Like its Béart Duteil or colleagues, Francis Cabrel is often the victim of clichés it arouses: from "The hut in the garden" of Gerra, "The grandmother mustache" and the Puppets "On the way of the road "of Renaud, you almost forget that the singer native of Agen is the only French equivalent of Bob Dylan (he admired to the point of adapting some of his songs, including" Shelter from the storm "and" She belongs to me ", the latter on this disc). Now let's turn to this album called "roses and nettles." What surprises await those who go their way: Gainsbourg Cabrel is neither nor Ferré (who regularly took their audience off balance). Since 1994, the success of "Saturday Night on Earth," the bluesman Astaffort found his style, he extended from album to album: a wooded folk-rock, refined, cross between Neil Young and Dire Straits. After Off-Season "and" Beautiful damage, "its two previous tests, Cabrel back with the same background music, but texts that touch perhaps more, for more personal: as such," The dress and the scale ", the song offered to radio to promote the album, we surpend by the sincerity of purpose and gently erotic atmosphere it gives off. Francis evokes shamelessly his first love, in a pastoral form reminiscent of masterpieces Lumber Brassens like "chasing butterflies" and "Clairette and the ant." The theme of adoption appears through "Miss Adventure" (Cabrel key theme that closely). In "Great people "The poet casts a wry look on his artistic career. In short, a long time ago that the author of" Little Mary "had not delivered at this point ... Elsewhere, there are finely committed texts that are his trademark (Cardinals in costume, Des such men), two songs that are among the most successful of its kind in Cabrel directory. Finally, mention should "cork oak", which can be considered as the most beautiful song of this album (and perhaps of the whole work), with a pantheistic text where Francis ponders the human condition and appeal to mysticism , faith. To complete the circle, takes care of the Agennais bludgeon us his Anglo-Saxon influences yet obvious, proposing adaptations of three rockers he admires (John Fogerty, JJ Cale and the inevitable Dylan). Could it be the will of Francis Cabrel album? (Speculation emerged by which our singer wants to move away from her recording activities, like his colleague Goldman). If that were the case, this album would be an end point held a high quality directory ...
