Bleu pétrole

Bleu pétrole (Petrol blue) is the twelfth studio album by the French rocker Alain Bashung, released in March 2008 on Barclay Records. It is his last studio album released during his lifetime.

Bleu pétrole
Studio album by
Alain Bashung
Released24 March 2008
RecordedAlice's Restaurant (New York City), Buzz Studio (Paris), Studios ICP (Brussels), Jackpot! Studios (Portland), Looking Glass Studios (New York)
GenreFrench rock, alternative rock
Length50:38
LabelBarclay Records, Universal Music Group
ProducerGaëtan Roussel, Mark Plati
Alain Bashung chronology
La Ballade de Calamity Jane
(2006)		 Bleu pétrole
(2008)		 Dimanches à l'Élysée
(2009)

Production

Great expectations surrounded Bleu pétrole after L'Imprudence, issued in 2002, and the live album La Tournée des grands espaces, issued in 2004. Bashung took time to work on it, before deciding finally to not work with his lyricist Jean Fauque, choosing instead to work with Gaëtan Roussel of Louise Attaque and Gérard Manset.[1] After the more experimental works of the 2000s, Bashung decided to go back to a more traditional rock-sounding album, closer to his works of the 1990s.

The album is dedicated to Mick Larie, a member of Bluegrass Long Distance, who died in July 2007, the mandoline player and friend of Marcel Dadi and Patrick Sébastien. The first single from the album was "Résidents de la République" ("Residents of the Republic").

Bashung began touring to promote the album and sang "Comme un lego" ("Like a lego") by Gérard Manset as the opener of his concerts. On 7 July 2008, an expanded vinyl collector edition of 1,000 copies was issued.

Bleu pétrole was the last studio album by Alain Bashung, who died on 14 March 2009.

Reception

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]

In 2010, the French edition of Rolling Stone magazine named this album the 46th greatest French rock album (out of 100).[3]

The French magazine Les Inrockuptibles called the album an "immense chef-d'œuvre" (a huge masterpiece).[4]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Je t'ai manqué"Gaëtan Roussel - Gaëtan Roussel3:39
2."Résidents de la République"Gaëtan Roussel - Gaëtan Roussel3:21
3."Tant de nuits"Joseph d'Anvers - Arman Méliès / Alain Bashung4:17
4."Hier à Sousse"Gaëtan Roussel - Gaëtan Roussel3:55
5."Vénus"Gérard Manset - Arman Méliès / Gérard Manset4:19
6."Comme un lego"Gérard Manset - Gérard Manset9:04
7."Sur un trapèze"Gaëtan Roussel - Gaëtan Roussel3:47
8."Je tuerai la pianiste"Gérard Manset - Gaëtan Roussel / Alain Bashung6:11
9."Suzanne"Leonard Cohen (adapt. Graeme Allwright) - Leonard Cohen4:09
10."Le Secret des Banquises"Gaëtan Roussel - Alain Bashung / Gaëtan Roussel3:35
11."Il voyage en solitaire"Gérard Manset - Gérard Manset4:04

Personnel

Musicians

Production
  • Jérôme Witz, element-s: cover art and graphisms
  • Ludovic Carême: photos

Charts
Chart Peak
position
France[5] 1
Belgium[6] 2
Switzerland[7] 11

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[8] Gold 10,000*
France (SNEP)[9] Platinum 200,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[10] Gold 15,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. "Alain Bashung, rocker en équilibre", Le Monde, 25 March 2008 (in French)
  2. Birchmeier, Jason. "Bleu pétrole". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  3. Rolling Stone, n°18, February 2010 ISSN 1764-1071
  4. Comte, Christophe (4 October 2008). "Critique de l'album Bleu Pétrole". Les Inrockuptiblesles (in French). Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  5. Bleu pétrole om chartsinfrance.net
  6. Bleu pétrole on www.ultratop.be
  7. Bleu pétrole on swisscharts.com
  8. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2008". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  9. "French album certifications – Alain Bashung – Bleu petrole" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  10. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Alain Bashung; 'Bleu pétrole')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
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