Marianne Dissard - Cibola Gold : Best Of 2008-2015

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 15 / 5 / 2016

---

Review

Listening to French chanteuse Marianne Dissard’s thoughtfully pulled-together collection of songs, which has been compiled from the five albums she has recorded between 2008 and 2015, via download, as we have done, is not really the best way to appreciate this unique album. Apart from the fact that’s it’s impossible to capture the complete essence of her music in just thirteen tracks (although Minneapolis based DJ/producer BK-One, who tracklisted the collection, was obviously the right person for the job), the deluxe CD edition of ‘Cibola Gold’ is the way to go. The twenty-four page booklet that forms part of the package contains rare photos and written contributions from Howe Gelb and John Convertino as well as an essay from BK-One, and the thought and love that has so obviously gone into just the packaging of the album just cries out for your attention. If so much care has been paid to the presentation of this collection, someone obviously thought the songs deserved it. And, of course, they do. Marianne was born in the Pyrenees but resided in Tucson, America from 1994 until she moved back to Europe in 2013. Uniquely blending that desert strain of Americana with her own Chanson was a smart and rewarding vision, but, even when she found her own successful hybrid, there was this feeling that you were never quite sure where Marianne was going to go next musically. The fact that Marianne didn’t focus entirely on music has always given her an edge that others lacked; throughout her life Marianne has written poetry, made films and been a performance artist as well as releasing albums and touring extensively. The list of artists that Marianne has collaborated with through the years has been well documented and no doubt some have even coloured her work. Joey Burns, Howe Gelb, Sergio Mendoza and Naim Amor are just a few who Marianne has worked with in the past on various projects. But if Marianne Dissard is a new name to you and you think that a French language female-fronted Giant Calexico (ouch!) is an approximation of the kind of music that Marianne produces, then you’ll be in for quite a surprise as Marianne Dissard really is in a field of her own. ‘Cibola Gold’ compiles thirteen songs; three from ‘L-Entredeux’ (2008), four from ‘L’Abandon’ (2011), four from ‘The Cat. Not Me’ (2014) and one each from ‘Paris One Takes’ (2010) and ‘Cologne Vier Takes (2015), all of which have been remastered here by John Dent. The songs are not presented chronologically and for once this makes sense, Marianne’s albums take in so many different influences and genres that to just pick a couple of tracks from each album and present them in the order they were originally released serves no real purpose. It’s not as if we can track Marianne’s musical development through her albums. Musically she can be relied upon to do the unexpected and even on the earliest album represented here (which does actually provide the opening cut, ‘Les Draps Sounds’) her unique style was already fully defined. This accordion-laced opener will maybe have the listener wondering what all the fuss is about. It’s so typically French and beautifully performed, but the second song, ‘The One and Only’ from ‘L’Abandon’ indicates where Marianne was really coming from at the time. Pulling in flavours from so many genres, a touch of the blues, stabs of brass and soulful and funky keyboards, it highlights just why Marianne is in a class of one. ‘Cayenne’, also from the earliest album sampled here, shows yet another side to Marianne’s work; strings and acoustic guitar pick out a gentle, gorgeous melody and her vocals are just incredible on this song. Dripping with emotion and displaying a softer hue than what has gone before on this collection, the song really is a show-stopper. That BK-One chose ‘Les Confettis’ to follow is another indication of the care and thought that has gone into this compilation. One of Marianne’s most catchy melodies belies the subject matter and again her vocal performance here is nothing short of excellent. Without a dud song on the album, ‘Cibola Gold’ really is the perfect taster for those yet to discover Marianne’s music. The selection covers all bases. There’s the half-spoken, almost spooky ‘Tortue’ which conjures up so many images, not all of them pleasant, but there’s beauty lurking somewhere in the darkness there just waiting for the listener to reach out and grab it. By closing the album with ‘Am Letzen’, one of Marianne’s more experimental songs, the ghostly piano and cello all adding to the chilling atmosphere created by Marianne’s almost whispered, resigned vocals you’re left with but one option; to go and listen to the albums from which these tracks were taken in full and experience totally this exceptional and unique artist.

Track Listing:-

1 Les draps sourds
2 The One and Only
3 Election
4 Cayenne
5 Les confettis
6 Tortue
7 Almas perversas
8 Trop exprès
9 Pomme
10 La peau du lait
11 It's Love
12 Un gros chat
13 Am letzen

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/mariannedissa
http://www.mariannedissard.com/
https://twitter.com/mariannedissard