JEANNE D´ARC - LA RÉVOLTE ÉTERNELLE

Since I am not overwhelmed by "Remixes" or "Dante" trilogy, I could only put all my faith in this new studio recording. The concept per se is good: to recreate the life of the symbolic (for French people) Joan Of Arc.

Nice theme which is full of promises. But the remark I have already made about instrumental concept albums do remain valid for this one as well: one can hardly figure any correlation between the facts and the music.

Purely ambient (but very pleasant), the long opening number might render the idea of "The Vision" during which she "saw" a part of her future life in the course of the history from France. "La Joie" conveys the same peaceful mood and is very joyful indeed during the closing part which features some good sax play (although not very genuine to TD).

I also believe that more important events of her life could have been depicted (the siege of Orléans, the crowning of Charles VII in Reims, her trial etc.). Anyway, since it is an all instrumental work, one could have had these titles without understanding a lot more to be honest.

Sax is very present during "La Force Du Courage" and I can understand some TD purists (hi Rico) who feel somewhat left down even though this passage is well played. But again, I have never been a devoted sax fan within TD 's great music.

To try and explain that the piano section of "La Solitude De L' Espoir" represents "loneliness" and the more upbeat one "hope" is pure speculation. But it is the same feeling (or lack of) for each number. One could have expected a more pompous or bombastic approach for "La Marche", but some classical and new age sound is filling your ears. No big deal ("Sagesse Du Destin" is quite of the same as well even if its closing part is quite moving).

Only two short songs on this lengthy album (almost eighty minutes), which is another minor point. Fifty could have condensed the essence of this work and be more accessible as a whole. I will never understand why artists feel necessary to fill the full CD capacity. But TD are not the only ones...

This album is not a bad one: once one has admitted that the great TD years are behind and that it is quite unlikely that the band will sign more masterpieces in the future the disappointment is of a lesser extent even if there are hardly no brilliant passages, beautiful soundscapes and memorable beauty during this "Jeanne D' Arc".

Three stars.