The Golden Age: Deluxe Edition＜限定盤＞

It's beyond cliche to call sweeping, orchestral music "filmic," but in the case of music video director Yoann Lemoine's debut album as Woodkid, The Golden Age, the term fits. Though he's worked with Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Lana Del Ray, Lemoine's own music is more in line with Antony & the Johnsons -- lavish, often torchy songs that pair dramatic backdrops with his charmingly imperfect vocals. While Antony fans will probably hear a lot to like on The Golden Age, Woodkid's approach isn't as intimate; instead, Lemoine's focus is often on the massive sounds around him. Those sounds are undeniably impressive, particularly on the title track, which opens the album with slowly building strings and brass that eventually unfold into dramatic, suite-like movements, and on "Run Boy Run," which has all the drama of a spaghetti Western score. At times, Lemoine's vocals and songwriting threaten to get lost in the sheer amount of music surrounding them, but just when it seems like it's all too much, he reins things in on "Boat Song" and "Where I Live," both of which suggest he should pare things down more often. Still, Lemoine gets a surprising amount of range out of his maximalist approach, from the more classical-leaning "Stabat Mater" to "I Love You," which with its samples and intricate beats, is the closest Woodkid comes to a contemporary pop song. A beautiful, if at times exhausting album, The Golden Age shows Lemoine is skilled at making music as well as music videos. ~ Heather Phares

ケイティ・ペリーやラナ・デル・レイのPV監督が歌手デビューを飾った。先行カット"Run Boy Run"の映像がグラミーにノミネートされたが、そんな成功すら霞んでしまうほど、本アルバムではとにかく美声ぶりを猛アピール。オーケストラによるバロック調の演奏を背景に、憂いを帯びた内省的な歌声がゆっくりと心に滲み渡る。おとぎ話のような詞世界も魅力的。母国フランスではモード界までが大騒ぎしているんだって!
bounce (C)村上ひさし