Customer Reviews

Grand Love Story

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's very easy to fall for this kid loco... He created such a beautiful mix of ecletic sounds and rocking beats through out these two CDs. "A Grand Love Theme" is a sweet introduction that starts you up to ask for more. "Relaxin' with Cherry" is classic, providing deeper bass sounds, but still maintains a smooth, snappy melody. The break in the middle is irresistibly groovey. This music is so great because it is very dance provoking, but it is also extremely mellow and relaxing with its singing flute and seductive vocals and lyrics. Bravo! Vivre La France!

The liner notes offer the information that this record was produced and mixed "with incomparable taste and perception by the still handsome but really stoned Kid Loco" and perhaps therein lies the only drawback to an otherwise pretty satisfying album. I'm not sure exactly where though. Perhaps it's the smugness implied in the whole thing, dripping in smarmy self-satisfaction. Perhaps it's the "real stoned" part. In any case, it's probably not fair to complain too much about a little unintentional cheesiness here and there because this is a very pretty and groovy record that provides a fat bud's worth of light trip-hop bass 'n' beats skipping along under warm guitars, sitars, flutes and pianos in space. If you like clean mellow sounds to get stoned to, this record will not disappoint. "A Grand Love Theme" and Cosmic Supernatural" are chock full of mood and originality, gently nodding along--when the sample goes "Love is the voice of music", you gotta agree and it is suddenly clear why such luminaries as Stereolab and Mogwai are among those who have asked him to remix them. I only wish the Kid had gone that extra step on several tracks, using less played-out samples and synth sounds for example. There are too many sounds that I recognize from other records. Some tracks also would benefit from being pushed into another direction than a simple theme-break-theme format. Although "Love Me Sweet" is nice enough and features Katrina out of the Pastels who has *such* a voice, it is very reminiscent of the Chemical Brothers' track with Beth Orton while lacking the latter's depth and melody. Ultimately, Kid Loco isn't forging any new frontiers, but he's tracing some sweet smokey paths.

In "A Grand Love Story," producer Kid Loco (real name: Jean Yves Prieur) has created the perfect downtempo album. His French trip-hop is laid-back and airy, but much warmer and sunnier than most such albums. Things get a bit odd in the middle, but it's never boring and never too strange.

It opens with the gently ambient "A Grand Love Theme," and follows up with gentle trip-hop and guitar-laced pop music. But things start to get a little eerie in "Bootleggers," a wavery little song that becomes darker and a bit more surreal, with horns and the occasional odd clatter.

"Calling Aventura King" is slower and more ambiguous -- it has warm, soft notes woven in the essentially cold beats. And "Sister Curare" is a patchwork of odd samples. Things shift back into warmer climes with "She's My Lover (A Song For R.)," an exotic little tune that brings us back into the realm of warm chill-out music.

That arc is what makes the album so intriguing, since it keeps listeners from predicting what the next song will sound like. It's a bit like walking into a haunted house on a sunny day, and walking back out into the sun at the end. On that note, "Grand Love Story," ends with the gently spacey "Cosmic Supernatural," which reminds one of watching the stars while listening to the radio.

There's a warm pastoral flavor to "Grand Love Story," as if Kid Loco is driving you through the countryside. These are truly beautiful pop songs, and they show Loco's exceptional skill as a downtempo artist, whether it's happily stoned pop, ghostly trip-hop, or warm ambience.

Some of the songs are almost completely constructed of sampling, although in songs like "Relaxin' With Cherry" the gentle guitar line and mellow drumming ties it all together. Prieur also contributes some faint vocals, and Katrina Mitchell of the Pastels gives a pretty guest performance in "Love Me Sweet." She sounds a little uncertain as she sings to a quiet percussion backdrop, although even that is charming to hear.

"A Grand Love Story" is perhaps the perfect example of a chillout trip-hop album, without a single dull song and with plenty of little tweaks to keep things interesting. Absolutely wonderful.

The album is a near perfect cinematic musical journey: soothing, haunting and uplifting.

Track after track the tunes glides through a terrain of trendy neo-lounge placing the album in the realms of the sophisticated and strange night life.
"A Grand Love Theme" sets the pace to the heartwarming ambiance that radiates through the record's melodic vocals and chunky trip-hop grooves.
The single "Relaxin with Cherry" ups the tempo with the help of a cool bluesy guitar.
The next track "Love Me Sweet" pulls you into seductive down beats and sweet enchanting female vocals.
As "Calling Aventura King" stoned groove puts the soft funkiness back, there is no turning back anymore.
The music sweeps and whooshes away into a musical journey of funked-up trip-hop and various deliciously non-classifiable musical excursions.

When the album ends, it has to be played one more time.
There is something in the music one has to hear again and again. The music is so easy and accessible that it could have been annoying, but the overall impression is instead a distinct sense of timeless quality and beauty. This is an album you just got to have!

This is incredible but I suggest getting the "Jesus for Children under 12 Inches" first. Listening to the tracks # 1,2,3,6,7,10 on CD1 are beyond incredible and on CD2 Track 5 is amazing. If you want to hear some nice moody trip hop from France get this. Your in store for loops from Porno music, east Indian beats, Spaghetti Westerns, to 30's style stuff. A must have!

Kid Loco's debut solo effort is very rewarding. The middle of the album gets a little forced and odd, but the beginning and the end are fabulous. A sonic journey through love, the opening track, "A Grand Love Theme," is astonishing in its blend of almost classical sounding melody and phat beat underneath. "Relaxin' with Cherry" has a wonderful, carefree guitar riff that relaxes you even with the quick beat lain overtop. When the beat does come in after a minute, it is one of those moments that are worth an entire album just to get to. After that, it kind of falls apart, but "She Woolf Daydreaming" picks up any and all the slack. Once you can get over the disarming love moans, it is a beautiful, enchanting song. It segues into "Alone Again So," the end of which is fantastic. "Cosmic Supernatural" ends the album with a feeling that everything is right in the world. I do not regret the money I paid to purchase this import album.

it is a dream this album, a long trip somewhere behind your ears, it is difficult to do better than that! get it NOW!

This record really surprised me. I must admit not remembering this guy but this album blew me away. It's rather hard to describe the style.. trip hop but then again not trip hop.. trip smoking house or something maybe :) It's really mellow and laidback and perfect for that late nite jam. I did find out that I had one track by him on a compilation which is also excellent.

Check it out

This is simply a must-have album. If you are even remotely intersted in trip hop, acid jazz, lounge music, or any good melodic music that is dark and chill, you must buy this album. MAKE SURE you get the import version with two CDs -- the second CD is absolutely incredible (as is the first). Actually it was a pirate copy of CD 2 that got me into Kid Loco. One of those albums I just can't get tired of listening to...

Effervescent, ethereal downtempo that ages like fine wine.

Swirling beats woven into numerous samples,flutes, and the only Apocalypse Now vocal sample I have ever heard in this genre! funky chill tunes to drive, smoke or love to. Changes directions in mid-song without missing a turn and goes back the way it came just as easily.

I am a big fan of a number of downtempo acts and albums from this era (and beyond) but I have to say that this is probably my favorite electronic album simply because it has such a strong presence without being overpowering. It can sit in the background at a party or you can crank it to the center of everyone's attention.

This album covers a lot of ground , starting slow but building up (A Grand Love Theme) , going into conga drums and delightful feminine vocals with ease (Love Me Sweet) and slipping back into a nice solid groove before taking off into the outer reaches (The Bootleggers) A little stormy in sections, at one point (Sister Curare) the jangling, off key piano chords are a bit shocking when you are so used to the sweet melodies but it's all a set up into the next groove. By the time you are into the last three songs (esp. She Wolff Daydreaming) this album will be in your head for life.

I have played chill and down to mid tempo for a number of friends who don't ordinarily listen to electronic tunes and this is always the album that converts them.