Les Enfants de Maldonne

Description

A primal and visceral power of rebellious rage inhabits the one who pursues her path outside of straight lines. The voice of Melissmell is the voice of an artist in survival, who has known the street and the identity of the homeless. It is from there that this cry, both powerful and vulnerable, makes her a completely unique artist on the French scene. Accompanied by Christian Olivier (Têtes Raides), Denis Barthe (Noir Désir), and Matu (Indochine, Mano Solo), she returns with an album in the form of a manifesto.
A fourth record with stubborn courage, uncompromising statements, full of sharp and cutting choices. It opens with Our century at 20 years, a lament about the lack of radicality and spirit of protest long attributed to youth. Melissmell relies here on her pair of loyal supporters, FRANCOIS MATUSZENSKI, known as MATU (formerly a keyboardist notably for INDOCHINE or MANO SOLO), GUILLAUME FAVRAY, transformer of ideas and indispensable accomplice of Apache words. She and he shape the language according to their own rules, moving from harshness to a beating heart, from warnings to executions. Other faces, other partnerships united by the same ideals reinforce the solidity of this precious core. That of OGRES DE BARBACK, whose generous instrumental science traverses half of the album. That of IMBERT IMBERT who carries his double bass on The prayer of inverted beliefs and dips the pen on Fucking Miracle, a cry of revolt prompted by the attacks against Charlie Hebdo and which unfolds through a famous beating inflicted on God. That of CHRISTIAN OLIVIER, in duet and author of a text with resistant geography (Rue d’la chaussée). Finally, that of DENIS BARTHE, figure of NOIR DESIR and winking drummer of a contemplated and possible sequel regarding the enigmatic hero present twice on the group's second album (Joey III). The same Joey, a name with intimate resonances for the young woman and which we find in the heartbreaking The shepherd's star. There is also a tribute to NINA SIMONE, a haunted introduction shifting towards crackling lyricism (Little song of the maquis), a final trance on a devilishly rock piece (Animale), the celebration of memory and its musical heroes (Pigalle). Above all, there is the conquest of a song in free flight, with evocative and multiple emotional power. Voice of hope and despair. Voice of clearings and storms. Visceral voice and diffuse tenderness. Penetrating and troubled voice. Essential and salvific voice.