Daran - Endorphine

If Daran counted on this album to reinvent himself, he succeeded. Unfortunately.

The single "Je Repars" was available to listen a few months before. I had asked myself why releasing this track that didn’t seem so great to me, although efficient with its whistled theme (one of Daran’s habits, from "Y A des Chaises pour S'Asseoir" to "Les Filles qui Font la Gueule" by way of "L'Amour et l'Air" or the last minute of Le Petit Peuple du Bitume). Now I know why: there isn’t really better in the album.
I am longstanding daranvorous, but not the kind of blissfully-happy fan who will praise his idol to the skies whatever he does. For once, this japprecie card may turn into a ‘depreciate’ card.

It starts nonchalantly with "Dur à Cuire", but it’s becoming mad with "Pauvre Ça Rime à Rien". Lyrics (yet shrewd lyrics) are reeled off haphazardly, almost like rap. The coming of background vocals (2:56) brings a little lighting, too late. The worst is reached with "Halima", which could have been some good blues, but only is boredom.
After that, how to erase this feeling of huge disappointment? The damage is done already.

A little rock all the same with "Une Plage Sans Chien", which could have been called "Du Vent", if it weren’t already taken (on 8 Barré).
Daran plays all instruments – except drums, by the by underemployed – but the very good electric guitar sounds don’t mask the weakness of the melodies. Even the voice is not there anymore, it’s barely sung: sometimes spoken sometimes shouted, often hurried. Occasionally in a sort of theatrics that don’t do. As if his unique obsession was stuffing at all costs flows of lyrics onto music and rhythms not made for them.
When they are not over-ornate, the words of excellent lyricist Pierre-Yves Lebert (PYL) are rather good, as expected, full of soundbites. “I want wifi in my coffin”. “I’m looking for a rhyme with poor, a rich rhyme if possible”. I had said from the previous album, Le Monde Perdu, that the pared-down acoustic arrangements highlighted the lyrics. Here is more or less the contrary.

Only illumination, "Tout Tout Seul" calls to mind how Daran was so beautiful, so strong and so good, and this album comes spoiling it all, no one knows the reason why. Still thinking of him though, hidden behind my disappointment, even if I’m the only stupid one.

Finally, the chatty "Je Repars" takes you back to a Daran-familiar rock n' roll philosophy: dissatisfaction ("I can't get no...")
Placing this track in the end is strange, whereas you had better imagine it at the beginning. Unless you understand it like a "Well, my job’s done, I leave you with this record and I set out again"?
I’m asking myself too what is PYL’s problem with tax principle (for it isn’t the first time he uses the trick).
As for me, today I find more beauty in the description of little pleasures of a little wise life, like in Volo’s poetry for example. However, even if I don’t personally concur with the topic, I keep sympathizing with his research of an ideal and a life in motion.

Research, Daran will need some to reinvent himself again in the next album. And fortunately.

...

And then?
And then I stop here? My review is over. You can put the record away and wait for the next one? Of course not. You listen again. Both by intellectual honesty, to be sure not to miss something, and for the pleasure to listen to "Tout Tout Seul" again. And indeed you listen to all, all alone, again.
And then you bob your head, and the rest, on "Une Plage Sans Chien".
And then you got caught up in humming the chorus tune of "Ici".
And then "Elle Dit" brings you back to "Une Sorte d'Église", so in charted territory.
And then you notice other tasty well-said sentences. “Fear is good for business”. “Indecent incomes, the fingers in the jam pot”. “You can’t solve problems with those who created them”.
And then you wake up in the middle of the night having in your skull “Ah ah ah... Les tueurs sont toujours plus morts que ceux qu'ils tuuuuuuuent”. Freaky.

In short, you get used. Can one end up loving an album, any album, by dint of listening?
I do not know. Anyway, let’s say that, even if this Endorphine may not be a big Daran, at least it deserves lingering over it for one moment. Or two.