You don't have to understand the language to appreciate the tunes contained on this album. They are all very much alive, and there is distinct emotion communicated in each. To write about each one would take more time and room than either of us have patience for, so here are the highlights:

'Je Lui Dirai': The first time I heard this song, I fell in love with it. The story of a mother telling her child about his family and the world around him, it is at once light, catchy, and a beautiful track.

'Je t'Aime Encore': Celine recorded the English version of this acoustic gem on her last album, "One Heart", and she treats fans to a French - language version on this album. In many ways, the song sounds better in French, and the delicacy of the mood is even more evident in this language.

'Ne Bouge Pas': I never thought I would hear Celine Dion singing something resembling country music in French, but in 'Ne Bouge Pas', she does just that. It's a fun track to sing along to, with relatively easy lyrics to learn and a catchy refrain.

'Retiens - Moi': Sounding like something you would normally hear from an artist like Jewel, 'Retiens - Moi' is a warm, acoustic song with a beautiful melody and lyrics.

'Valse Adieu': A bonus track on this album, 'Valse Adieu' ('Goodbye Waltz') is a beautiful track, ballad-like but with acoustic guitar. NOTE: It is not listed on the album's tracklist, but Amazon has included it on theirs.

Overall, this album is a great new sound for Celine. She has toned down the powerful vocals she has been performing in ballads for years, yet it's much tamer than her more recent dance albums. I highly recommend "1 Fille & 4 Types" to anyone who enjoys beautiful, relaxing music. This one's not full of studio magic - there's just a great voice singing heartfelt songs. C'est tres bien.


The fifth French album of Celine   December 20, 2003
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

This is a fifth French album of Celine Dion. And it is great! For Celine singing in French is singing from her heart. Celine Dion, a french-canadian, started her career by singing in French. It is French that defines Celine's personal identity as it is in our mother tongue that we can best express ourselves.

Generally, Dion's French albums are better than the English ones. They all have soul, they are more subtle, they are carefully planned and released. "1 fille & 4 types" (a girl and 4 guys) continues this tradition. Tender tunes, meaningful lyrcis, and great vocals.

Is the new French album for francophones only? No. But it helps a lot if you understand a bit of French :-)

What describes the album: Acoustic, guitar, vocal.

Tout l'or des hommes (All Of Man's Gold) a first single from the album sounds very guitar. This might be the flavor of the entire album. Jean-Jacques Goldman admits that it was his idea to make this album more acoustic, more guitar. Jean Jacques Goldman, a long time collaborator oversaw Dion's "D'Eux - The French Album" in 1995 and "S'il Suffisait D'Aimer" in 1998.

So the bottomline - "& fille & 4 types" is a brilliant CD with a heart and soul, and you've gotta have it :-)