This gives Black Dog Day god save the kiss

"The winter journey" by Franz Schubert. Werner Güra (tenor), Christoph Berner (fortepiano)

(1 CD Harmonia Mundi)

The disk we used to listen to the despair of this lover spurned wandering in a desolate nature sung by serious voices. Their dark naturally seems to agree with this "winter trip." However it is very likely that Schubert himself tenor, suggesting his personal feelings in this shocking confession. Despite a clear, almost juvenile stamp, Werner Güra makes more palpable than ever the pain of the traveller and leaves no possible illusions about the end of its route. A careful diction, it showcases the original rhythm of the German language, the smallest nuances requested by the composer and doesn't handle any effect. Melody naturally slips under the words and the piano became the most reliable partner of the singer. The choice of a historical instrument of the 19th century to the Crystal and amber tone reminds that the expressive intensity is not matter of decibels.

PH. V.

"5/5" s Shades

(1 CD Sony Music)

The Shades know where they come from (East of Paris) and where they go (clear and light pop). Logically, they give birth to this "5/5" part as the extension proud to "Murder of Venus". The Shades have always been able to take the time: that good surround (here the implementation is provided by Franck Redlich) and apply to write their pieces. If the production is always also present, they manage the feat never to hide behind (the single "A horizon", or "for arteries" brilliant master). Merit comes back to the voice of Benjamin Kerber, who sings with confidence, worn by his brother Etienne (guitar) and his three best friends, Harry Allouche (drums), Victor Tamburini (bass) and Hugo Pomarat (synth). Accepting their mother tongue, the Shades are a little more in the tradition of the pop groups born from this side of the channel with an incurable allergy in French song without resign so to singer England. It is courageous and successful.

T G.

"Brussld" of Arno

(1 CD naive).

In concert at the Paris Casino on June 1.

Damned! Arno returns to English... Non-step this album - her 18th, excuse the little! -be a betrayal of the French, but the singer râpeuse voice does not hesitate to give in "juice box" as he says himself. This gives "Black Dog Day", "god save the kiss". Honest compositions but making little account this crooner and his city, Brussels charm. Only the resumption of "get up, Stand up", from the original, made fly. The best of "brussld" is elsewhere: in these die-heart pieces that tell the daily, the "Linda, Mustapha, Jean-Pierre, the Flemish and the Walloons. "Someone has affected my wife" or "Miss" are real small musical films. "It think when she's dancing" is already a classic. Arno indeed sometimes tons in the thirsty register, but there is a such humanity in his music is left take the game.

PH. N.

"Lou Bond" Lou bond

(1 CD Light in the Attic/Pias)

Fans of soul, stop despair listening to hoary's R & B standards. The true music of the soul is eternal and yet conceals hidden treasures. As this album by Lou Bond (a.k.a. Ronald Edward Lewis) recorded in 1974 in the prestigious label Stax, that major record manoeuvres prevented out at the time. Thirty-five years later, Light in the Attic offers us his miraculous fishing. The singer - who still lives in Memphis - has long wrenching agony and groovy, as "the Establishment", "cool" eleven minutes monument. Acute and sensual voice SURFs on the violins and brass of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and The Horns of South Memphis. We think of Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, to all the major of the "sweet soul music". Lou Bond is beyond nostalgia - his suave and sophisticated disk seems to have always existed.

PH. (C).

"Unveiling" of Paul Lay Trio

(1 CD Laborie/Naïve)

Still a trio classic... a disk based on piano-bass-drums, the more usual form (used also, sometimes) all geometries of jazz. And yet, listening to this first recording of the trio of palois pianist Paul Lay (25 years), there is the feeling of entering an unknown universe. Although almost all of the compositions of pianist (beautiful "Indecis" and "irkutsk"), the three young musicians speak to parity: the light touch of Paul Lay did not better allies than the sovereign roundness of the notes escaping of the double bass of Simon Tailleu, refined pointillism of cymbals and the dullness of the large body of drummer Elie Duris. Their strength is also their freshness: there are no printing having heard any of their sentences. Their youth does not preclude a maturity: before returning in the studio, they have forgotten their virtuosity to express than the emotion. Finally, the taking of his, more than close, renders each moment of the music, including the one where it vibrates to the time of before. "A bet without risk!", exclaims Martial Solal. This would be a shame to deprive.

R. V.