BlahBlahCafe - Jean-Michel Jarre forum

I've always had a bit of trouble with Magnetic Fields. It's not that I don't like it, just that it is one of the most least played albums in my collection.

I think it might all be down to part II - I can't stand it and never have in the 20 odd years I've been listening to Jarre. I really don't know what it is about this track - it just really annoys me and it subsequently puts me off playing the rest of the album.
(Revolutions suffers from a similar problem but I can listen to the first half and turn it off after Tokyo Kid - I don't care for the rest of it!). This is a shame as part I and part IV are good tracks in the Jarre canon.

Historically I don't know very much about this album. I know it was mostly recorded on the Fairlight, a new synth at the time so quite revolutionary, and I also know a little about Jarre's obsession with digital around this time - another new technology Jarre exploited.

I do think that the view that it is 'third' in Jarre's Holy Trinity is slightly unfair to his other work - as there are so many other works I'd rather listen to. Rendez Vous is probably more worthy for the honour - or The Concerts in China for it's sheer boldness?

I'd like to learn more about this album. Does anyone have any interviews or newspaper/magazine scans.

Part 2 with its *clapping* and part 5 with that cheesy sound is indeed very enoying.
Part 1 on the contrary I think is one of JMJ's most beloved works everrr.

I'm glad this thread has generated renewed interest in Les Chants Magnétiques... Listening to it is like visiting an old friend.

For me, it's like visiting old memories.

For me, it's like listening to the only JMJ studio album (that was released at the time) that I didn't have in my childhood Jarre years (1991-1997) which thus doesn't really bring me any memories from that far away.

And still, MF1 is extremely gracious and the other songs sound cheap and thin compared to the live versions. Oh well.

Finaero wrote:And still, MF1 is extremely gracious and the other songs sound cheap and thin compared to the live versions. Oh well.

Couldn't agree more. Except for MF3 perhaps, which sounds just fine on the album. But I like Perrier's solo on CIC... oh...

At listening to MF1 from the album, I was surprised to how thin it was sounding compared to Moscow version

Nico_Noyau wrote:At listening to MF1 from the album, I was surprised to how thin it was sounding compared to Moscow version

Yeah... real drums, lots of impros to a playback sequense.
I like the Aero version if it wasn't for that *wiiIIIiiiiooouuuiiioooiiooiio* T-min.

But original is always original. Part 1/1 is supposed to be light, thin and not fat...like the flight of an insect, that is how I remember it.
Part 1/2 though should be as fat as possible and 1/3 is perfect as it is.

Thin? Fat? Insects? Wioiuoiii T-Min? Eh?

What the... are you talking about?

GeeJee wrote:Thin? Fat? Insects? Wioiuoiii T-Min? Eh?

What the... are you talking about?

Les Chants Magnétiques part 1...figuratively speaking my dear hombre.

Well - it's not thin or fat - and I don't hear any insects either...

And to me - the theremin is a nice addition. In fact, the best part of the new version... as I much prefer the older one...

New version... older version?

Velodynamic wrote:New version... older version?

The original 1981 album version doesn't have the theremin, but the 2002 live (AERO) version as well as the 2004 AERO album versions do.

AAh...got me there. Yes, the Aero Live, september 7th 2002 version is quite awezöme!

Velodynamic wrote:AAh...got me there. Yes, the Aero Live, september 7th 2002 version is quite awezöme!

Yeah, I close my eyes and I go back too that mudy field in September 2002, Tilstrup, Denmark! Since then when I saw mud I think to Jarre's music...

Greetzzz...