Songs (Click the -icons for some small realaudio-samples)
 
1. Par les temps qui courent
2. Pendant que tu dors
3. Le futur n'existe pas
4. Recommencer
5. Sortir de l'ordinaire
6. Mourir dans tes bras
7. Les portes du ciel
8. Etrange
9. Toi ma nebuleuse
10. Faux-semblants
11. Quelques mots de toi
12. Ell m'ensoleille
13. Je veillerai sur toi
14. Le monde a mal
15. A vous maintenant
bonus
16. Louise

Songs & Lyrics:
Salvatore Adamo

Musicians:
- Salvatore Adamo (vocals)
- Olivier Baldissera, P. Mobers (drums)
- Phlippe Chevallot, David Lefevre (bass)
- Michel-Yves Kochman, Michel Aimé, Basile Leroux, Jérôme Munafo (guitar)
- Steve Sidgwell (trumpet)
- Snake (sax)
- Fiz Shapur (piano)
- A. Martinig (keyboards)
- Robert White (Ullean Pipes)
- Virginie, Patrice Carmona, Sebastien Abaldonato, Laurent Ayme, Alec Mansion, Yann Woodcock (backings)
- Richard Blackford, Caroline Petit, Gerard Salesses (string arrangements)

Recorded in Air Studio (London), Landsdowne Studio (London) Studio Mega, Studio Artistic Palace, Studio Twin, Studio Plus XXX (Brussels)

Photo's : G.C. Vanryk
 

My opinion :

"Par les temps qui courent" is the does-he-know-himself-how-manieth CD of Salvatore Adamo, a living monument of the stature few Belgian artists possess, with a reputation that stretches from South-America to Japan, with a past that has as many hits as the average number of yawns and lit cigarettes in an episode of Big Brother. No wonder that the times seem to be "running" for someone who in this year alone filled Vorst Nationaal, acts as UNICEF-ambassador, performs in the Olympia in Paris, writes a book, visits his children who are studying in America regularly, was knighted by King Albert and - before I forget it - wrote an entire new album.
No effort was spared in that - except for the effort of weeding out the unnecessary. The orchestration is rich, with recordings done in more than 7 studio's - this time with real strings, no more "fake ones" as on the last album - and there are no less than 16 chansons and 72 minutes of music on it.
It all starts off on a wrong note: "Par les temps qui courent" does have nice lyrics to it, but also has a chorus that hurts the ears. No stir is caused by quietly rippling tracks as "Je veillerai sur toi", "Quelques mots de toi", "Pendant que tu dors", "Recommencer". Of course Salvatore Adamo is professional enough not to put any plain rubbish on CD (or else he conceals it as "bonus track, such as is the case here with "Louise"). So these tracks don't actually repel, but neither do they move or have anything to say, nor do they have a melody that's worth remembering. "Le monde a mal" succumbs from too much pathos. "Faux-semblants" is the low point, with ugly synths and a typically french mistaken variety-way of "rock".
Thus, we came to the highlights, that are certainly also on it. With a large margin ahead of everything else is "Mourir dans tes bras": Lyrics that will probably serve many a French lesson and Adamo that actually moves with nothing but a piano and some strings. I wouldn't really know what I would have to do when adressed to with a statement as "je voudrais mourir dans tes bras" (I would like to die in your arms) except for "I hope I don't live to live that day", but it sure sound like a heartfelt wish of somebody that does have a few years already and perhaps is mentally preparing for the day he meets the maker. It certainly is the song where form and content go best together. Also very good: the lightly-Brittanic folk-influences on "Sortir de l'ordinaire", the bells and nice melody of "Etrange", the catchy pop of "Le futur n'existe pas", and the triumphant held "toi"s from "Toi ma nébuleuse" ...
My wishlist for a next CD of Salvatore is that he would throw them out! That drummer, that synth, those bleak backing vocals: may they get the sack! Dead weight overboard. Nothing but a pianist that he feels as if it was his own right hand, Adamo's voice, and a couple of violins to get some emphasis here and there. Strip. More is not needed, adn the result would be more.
On this CD, Salvatore Adamo certainly proves that he has far from dried up his well (although he himself affirms that "le futur n'existe pas" - de Sex Pistols have fans in the strangest places), and that many more beautiful things will come from his corner. If the times don't "courent" too fast, that is.

And your opinion? Did I get it all wrong, or was I spot-on ? Do you want to share your opinion about this cd ? Send it in ... Your name or nick Your e-mail : Your opinion:

This album in the press :

- M.Letizia Pace voor Musica Italiana : "... degno di nota il pezzo "Sale comme la guerre" che parla, senza mai dirlo esplicitamente, del dramma del Kosovo. A questo riguardo il cantante, nato subito dopo la guerra, si ritiene fortunato per aver scampato l'esperienza ma si dice preoccupato del presente, che ruba i sogni ed il romanticismo. «Le mie vecchie canzoni sono diventate forse anacronistiche, per qualcuno - afferma Adamo alla vigilia di questa sua nuova primavera professionale - ma noto che sempre di più i giovani ci si riconoscono»".
- Jean-Luc Cambier voor Planet Internet : "Depuis quarante ans, Salvatore Adamo est une vedette de la chanson. Mais, même s’il fut plus idolâtré dans les années 60 que Johnny Hallyday, il ne s’est jamais pris pour une star. Cette modestie sans faille l’empêche de revendiquer une place méritée auprès des Grands de la chanson. 80 millions de disques vendus ne sont pas une consolation pour un artiste qui voudrait encore toucher le public avec le même impact que par le passé. Son nouvel album, "Par les temps qui courent", est en tout cas emplis d’éternelles mélodies amples et de textes serrés autour des réalités actuelles."
- J-M Petit in La Voix du Nord : "Seize chansons romantiques, dans le droit fil des «Filles du bord de mer », remis au goût du jour par Arno. Adamo ne sait pas être méchant. Son monde est pourtant légèrement désenchanté. Il voudrait voir s’ouvrir « Les portes du ciel », « Sortir de l’ordinaire », proclame que « Le futur n’existe pas ». Les fans, eux, ne seront pas dépaysés."
- Der Schallplattenman : "In Deutschland hat sich der Belgier sizilianischer Abstammung seit 1967 als "Träne auf Reisen" in alle Schlagerkopplungen hineingesülzt. Das kann, soll, muss man vergessen. Adamo hatte in seiner Heimatsprache stets mehr zu sagen als der Schlagerkonsument je vermutete. ... Wenn auch die eine oder andere Wendung hart an der alltäglichen Plattheit vorbeirauscht, die Orchester melodramatisch aufbrausen und der Hall auf seiner Stimme aus riesigen Tropfsteinhöhlen zu stammen scheint, die zarte Poesie seiner Chansons d'amour ergreift, die zarte Gesellschafts"kritik" verblasst: hallo, Udo Jürgens. Doch mag ich diese CD, weil zu dieser Art großem Chanson keine Alternative mehr existiert."

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Where to buy this CD ?

You can order this CD from a number of locations (prices researched on September 20, 2001, but nothing guarantees they still are the same when you read this).

Shop	Price of the CD	Shipping + other expenses	Total	Direct Link
Frontstage	819	0	819 Bef.	Frontstage
Azur	812	20	832 Bef.
Proxis	793	0	793 Bef.	Proxis
Atrecordings	--	3$	--
Netbeat	--	2,77 euro	--

The lowest price is in yellow, the highest in red. This price comparison doesn't take things into account like deduction of shipping expenses when ordering more than 1 cd, bonus points, differences in guarantees ... Shipping prices are those for customers in Belgium.

Have you seen this record elsewhere on the net, do you own an online-CD-shop with Belgian products in it, or if there's something wrong with my calculations : let me know.
 

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