release date: Aug. 19, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,16]
producer: Stromae with various others
label: Mosaert / Island France / Universal - nationality: Belgium
Track highlights: 1. "Ta fête" - 2. "Papaoutai" - 3. "Bâtard" - 4. "Ave Cesaria" - 5. "Tous les mêmes" (live) - 6. "Formidable" (live on KEXP) - 7. "Moules frites" - 8. "Carmen" - 9. "Humain à l'eau" - 10. "Quand c'est?" - 11. "Sommeil" - 12. "Merci" - 13. "AVF" (feat. Maître Gims & Orelsan) (live)
[ full album live ]
2nd studio album by Stromae following 3 years after the acclaimed Cheese (Jun. 2010) is like that produced by Stromae himself and released on his own label Mosaert via Universal Music France. And 'produced by himself' this time means co-producing with various others. Only Thomas Azier is co-producer on 3 tracks, Aron Ottignon co-producer on 2 tracks, and then follows 13 other artists as co-producers on individual tracks. I guess, Stromae perhaps wanted a more multi-facetted sound on this compared to the strict and more simplistic debut, although, he's still very much in charge of everything.
All songs and music are credited Stromae except three tracks: tracks #4, #8, and #13 are co-composed by Orelsan (aka French rapper Aurélien Cotentin), and track #13 also with Maître Gims (aka Congolese-French rapper Gandhi Alimasi Djuna).
Cheese came out as an international monster hit debut selling Platinum and Gold in a number of countries, and making it to number #1 in Belgium and number #6 in France, and Stromae went from virtually unknown to world fame with one single album. Racine carrée follows closely in the footsteps of the predecessor and it contains some of the same identifiable originality he laid out three years earlier and then it adds to his characteristica. Musically, it's a stunning accomplishment to par and even better a fantastic debut with something that equals and basically proves his worth as composer, songwriter and arranger by showcasing new dimensions to his talent. The album is filled to the brim with dance-oriented tracks and hooks and then he continues his speciality mixing chanson with club & dance. Lyrically, this appears to be filled with critique of modern life, racism, personal relationships, and more. It's all-encompassing in what appears as another exceptional album. It works on so many levels that it leaves you almost speechless. What a gifted artist!
Strongest recommendation.
[ allmusic.com, Metro 4 / 5, Télérama 4 / 4 stars ]
2013 Favourite releases: 1. Stromae Racine carrée - 2. Arctic Monkeys AM - 3. Tindersticks Across Six Leap Years