Highlights for me are: Three gentle, melodic ballads that are sung with a depth of emotion that goes straight to the heart: "Je sais pas" (I Don't Know"), "La memoire d'Abraham", and "J'attends" ("I Was Waiting") are exquisite, and the funky, smooth and easy "Le Ballet" is irresistible.
Celine's agile voice is like an instrument with extraordinary precision; in "Prie`re paienne" ("Pagan Prayer"), which is a vibrant up-tempo number with a flurry of horns, she uses her voice like a trumpet, to remarkable effect. What appeals to me the most are the many colors of her sound; she can go from a luminous whisper to a rich, dark resonance, and her phrasing is exceptional.

The booklet insert has lovely photographs and some recording information. No lyrics are supplied, and it would have been nice to have them, with English translations, for those who do not speak French, especially since these lyrics are poetic and very moving. The music alone however, and Celine's heartfelt renditions, are more than enough to satisfy the listener. Total time: 47'12.


UNBELIEVABLE Work of MASTERPIECE!   January 22, 2000
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

I have to admit I don't speak French. I pick up a few words here and there, but I already have all of Celine Dion's English albums and I wanted some more of that heavenly angelic voice and I decided to buy 2 French albums, this one and S'il Suffisait D'aimer. Both are excellent and though I can't understand what she's singing about, there's a specialness about her singing that lets you enjoy the song even if you don't understand the lyrics.

My favorite tracks on this album are Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore and Cherche Encore. The best!


Suitable for all... Even non-French speakers   April 6, 2002
iljc82 (USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

Some people get really touchy when they ponder whether to buy one of Céline Dion's product for fear of some nasal art produced by a mediocre artist. Well, this album might be it that will change your point of view in spite of her amateurish try with French rock star Jean Jacques Goldman.

The first track is a soulful French ballad that showcases Céline Dion's deeply felt emotions together with the innovative arrangements of Jean Jacques Goldman's catchy beats. Later Céline's music evolves into a variety of genres including the impishly jazzy Le Ballet (which is a feature song for her D'eux concerts), the rock Cherchez Encore and J'iras Ou Tu Iras and more soulful Le Memoire D'Abraham and Vole. Not to forget the uptempo Destin for the pop-goers.

Would strongly recommend this to everyone, who hasn't heard good music for a long time. This is timeless and one of Céline's best albums in my opinion. If you like this, probably you will like S'il Suffisait D'aimer and A New Day Has Come as well.


Un collection de art   December 1, 2001
Jennifer Howard (Kalispell, MT USA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

When I first bought this album, as first on cassette it was the "The French Album" and three years ago I imported it as D'Eux. This is a wonderful and beautiful album with moving lyrics that would work in any language, thanks to Jean-Jacques Goldman and Erik Benzi. Céline recorded this album in 1994 right before her wedding to her husband, René. They had this album for about two months, and agreed with Jean-Jacques that they would not let anyone listen to this album. It has jazzy songs, with strings and slow moving songs such as the song that Jean-Jacques and the Angélils thought would be perfect for Karine, Vole. And the two duets between Céline and Jean-Jacques Les Derniers seront Les Premiers and J'irai ou iras. And my favorite songs, Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore and Je Sais Pas, which can be found as the English translated songs "If That's What It Takes" and "I Don't Know," on her English megahit Falling Into You. I actually give this album, 10 star rating, but that's not possible here.


Dion for those who don't like Dion   November 2, 2002
Smallchief
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

Flagellation is preferable to listening to the great pop "divas" - but there are exceptions, and this CD is one.

Celine Dion sounds better in French than she does in English - and this, I have read, is the all-time best-selling CD in France. Dion's "Pour Que Tu M'Aimes Encore" is one of the best performances I have ever heard. Celine does every verse differently as the song builds from subdued to an emotional high. The second great vocal performance on this CD is the last half-minute of "Les Derniers Seront les Premiers" where she does some background warbling that just blows you away.

Most of the other songs are merely very good, rather than great, and three or four of the up-tempo songs are not so good. They sound frantic. French has never been a good language for rock and roll.

Dion followed this with a second, similar CD, "S'il Suffisait D'Aimer" which is almost as good.