Songs (Click the -icons for some small realaudio-samples)

1. Sensualité
2. Ce matin
3. A tâtons
4. A quoi ça sert
5. Elle danse seule
6. Le monde tourne mal
7. Just the 2 of us
8. A 82 ans
9. Parce que c'est toi
10.La réponse
11. Ma prière
12. Je t'attends
13. Aretha et moi
14. Rester femme
bonus :
15. J'ai jamais dit (radio mix)
+ dvd : sensualité, elle danse seule, à 82 ans, aretha et moi, rester femme

Musicians:
- Fabienne Demal : vocals
- Patrick Deltenre : guitar
- Christophe vervoort : fender rhodes, clavinet, piano
- Bert Gielen : analog synths, orga, piano, sampler
- Jimi Kinard : bass
- Charles "skip" Pitts : wah-wah guitar
- Michel Seba : percussion
- Stéphane Galand : drums

Recorded on location by music & roses during the (AR) Tour 2000, France
Produced by Axelle Red

My opinion

Axelle Red on tour, in France on 50 or so dates from Southern to Northern France. Sadly enough, what was recorded on this cd from that tour isn't something to write home about. Or at least not with very long letters or with many positive adjectives in it. "On paper" it all seemed promising enough, though.
"Why?" you ask ... Well, because the french audience is absolutely clueless on thing such as rhythm or tone but still insists on singing along with every song. Because there's to much limp funk on it, too much variety and not enough soul, and there no real "ambiance" despite that choice. Or because Axelle Red's is so often gloriously off-tone than on it. She forces herself, overdoes the emotions, pulls and tries, but "to no avail". Best proof is the track "J'ai jamais dit", that's on this cd not in a live-version but as a single-bonus: this mangages to carry you away, something that the 14 previous tracks never mange. Because there, Axelle cuddles up, gets one on on one, seduces ... something that for some "mysterious" reason doesn't succeed when you're singing a personal love-song such as "parce que c'est toi" in front of 5000 variety-loving french fans are singing along off the top of their chests ...
Of course, thes CD is - apart from a total failure - also quite entertaining sound-fodder: after all, it is songmaterial that has proven its worth already in the last 10 years. The tracklist can be read as a sort of "best of". But none, repeat: not a single version on this live cd is better than the equivalent studio-track.
As a further promo of this CD I could add that there's also a (only slighty more expensive) version for sale that comes with a nice DVD: on that, you can choose 5 songs in vdeo, in an "alive mix", "intimate mix" and a "star mix". In this last one, the building bricks that make up the charm of Axelle Red have a better place. Unfortunately, there's no "publicless mix" on it.

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, and I'll put it up here !

This Album in the Press

- Rif-Raf (Earteam december 2000) : "Après que l'endive bergère France Gall se soit autorisé un pathétique "Ella elle l'a", l'anversoise rouquine se permet un "Aretha et moi" qui laisse à penser que le ridicule ne tue vraiment plus. Hé, Axelle: Aretha et toi, c'est Proust et Axexandre Jardin, alors, arrête, tu vas finir par te fair mal".
- MCM.net : "Axelle Red sait y faire avec son public. C’est le moins qu’on puisse dire à l’écoute d’ Alive. Sa voix soul et sensuelle, ses textes personnels et sentimentaux invitent à chanter en chœur de Sensualité à Rester Femme. Qu’on aime ou qu’on n'aime pas l’artiste, ce live est un très bel exemple d’échange et de partage entre une chanteuse et son public".
- Valérie Dupouy voor Amazon.fr : "Un opus très blues, très soul américaine, à l'image de cette artiste qui revendique son appartenance à des influences venues d'outre-Atlantique. Ici, tous les ingrédients sont réunis pour satisfaire ses inconditionnels. ... Alive se présente comme le bilan d'une carrière qui a permis de consacrer Axelle Red comme étant l'une des meilleures artistes francophones du moment."
- Zicline : "C'est un pur régal du début à la fin et le soutien du public qui la porte au fil de ses chansons n'y est pas étranger (let's dance). De la musique francophone dont on peut à juste titre être fier. Mixage et production soignés. Vivement recommandé."

Did you see a good (or bad) review of this album ? Tell me about it !

Where to buy this CD ?

You can order this CD from a number of locations (prices researched on April 2nd, 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	959	0	959 Bef.	Frontstage
Azur	899	80	979 Bef.
Proxis	813	70	883 Bef.	Proxis
Atrecordings	---	3$	---
Netbeat	25,99 euro	2,77 euro	1164 Bef

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.

More about this group :

- Axelle Red in The Belgian Pop & Rock Archives
- website : www.axelle-red.com
- management & contact Music & Roses. Fax 322-7040807. Mail : info@music-and-roses.be.
- press-release for Alive from Virgin

Other recent CD's
Do you want to announce your record here? It's easy (and free) ! Click here for the conditions.