Musical innovator, modern concept, fresh and captivating, the high-flying arrangements

Gainsbourg, the old gentleman pig and crappy French songs, big consumer of alcohol and tobacco, lover of women and all kinds of provocation, was also a prolific and brilliant composer. And one of the few French having the audacity to explore new musical territories, and the courage to go through with its obsessive themes.
Innovative concept album under strong influence Nabokov told, "Histoire de Melody Nelson" tells the story of a man (a neurotic redneck or an old pervert frica, your choice) at the wheel of his Rolls. It will reverse a young nymphet 15 years, Melody, with whom he will make a long journey gallant somewhat ecstasy (inspired by an erotic dream?) To the tragic plane crash last taken by Melody ("Cargo Cult"), which coincide with the resumption of our minds.
What strikes immediately in tune with this UFO of French popular music, thirty-five years after its release, is the extraordinary modernity of these strange compositions. Obviously, we can only salute the performance of Jean-Claude Vannier gave the whole a majestic and mesmerizing color, thanks to its high bill string arrangements. Gainsbourg, he likes to superimpose the symphonic orchestration of Mr. Vannier funk rhythms, low bouncing, just enough (and when to) electric guitar, strange samples and then what will become his trademark, the famous talk-over (the art of highlighting the rhythm with words) with stunning originality (including the extraordinary "Melody").
Then this is the format of the album that challenges and seduces. Only 28 minutes, including two titles more than 7 minutes, which passed in a loop through the tangle and recurrence of certain musical themes ever blistered, create a surprising unity of body, while we never have time to get bored!
And it is this cycle of dark songs, complex and sulphurous we listen as a sin, as we read a book of forbidden stories, fascinating. As if we were accomplices of old fantasies "lolitesques" and other obsessive narrator.
This is probably his next film (and therefore visual), true musical road trip, which adds a great flavor to this album casually giving quite a blow to the old French music.
The quality of this musical artifact is no longer boast today, the album that experienced an astonishing posthumous fame, thanks to artists as diverse as praise Beck, Sonic Youth, Blonde Redhead or Air.