Once again, Bashung surprises and refuses to sink into the conventional. "L’Imprudence" is an album that reflects its cover: serious, unsettling, and very beautiful. More than on "Fantaisie Militaire," Bashung rolls in a bed of poisonous melancholy and pours out a kind of organic cold wave perfectly magnified by the astonishing quality of the accompaniment. Sumptuous strings, discreet electronic effects, haunting drums, and guitars avoiding all the beaten paths, the musical background is a marvel. It must be said that the singer has chosen the right participants: Steve Nieve from Costello's Attractions, Marc Ribot, former lieutenant of Tom Waits or the Lounge Lizards, who also had another extraordinary guitarist present here (Arto Lindsay), Simon Edwards from Talk Talk, or Martyn Barker from Shriekback, all these wonderful people work to weave a sumptuous net over which Bashung plays the tightrope walker fond of danger. The four years separating "Fantaisie Militaire" from "L’Imprudence" are thus fully justified, and the very many fanatics of this exceptional musician can expect to be overwhelmed by a downright wonderful album…