L'Absente [Import]

Yann Tiersen | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 9, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI France
• ASIN: B00005A1M6
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,018 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Excellent album from the Maltese singer, following up his line of previous successes, 'La Valse Des Monstes' (1995), 'Rue Des Cascades' (1997) & 'Le Phare' (1998). Tiersen is probably better known for his critically acclaimed score to the 2002 Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Film, 'Amelie'. 12 tracks including 'Les Jours Tristes' feat. Neal Hannon of The Divine Comedy (the instrumental version appears in the film) & 'Le Meridien' feat. Lisa Germano. 2001.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Genius, November 18, 2002

By 

Sander Kessels (amsterdam, nh Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: L'Absente (Audio CD)

I liked the Amelie soundtrack, but after I saw a tremendous life performance of Yann Thiersen in Amsterdam, I ran to the recordstore to buy this record. Yann Thiersen is without doubt a musical genius, he played piano, the alt-violin and the accordeon as if these instruments were a part of his body. In one part, he even played piano with one hand and accordeon with the other. Besides, he played some gitar and prooved to be a good singer as well. In other words, I've never seen so many talents united in one person. The track on l'Absente that really stand out of the rest is Qu'en reste-t-il, a solo performance with the alt-violin that litterally will blow you away. The cd only has two english spoken songs on it, which are not bad, but compared to the rest of this cd a bit awkward. If you like Amelie, you'll like this album. If you happen to be able to see a life performance of this man, go see it. In my case, this concert was one of the best I've seen in many years...

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Le Fabuleux Destin du Yann Tiersen, January 6, 2002

By 

Steven Venn (Toronto, Ontario CANADA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: L'Absente (Audio CD)

Beautiful album all round and a great
addition to the Tiersen discography of incredibly
great French music. Not out of place alongside
Tindersticks, Satie, Arvo Part, Francoiz Breut, Angelo Badalamenti
or the soundtrack to Amelie (no suprise that its by Tiersen).
L'Absente is like that French girl you meet in
Paris and fall in love with immediately (she's a little shy,
introspective, slightly distant and darkly Gallic but once
you get to know her better she's friendly, warm,

thoughtful and fun to be around while still retaining
an air of dark humour and sad beauty ). So it is with
L'Absente. The instrumentation is truly inspired
and incredibly diverse and complex, you just
have to give it a few listens. For me he has nailed
the dark poetic charm of France with this music. Also if
there's an instrument that says France to me it has to be
the accordion which works beautifully here on many
songs. Anyone who says they can't listen to accordion
hasn't heard this album. Neil Hannon's song should have
been in the film Moulin Rouge (sad it never was), just an
incredible song. I'd love to see Tiersen do an album with
Nick Cave someday, I think that would be incredible.

Run, don't walk, to buy this album.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you like the Amelie soundtrack you will like this!, June 26, 2002

By 

K. S. Karshna (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: L'Absente (Audio CD)

I am surprised to see this album get such low reviews by people who liked the Amelie soundtrack. After all, many of the songs on the soundtrack were taken from Yann Tiersen's other albums, including this one. Not French enough is a rather strange complaint that I can't really address. But if you are looking for beautiful, quirky and unique music, all of Tiersen's CD's are wonderful, but this is one of my favorites.