Tour De Charme (Frn)

The moody "Je Retiens Mon Souffle" has shadings of an 80's ballad, prominent piano mixed with some bossa nova. One of the three standout tracks here.

A bluesy sax begins Patricia's comforting ode to the downtrodden and unlucky, "Ceux Qui N'Ont Rien" which has a steady drum and at times, an electric guitar. She is backed on the chorus by a brass section and the intensity of her voice is supported by backing vocalist: "Let me sing/for those who have nothing/let me think/that there is still someone/who tries to give something good." This line really caught my attention, yes, another theme to this reviewer: "When you've seen your life slip by/and you've felt guilty all this time/you wonder if it wouldn't be better/being someone else."

Then comes the standout track, "Il Me Dit Que Je Suis Belle", which is an 80's ballad in the manner of Heart, John Waite or Alias with the electric guitars, synths and backbeat, with a Mutt Lange-like sheen. Her voice really wails a storm in the climactic end, awash with electric guitars and keyboards. She's dreaming of her ideal man, but sadly, that's where he is: in her dreams. Key line: "But the nights are my churches/and in my dreams I believe."

She then covers Maxi Priest's "Shape In My Heart", originally on his Bonafide album, done in her torch ballad style with accompanying piano. Her voice is just as resonant in English, as it is in French. Not bad.

"La Liberte" is a song on the homeless, refugees from Gabon for example, whose song is "Freedom/you won't find it next door/Freedom/it's at the end of the world."

Another sad torch ballad, "Fatiguee D'Attendre", of an emotionally-killing silence, and how to break the ice. The "tired of waiting" refers to tender words never spoken.

Her voice takes on a deep timbre in "Jojo", where the title character is "the king of the bars" who's drinking to forget someone, but the chanteuse knows something that will allow him to remember, not that he'd care.

Then comes her cover of Edith Piaf's "La Vie En Rose," which is done in the same slow tempo as Piaf or even Audrey Hepburn's rendition in Sabrina. A nice touch is added with the piano and violin.

The melody of "Je Dis Te Vous" could've been good for Sade's Diamond Life, although Sade would've tuned down the heavy instrumentation.

"Reste Sur Moi" has a nocturnal ambience with upbeat prominent bass and keyboards reminiscent of Sade's "Never As Good As The First Time."

The English sung "It's A Man's World", the James Brown number, states that despite the patriarchal world, "it wouldn't be nothing, nothing/without a woman or a girl." Without them, man would be "lost in the wilderness" and "lost in the bitterness"... like me. She recites the verses but sings up a storm on the chorus.

The quiet synth ballad "Entrer Dans La Lumiere" features a gospelish chorus after the bridge. It's a bit jarring to find English lyrics and not the French, especially as all but two of the songs are sung in French. However, I'll list the titles in French and then the English translation, where applicable:

Y'Avait Tant D'Etoiles: There Were So Many Stars
A Saint-Lunaire: In Saint Luniere
Je Retiens Mon Souffle: Holding My Breath
Ceux Qui N'Ont Rien: For Those Who Have Nothing
Il Me Dit Que Je Suis Belle: He Tells Me I'm Beautiful
Space In My Heart
La Liberte: Freedom
Fatiguee D'Attendre: Weary of Waiting
Jojo
La Vie En Rose: Life All Rosy
Je Te Dis Vous: I Say [To] You
Reste Sur Moi: Rest On Me
It's A Man's World
Entrée Dans La Lumiere: Coming Into The Light

A strong and worthy followup to Scene De Vie, showing Kaas expanding her styles, but never losing her vocal prowess or position as France's chanteuse of the 90's. Tres bien, Patricia. Et Je Te Dis Tu Es Belle.