Ben Mazué - Paradis

He says himself he is "not very original". For a long list of artists already dealt with the theme of paradise! From singer Christophe to Orelsan by way of Alain Chamfort or Gérard Manset. From Phil Collins to Coldplay by way of the Mission.
Except Ben entitles his new album Paradis while telling about... a separating couple! His couple? Yes, of course, in the first place, but it applies for everybody actually.

Ben Mazué isn’t an unknown. He has to his credit not only songs written for famous artists (Patricia Kaas, Axelle Red, Grand Corps Malade, Zaz, Fréro Delavega, Pomme), but also 3 personal albums, which gave a glimpse of all his potential. With this 4th album, he is at his level at last: the one of a French chanson major figure ("Nulle Part").
French chanson, really? With his fluid voice like Gérald Genty, or Mathieu Boogaerts, but a bit more nasal, Ben Mazué possesses a flow which has nothing to envy of rappers ("Quand Je Marche").
Half-chanson half-rap/poetry slam, he’s by the bye in this gap, in this so far little explored space between, except maybe by people like Antoine Élie, Suzane or Eddy de Pretto (who doesn’t touch me at all, but well).
With respectable orchestrated accompaniments (keyboards, strings, horns, backing vocals), his partner Guillaume Poncelet put everything into it. Without overdo. That is it’s reserved to some fragments in the tracks (finales, the most often).
A few Vianney-like intonations ("Mathis", "Gaffe aux Autres").
Alternating binary and ternary rhythms, sometimes within one and the same piece ("Les Jours Heureux").
A few swaying rhythms too, almost Creole ("Le Cœur Nous Anime"), it can be felt that the record was written in Reunion, his own paradise. And Le Douanier for the sleeve.

So a break-up. Classic topic. But you can find it more often with artists. Why? I’d venture 3 hypotheses, each one not excluding the others.

1. Artists are hypersensitive beings. They are idealists who hardly bear slapdash and compromise. It is not surprising they often find themselves in heartache situations.
2. By nature, the artist’s job is based on a huge demand of love. Even more if the artist goes on stage. As humdrum life is not for him, he may not always have the mental strength to resist the highly flattering and rewarding enticement of his enamoured fans.
3. A break-up devastates, it leaves traces an artist can hardly keep to himself. His art is exactly the means to express them, to exorcise them sometimes. It often makes good songs. Which help us too to live with our own pains, our own tortures, and to endure them. Just for that, thank you Ben Mazué.

Very original, no, he isn’t. But singular, yes, he is.