Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Astonishing sophomore release from the new Gainsbourg, July 2, 2003
First things first: Biolay is a genious. Period."Negatif" is one of those (very few) cd's that force you to sit down and just listen. Why so? It's certainly unusual to find another record with such a rich tapestry of sound (and such a wide range of influences, with Serge Gainsbourg at the top)without being pretentious. Every single string arrangement, electronic programming, I mean: every single note is where it is because that's where it belongs. This is lush pop-folk-orchestral-jazzy-country*ish* music. Call it whatever you like, what you can't miss - unless you're deaf - is the sense of perfection that lies in songs like "La Penombre du Pays-Bas", "Little Darling" and all the others. Remember David Sylvian's "Secrets of the Beehive"? It's the same kind of perfection I'm talking about - though not exactly the same kind of music. I've been humming "Little Darling" since I bought the cd - and that was a few months ago. It's just the cherry on top of this masterpiece. Sounds exagerated? Just listen to it.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chic French Singer, some perfect songs, March 18, 2005
This is a double CD by the singer/songwriter Benjamin Biolay. First, I'd like to say that I do speak French, so that makes a big difference in not just understanding the songs, but participating in the kinds of references that are being made here. It would still work as a soundtrack-y, slightly eroticized backdrop for the mind.
This is a "style" record, in the sense that it is quite cinematic and its influences and aspirations are pretty transparent. It has that Gainsbourgness, with less intoxication, more distance, and a frenchness that is sweet, if stand off-ish. This record also has a tinge of the erotic and it is moody and elegant. He is married to Chiara Mastroianni, who is in some of the songs. The arrangements are quite simple; it is almost a story of a cinematic (French-style) love affair, mixed with the nostalgic.
If you are looking for French stuff (contemporary) please get the Bertrand Burgalat record, which is really great, and the music is richer, more complex.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Blueprint of Cool, December 17, 2008
Benjamin Biolay's "Negatif" is clearly the 'coolest' album I own. Out of the thousands in my collection, this is the one album where the artist effortlessly conjures up images of smoky French jazz lounges, and the film-noir of the 1960s (in particular - Alain Delon in "Le Samourai"). While Biolay remains an artist beyond compare in native France, he is still not very well known outside of it, which is a travesty, but for those of us who know his work it can still be 'our little secret'.
Several reasons why this album is groundbreaking: The instrumentation is flawless, and almost every song is an orchestral masterwork. Seriously. Whoever the musicians are, they should be winning awards in all directions. Second, the music is timeless. I can imagine playing this twenty years from now and still being captivated by the stupendous artistry contained within this jewel case. Third, this is a double disc 'concept album', and these sorts of ventures usually are my favorites.
While the entire album remains a gigantic achievement, the best thing here is most definitely "Little Darlin'". Benjamin has a penchant for tracking down obscure 1950s jazz and roots recordings and using Marilyn Monroe vocal samples in so many of his songs, and this is a perfect example of such an example that goes horribly RIGHT. What an epic this song is.
While the first disc is decidedly accomplished, the shorter second disc is actually where the real treats are stored. The track "Holland Spring" is actually on my Top 10 list of Greatest Songs of All Time. For those not in the know, Benjamins wife is Chiara Mastroianni (the daughter of French legend Catherine Deneuve) and she duets and provides background vocals on almost all the songs here. So, this is as much her album as it is his.
Never boring, and always musically one step ahead, this album is like that perfect bottle of wine - it simply gets better and better.
If you liked this, I would highly recommend his debut album "Rose Kennedy", as well as his folk album with his wife, "Home". Try also tracking down his "A L'Origine". His later works aren't as riveting as this album, but they are all pretty good.
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Interact With Your Music: Discover, listen to, and buy new music, all from the pages of SPIN's digital edition, free to Amazon customers.
See all 15 tracks on this disc
by Benjamin Biolay 
