collection D'Arnell Andrea return with some changes in its formation (a new member Thibault D'Aboville) and above all a new musical concept for this album. If the last compositions were a pleasant mixing of classical and comtemporary musics, Tristesse des Mânes is entirely relied on a classical base with the choice of the instruments (piano, alto, cello), accompanied with the delicate voices of Chloé St Liphar and Franz Torres-Quevedo. So, the absence of the guitar, keyboards and bass goes unnoticed.

For this release, the band have rearranged seven songs issued from previous albums: "Aux Glycines Défuntes" from Un Automne A Loroy (1990), "Aux Cordes Eternelles" and "Un Parc, Une Tonnelle" from Au Val Des Roses (1990), "Au Sacre Des nuits", "Les Temples Elevés", "Kergal" and "Les Chants De Peine" from Les Marroniers (1992). There are no tracks from the two last albums (Villers-Aux-Vents, 1994, and Cirses Des Champs, 1996). Thus, we rediscover fortunately these pearls, whereas there are seven new songs sprinkled here and there, as the instrumental "Loire Et Léthé", perfectly contributing to this musical promenade by the Loire (French River justly represented on the sleeve with a great painting of Nicolas Méchériki), all of this marked by gentleness and romanticism. We especially appreciate the voice of Chloé St Liphard on "Un Automne Restant" or "Un Parc, Une Tonnelle", delicately accompanied by Jean-Christophe D'Arnell (piano). This duo is present since the beginning of the band. Chloé and Franz Torres-Quevedo are an other important duo, harmonizing marvellously their voices on a few songs of this album ("Aux Glycines Défuntes", "Un Parc, Une Tonnelle").

The French language is another great choice, for all the texts of theirs albums, apart from a few exceptions. This new release does not depart from this principle, with only one English text ("Kergal"). So, we can appreciate the elegance of the words written by Jean-Christophe D'Arnell (sometimes helped by Carine Crieg): "The threat and trouble rains melt in casket of light / the pink bouquets of shallow silk lie in ground bushes" ("Les pluies de menace et de peine fondent en écrin de lumière / les roses bouquets de soie vaine reposent aux buissons de terre"), from "Un Parc, Une Tonnelle", "And we will walk, shallow silhouettes / and we will sing the sorrow which is lying in wait for us / our voices will raise, tears and storms / our hands will be burning with secret promises" ("Et nous marcherons, vaines sihouettes / et nous chanterons la peine qui nous guette / nos voix hisseront, larmes et tempêtes / nos mains brûleront de promesses secrètes"), from "Les Chants De Peine". These lyrics are a too short idea of the talent of Collection D'Arnell Andrea.

Finally, this album is released by Prikosnovénie. Another musical pearl in the generously complete catalogue of the French label.

Copyright © 2002 Patrick Dubail