Customer Reviews

Precis

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love finding albums like Benoit Pioulard's Précis. Its one of those albums that you wont ever hear on the radio, but once stumbled upon - you realize the treasure it has in store. I would consider this album to be a headphone album, in which the experience of listening to it on headphones makes a world of difference. You notice every beat, ever spoken word and with closing your eyes this album brings you to another place. It is beautiful, serene, intimate, and nostalgic. And with the use of old recorded vocals and ambient sounds, Pioulard creates a soundscape that walks a fine line of joy and sadness that is brilliantly deep. It's rare that one finds a debut album that is so impressive as this one and that is perfectly crafted from beginning to end that flows beautifully. Precis acts like an experience, a surreal dream haze that you'll never want to let go.

It seems as though Thomas Meluch (aka Benoit Piolard) has been recording noises and fragments of music all of his 22 years, and maybe he has, but this is the first the general public has heard his work. It is breath taking, powerful, and ever-changing. Everytime I listen this album I hear something different, it is almost like the music is alive.

On his first full length for the venerated Kranky label...21 year old Michigan native Thomas Meluch, who records under the rather less mundane pseudonym of Benoit Pioulard, coated his infectious three minute pop songs in a haze of electronics and found sound, thus inviting the listener into a beautifully realised sonic world which is at once romantic and powerfully emotional. My personal favourite record of 2006 and I have to say I cannot wait for his follow-up, which has been recorded and is due for release in the second half of 2008. "Precis" is an essential album, which I consider to be bafflingly underrated by some.

Intense and veiled, the first track builds into a ecstatic release and sudden closure. The mood is one of a dark forest near the ocean. The second song contains a certain dissonance that speaks of an emotional depth that is being unveiled. Static echoes turn to melodious revelations as the album starts to escape, although the vocals still seem to be swirling underneath a sea of haunted solitude.

"Moth Wings" is an inviting mystery. I wish this track was longer because it seems to embody escape elements I enjoy. The nostalgic elements in the next track leads into a spacious epiphany where Thomas Meluch still seems to be experimenting with his moody voice. The lyrics seem to present more of a mood than a story. You can feel the emotions even as you strain to hear the poetry.

Corpus Chant has elements of magic and memories. Coup de Foudre is intense and awakening in a psychedelic haze. Hirondelle melts and merges into a dreamy pop embrace and then shatters into space. Needle and Thread is gorgeous and has elements of kissing in a smoky room. R Coloring pretty much sets this album on fire and then disappears into a liquid reverberation. Patter is a wave of sound washing on your shore and creates a breathless heady feeling as if you are swept away into a moonlit night on a sea of fulfilled dreams.

Thomas Meluch's voice is too beautiful to be covered in a haze of hushed lyrics. I'd love to see him break free and emphasize his voice over the music. Opening the door to the world of these poetic lyrics would reveal a deeper emotional magic. If you enjoy the sound of a voice more that the lyrics then this album will more than likely sweep you into a state of anticipation.

There are some stunningly beautiful acoustic guitar moments that will leave you hungry for more. The melodies are beautiful and the lyrics would be amazing if they were center stage and not so encased in a misty forest dreamscape. Also, I think each track would benefit from a little deeper exploration because just when you have been introduced, you are left with a longing for more.

Listening to this album a second and third time seems essential and as the album reveals more of its intricate details (turning down the volume and listening to this album on regular speakers - instead of expensive headphones - reveals more lyrics), this becomes even more intriguing. Now that we have been completely teased with mystery, I hope the next album shatters expectation and the lyrics take a more prominent position. A fascinating debut album that reveals its subtle nuances to the patient heart.

~The Rebecca Review

Listening to precis (or anything by Benoit Pioulard) could probably be described as sitting in a serene forest and being immersed by 30+ minutes of the most beautiful melodies you'll ever hear. Meluch completely shatters your perception of a how a piece can be composed. Drowning out his voice in a cluster of acoustic guitars and various percussion you'll probably never recognize, this is truly one of the most beautiful records you will ever hear.

I discovered Benoit Pioulard in the depths of a blog about a year back and checked 'em out on myspace. I instantly felt a connection with the music... so raw, so genuine... a sound I had never really heard before. I pretty quickly invested in the Precis album and eagerly anticipated its arrival. With expectations high, I was thrown for a loop when finding that they were actually exceeded. Pioulard has created a soundtrack for the real world... one that doesn't sugar coat everything with a major chord... one that doesn't always sound like the notes match up. The music is alive. It has layers and evolves much like the human experience, complete with moments of complacency, energy, beauty, etc.... pick up a copy.

A floating fragment from the song "Ext. Leslie Park" seems to recall Fairport Convention and Sebadoh at the same time -- an evident low-fi aesthetic swirled together with depth and detail, everything from soft white noise to subtle, speaker-hopping electronic touches.

"Precis" is literally a triumph of production and subdued songwriting, a carefully colored mood album that almost modestly displays its considerable textural and lyrical strengths. This album invites (and rewards) deeper exploration.

Experimental/Folk/Indie

I got the promotional copy in October and loved it so much I contacted the artist to get an interview, which he accepted. Benoît Pioulard's (22 year-old Michigan-based singer/songwriter Thomas Meluch) debut album, Précis, is not a compilation of songs but a merry of melodies. The soft/acoustic layers of sound work so wonderfully together, it creates a very lush and reminiscent feeling. Songs like "Patter," an instrumental track sounding like an afternoon rain near a creek and "Triggering Back" is a burst-of-sunshine pop tune, while the soft, lyrical, and organic magic of "Palimend" alludes to the calm flow of a river. Difficult to recreate and describe, Tom's keen attention to detail of nature is possibly for his love of the forest, the smell of the trees, and the moss under his feet. It is something I haven't heard this year, which is perfect for this fall/winter.
CLEAN
Recommend: 8, 4, 14, 2, 13, 10, 15, 11, and 3: (They are all good so pave the way mon ami).


(I wrote the review not some other person. Me. It was Me. OK.)

Wow, just got this CD and man, I was totally BLOWN AWAY! It's unlike any music I've ever heard, completely fresh. A welcome change to a lot of the mediocre stuff out there these days. Emotionally charged and beautiful music...I can't wait to see what else this artist has in-store! Highly recommended.

this work is a true gem that needs to be given at least several plays , the first play may not hit you so just try it again and you will find some of the most unique and beautiful music here , just a super work of art