JEAN-EMMANUEL DELUXE "Rouen Dreams”

"This album has restored my faith in pop music as a concept. File between Syd Barrett and Sacha Distel. Listen to it in the dark." —Tot Taylor

"All stories should be completely planned out from beginning to end.” —George Sanders

"A new album from Jean-Emmanuel Deluxe is such a special and personal experience that it gives us faith in freedom. An exceptional record from an everyday super hero!" —Helena Noguerra.

An album featuring:
Helena Noguerra, Fifi Chachnil, Bertrand Burgalat, Sean O'Hagan (High LLamas), Don Fleming, Werner "Zappi" Diermaier (Faust), & April March, wrapped in wonderful, surreal Bart Johnson artwork.

With music by:
Kevin Coral, Misawa Masanori, Olivier Collet, Joe Wiltshire, Otis Fodder, Sean O'Hagan & Zappi Diermaier

Jean-Emmanuel Deluxe — The Biography
Graduate in Fine Arts, Jean-Emmanuel Deluxe quickly realised that pop culture offered a wider field of investigation than a bloodless art world where being conventional is required of everyone. A specialist in pop culture, J-E Deluxe is also an author (check his Yéyé girls of 60’s French Pop published by Feral House) and an artist. Journalist for Shindig, Acid Beans, Rock and Folk, Citizen K, Transfuge, Schnock and many other magazines, he knows that one can't be both judge and jury, which is why he prefers to promote the artists he likes rather than criticize the ones he doesn't. He also runs the Martyrs du Pop label which made a name with April March, Jacques Duvall and Jay Alansky. At the start of the 21st century he recorded a "Tribute to Alain Delon and Jean-Pierre Melville" with his long-time friend Alexandre Faem, with such guests as St. Etienne, Bertrand Burgalat, Jacno, Helena Noguerra, X-Ray Pop and Ariel Wizman. Sometimes time flies faster than we wish and it has taken almost two decades for M. Deluxe to bounce back. In the end, if you believe Robert Wyatt, Bid (Monochrome Set) and others, our pop activist was right to return!

The Concept
The concept of Rouen Dreams—like the cover by Bart Johnson—is an interior voyage: Hollywood seen from the eyes of a Frenchman who has never been there, but knows that no matter in what part of the world we live, our collective unconscious has been shaped (brainwashed?) by the "dream” factory.

Musically, the album is inspired by a sort of tradition of weird Pop from Francois Werthheimer to Dashiel Hedayat… as well as seeking its roots in music ranging from the very popular Gilbert O'Sullivan to the baroque experimentations of Stevie R Moore. If you like to immerse yourself in weird popisms, in sweet and syrupy madness, we’d like to welcome you to Rouenllywood. Roll up for the mystery tour.

The Multi-instrumentalists
Sean O’Hagan
Spiritual son of the Beach Boys, Antonio Carlos Jobin, Michel Legrand and Ennio Morricone. Originally from Ireland but exiled to London, Sean O'Hagan was in cult Indie Pop group Microdisney. Since 1992 he has led the High Llamas who took over where Brian Wilson left off after «Smile.» Apart from working closely with Brian Wilson and almost joining the Beach Boys, Sean has worked with Stereolab and composed for the theatre. Since 2004 he has composed the soundtracks for three films of Marc Fitoussi: «La vie d'artiste» (with Sandrine Kiberlain), «Copacabana» (with Isabelle Huppert) and «Le Ritournelle» (with Jean-Pierre Daroussin). Through his Francophile Irish eyes he has managed to recreate the Californian Endless Summer.

Werner Diemaier (also known as Werner « Zappi » Diemaier)
The iconoclastic drummer of the cult Kraurock band Faust has honoured us with his presence on this record with his remix of 'Hollywood Parties.’

Kevin Coral
Leader of the American Indie pop group from the 80s, The Witch Hazel Sound, Kevin made a name for himself in the production of new Garage Rock sensations Archie and the Bunkers. His latest project, The Future Children, is by far the most exciting, a continuation of the work of La Monte Young, a great influence on the Velvet Underground.

Olivier Collet
Record dealer, multi-instrumentalist but above all, double bassist, percussionist and flautist with Esperanto (traditional Rock) from 1994 to 1998.

Misawa Masanori
From the Japanese Indie Pop scene, he has worked notably with the American group Casper and the Cookies

Let's not forget the presence of Otis Fodder (a studio wizard) of the Bran Flakes, and of Joe Wilshire from the Junipers.
 
•Sweet syrupy pop madness featuring Sean O’Hagan (High Llamas) and Werner “Zappi” Diemaier, iconoclastic drummer of the cult Kraurock band Faust, and Kevin Coral, leading an army of heady pop mavens
 
•Edition of 500x copies, of which only 100x are available for distribution in the US
 
Track list:
01. Ouverture Rouenllywood
Otis Fodder recreate the album and Helena sets the tone

02. Lushy Life
A gem composed by Kevin Coral

03. Le Chateau
Kevin again (but who's complaining?)

04. Comme une video Star
Kevin rides again—a ballad for  the age of delusional screen addicted people

05. La Forteresse de Solitude
The loneliness of the true pop fan

06. The Girl who was talking in Reverse
J-Pop from Normandy

07. Just in Time
Time is a relative value

08. Le Gouverneur de Californie
Sean O'Hagan carries us away

09. A Hollywood
Revenge is a cold TV dinner

10. Me Voilà seul encore une fois

11. Claire

12. Hollywood Parties remix
A Faust—ian plot revealed

13. Hollywood Parties
Who remembers old parties ?

a link to an mp3 sampler, which has a little taste of every track on the record:

https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/8CaTzz46bE


Catalogue number: LION LP-168
UPC: 778578316815