| Electro-Pop |
Moitié (avec son frangin Matthew) des New-Yorkais Fiery Furnaces (en sommeil depuis 2011), Eleanor FRIEDBERGER nous revient avec son quatrième album solo à ce jour. Crise de la quarantaine? Voici qu’elle renverse la table et ses habitudes en proposant un disque 80% synthétique, à base de claviers numériques et de drum-machines. Produit de son exil temporaire en Grèce, elle y a pour l’occasion inversé son processus d’écriture: alors qu’elle élabore d’ordinaire ses compositions à partir de leurs paroles, elle s’est cette fois fondée sur des instrumentaux auxquels elle avoue avoir parfois ramé à coller des textes. Il exhale du spleen ambient un climat doux-amer, au fil duquel la fibre pop de la demoiselle s’exprime avec d’autant plus de luxuriance qu’elle le fait dans un cadre minimaliste (“Nice To be Nowhere”). Il suffit pour s’en convaincre de se prendre en plein cortex “Everything”, “In Between Stars” ou “Showy Early Spring”. L’album impossible de Christine McVie, tel qu’il aurait sonné s’il avait été arrangé par Martin Rev et Alan Vega (“Rule Of Action”, et produit par les Sparks (“It’s Hard”, “Are We Good ?”, “My Jesus Phase”). Aussi séduisant que déroutant de prime abord, un CD qui se bonifie à chaque écoute.
Patrick Dallongeville
Paris-Move, Blues Magazine, Illico & BluesBoarder
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ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER Official website: HERE
ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER Official Facebook page: HERE
Pre-order your record HERE
Follow ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER on Instagram: HERE
Listen to the artist on Spotify: HERE
Message from Eleanor:
“I spent most of 2016 on the road, and I needed to keep that momentum going. I had always wanted to spend more time in Greece; take Greek lessons and get to know Athens better while hopefully writing some music. After November 8, 2016 I set that loose plan into motion.
While friends back home were suddenly becoming politically activated for the first time, it was exciting to be living in a city where protest marches occur on a weekly, or sometimes daily basis. I assembled a band of Greek musicians, played a few shows, learned a few more Greek words, but didn’t get much writing done. It turned out to be more of a reconnaissance mission.
After a month in Athens I asked my friend, the Greek musician Σtella, “What’s one thing I have to do before I leave?” After some long and careful consideration she smiled and said, “you have to go to Rebound. It’s a time warp; kind of an 80s goth disco where everyone does the chicken dance; you’ll love it… but it’s only open on Saturdays after 3:00 AM.”
Rebound proved to be a revelation in terms of finding the sound and energy for my fourth album. The club was very dark and despite the no smoking signs, like everywhere in Athens, it was very smoky. The “chicken dance” Stella mentioned was a solitary one. I copied the slouchy strut, moving back and forth in line, swinging my arms in time to the music that at first sounded like Joy Division or maybe The Cure, but never revealed itself– one could only assume it to be knock-off by an unknown Baltic band. It was alienating and exhilarating. “In Between Stars” is an attempt at a song you could hear at Rebound. It’s a dark and disorienting; my warped version of 80s goth disco.”