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Review by Jack Foley |
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IF NOTHING else, French outfit, Air, can best be described as different.
Never afraid to experiment, the band has taken on a number of musical styles
during its five-year career, emerging from the chart-friendly likes of early
work such as Kelly Watch The Stars and Sexy Boy to their latest,
quirky, City Reading long-player.
Best-described as a spoken-word album, City Reading is a musical rendition
of Italian writer, Alessandro Baricco's novel, City, about a young mathematical
genius with a vivid fantasy life, which is wrapped around an hour's worth
of new instrumentals by Radiohead producer, Nigel Godrich.
Baricco is Italy's most famous contemporary writer, known for his poetical
style, and it was the author who initially contacted Air in the summer of
2002 for a live performance in a theatre during readings of his acclaimed
novel, City.
The show premiered last November in Rome's Teatro Valle and proved such a
success that both decided to expand their collaboration and make a record;
the result of which is a strangely intoxicating piece of background music,
boosted by the poetry contained within both the Italian language itself, and
Baricco's unmistakable lyrical style.
Divided into three sections - Bird, La Puttana Di ClosingTown and Caccia
Alcuomo - the album makes for a difficult listen, but an enthralling one;
although anyone anticipating something remotely near the mainstream is likely
to be hugely disappointed.
This is as arty as music gets and will undoubtedly alienate a large listener
base; performing on an intellectual level, as well as a soothing one for anyone
who wishes to keep it in the background.
In truth, the album begins stronger than it finishes, with first section,
Bird, giving rise to a folksy feel, courtesy of Godrich's lush instrumentals.
It is during these moments that the words and music seem to compliment each
other - a feat not managed as well during the final third, when the instrumentals
take a back seat to the lyrics and become quite tiresome.
Some critics have described the tone of the album as both sentimental and
cinematic; and the latter is certainly true - this wouldn't sound out of place
on a soundtrack. It is also an intensely personal journey for both its author,
Baricco, and its producers, JB Dunckel and Nicolas Godin.
It remains to be seen, however, whether the album will be embraced by Air
fans, let alone many other listeners. It is certainly an acquired taste, and
one which doesn't seem designed with huge record sales in mind.
The album itself contains a message from Air, stating that the idea, next,
is to make a video game. It would seem their creativity knows no bounds...
Track listings:
1. Bird
2. Prologo.
3. Se vuoi capire la loro storia.
4. Pat Cobhan ride.
5. Fanny scivola con le labbra.
6. Pat Cobhan alza gli occhi.
7. Young.
8. 'Affanculo.
9. Quell'uomo bara, dice.
10. Finale.
11. Prologo.
12. Il primo giorno.
13. Il secondo giorno.
14. Il terzo giorno.
15. L'urlo.
16. Mondo sparito.
17. Il quarto giorno.
18. Macchie di sangue.
19. Musica.