Jean Michel Jarre ~ France

Zoolook (1984)

The elusive Jarre for my collection has finally arrived. While I continue to find multiple copies of everything around it, Zoolook was nowhere to be had. A highly experimental work from Jarre, here taking a decidedly non-commercial approach when he was at the height of his popularity. Heavy use of voice synthesizers that elevates Tangerine Dream's 'Kiew Mission' to its logical extreme. This is the type of album that one must immerse themselves in rather than sit back and let it impress you. Despite what it may read like, Zoolook was a big seller in its day and didn't derail his popularity one bit. Proving once again that if artists just follow their muse, the audience will go on the ride with them. But once you try to impress your audience, it is at that point you are lost. Good for Jarre that he stuck to his guns.

Ownership: 1984 Dreyfus (LP)

10/28/23 (LP acquired / review) 

Rendez-vous (1986)

Last year, I went through a retrospective of Jarre's first four "classic" albums, and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed them all. I wrote previously: "I should mention that five years ago I picked up Rendez-vous on CD from a garage sale. It didn't leave much of a mark, and I sold it a couple of years later. I figure some time between Equinoxe and that album is where I will lose interest. But that didn't happen here with Les Chants Magnetique." So this week I found a nice minty copy of Rendez-vous on LP at a thrift shop. Has my opinion changed? A little bit, only in that I'm more favorable to Jarre to begin with (+1). By this point, he's too deep in the 80s and lacks some of the warmth and dynamism of his earlier work. I don't want to say he's going through the motions here, but ya know he could be going through the motions here. It's a nice record, but that's not going to cut it. 

Source: 1986 Polydor / Dreyfus (LP)

8/5/21 (review)

Les Concerts en Chine (1982)

I'm not always in the mood to listen to electronic music, but especially double LPs can be daunting. Really depends on my energy level. If I'm too tired, I'll fall asleep. If I'm more energetic, then I want something more dynamic. But last night I was in that rare calm-but-lucid state. Almost six months after picking up the LP at a thrift shop, I'm ready to devour. For context, if you go back and read my thoughts on Jarre, it was this album that I first heard all the way back in 1983. And, as noted there, we were all getting into a dispute about who was better - Jarre or Tangerine Dream. As if there had to be a winner. Since I was a die-hard TD guy by then, Jarre had no chance. No way would have I understood the historical importance of this album - which is immense really. It wasn't long before these recordings (in 1981) that China was still a closed country. Even more so than the Soviet Union. This was all part of the exciting geopolitical backdrop of the 1980s. For the music, Jarre brings along some of his classic material, but also newer compositions geared towards the setting. The sound quality is awesome really, considering the challenges they faced. I've read some funny anecdotes about these concerts. In one case, everyone abruptly left while they (Jarre had a four piece group) were still playing. Why? They had to catch the busses and trains home, or they would be stranded. The things you don't think about. Anyway, this is for certain a must for Jarre fans. Otherwise, it's not going to sway one's opinion. Solid progressive electronic music.

Ownership: 1982 Dreyfus (2xLP). Gatefold

4/30/21 (LP acquired / review)

Magnetic Fields (1981)

To my surprise, I found Magnetic Fields much more innovative than his first two recognized works. In reviewing other's observations and ratings, it would appear I'm very much in the minority with that sentiment. But I really don't know why. One hypothesis that I can think of is that Jarre, on his first two albums, doesn't really remind me of any particular artist, though his sound is very much part of the French school - and there were many in existence when he showed up on the scene. I think with Magnetic Fields there really is a clear Tangerine Dream influence, in particular the recent arrival of Johann Schmoelling to that band. The sequencing here is innovative in the same way that Tangram is. Of course the last track is purposely ridiculous, and perhaps not the best way to end an album, which I think may have impacted more negative ratings than anything else. 

Ownership: 1981 Polydor (LP)

12/27/20 (LP acquired / review) 

Oxygene (1976) 

This is Jean Michel Jarre's first album and apparently Part 4 was a big hit. I have no idea why, but it's a fine upbeat electronic track. I've told my story about Jarre on the Equinoxe post, so not much else to add. I have to be pretty objective with these albums, as they are definitely nothing new to my ears (but still very good). But that's just my personal experience and chronology. Had I never heard any analog electronic music prior to this, I'm sure to have been impressed. I've read this is the single biggest seller in the history of French music. Not sure if that's true, but if it is, then it's amazing it would be an album such as this! 

Ownership: Dreyfus (CD). Acquired after the above review.

12/23/20 (LP acquired / review)

Equinoxe (1978)

Some of you may recall my discussion about "fastest" guitarist when I wrote about Al Di Meola's Elegant Gypsy two plus years ago (well I'm sure you don't, but you can look it up on this blog...). In effect, it was about those tiresome music conversations we seemed compelled to do in college during the 80s. Well....same thing here with Jarre verse Tangerine Dream or Klaus Schulze (more the former as Schulze was still pretty obscure, at least where I went to school). And since I was a huge T. Dream and Schulze nut, I wasn't having any of this Jarre nonsense! Silly me. So, believe it or not, I haven't heard this album (intently)... until last night. The problem with hearing Equinoxe in 2020 versus 1983 is that I've already absorbed hundreds of analog synthesizer albums. So it's a bit old hat at this point. But is that a fair evaluation? Not at all. I can see why I scoffed at Jarre being the superior artist 35 years ago, given the music here doesn't have the depth that you'd hear on Rubycon or Timewind - or even Tangram. But in his day, Jarre apparently ruled the stage and drew massive crowds. Equinoxe is not vapid crowd pleasing music, and is a strong electronic work, all things considered. So yes, definitely a keeper here.

Ownership: 1979 Dreyfus (LP)

12/3/20 (LP acquired / review)

Also own and need to review En Concert Houston.

12/22/21 (new entry)