Bon Enfant – ‘Demande spéciale’ album review: the only word is “energetic”
THE SKINNY: A common word that you will see used to describe different pieces of music is “energetic”. I’m guilty of over-using this word myself, but in my defence and the defence of other often-lost-for-words music writers out there, it does apply to a lot. The problem with overusing a word is that eventually, a song or an album will come out that embodies the definition of that word so perfectly that to use it for anything else feels like a disservice. That’s exactly what’s happened with Bon Enfant and their energetic new album, Demande spéciale.
This is very much a review based on instrumentation and sound. Given that the vocals are sung in French and that my knowledge of the language starts and stops at its name, I can’t comment on the strength of the lyricism. This is more to protect me than the band, as the record is upbeat, funky and fun to dance to, so if it turns out I’m describing harrowing tracks as “joyous,” “wonderful,” and “fun,” it’s best to make sure I’m covered.
Anyway, this joyous, wonderful and fun album is a pure delight from start to finish. If the subject is harrowing, then it levitates that weight. There are a number of genres at play throughout, but the overriding style is one of psychedelia. This is an album that feels as though it’s helping you move through life itself. Upwards, downwards, left, right—this is music that can guide you in whichever direction feels best. Bon Enfant manages to do what so few bands can, creating an album that demands your full attention from the word go. You’re happy to oblige.
Demande spéciale feels like a light-hearted rock show packed up into a record. There is no other word that goes with it other than energetic. That’s not to say the album is crazy or chaotic; it just captures the essence of a live gig very well and makes you want to move to it. There is little else that comes packed with as much energy as this record truly stands alone.
For fans of: Those who want the grass to grow quicker, the world to turn slower and peace to come sooner.
A concluding comment from every hippie that ever existed: “These are the kinds of songs that melt the thorniest of hearts. Peace and love.”
Demande spéciale track by track
Release: October 15th | Label: Duprince | Producer: Emmanuel Éthier
‘Trompe-l’oeil’: Why not start off on a funky note? Bon Enfant wastes no time getting your toes tapping and head nodding with this jaunty little opener. Sliding guitar, short and sweet basslines and 4/4 drums make for the perfect music to dance to, and the album sets itself up as a lot of fun. [4/5]
‘Demande spéciale’: Quick, softly played, and lightly distorted chords make up one part of this song, while a pop-synth bass makes up the other. It’s a blend of psychedelic rock and pop music, the kind of thing you could imagine astronauts listening to if they were cool. The laws of space and time are nothing when music is this perplexingly wonderful. [4/5]
‘Sous-marine’: Another funky bassline accompanied by bossa-nova-like drums. ‘Sous-marine’ is a mischievous number, one that should be played at parties you’re not invited to, technicolour in its lovability. The album continues to solidify itself as an upbeat one that is hard to dislike, and the plucking keys on ‘Sous-marine’, along with its danceability, keeps that trend going. [3.5/5]
‘Oiseau rare’: A melodic guitar-playing masterclass. Distorted chords strum persistently, but accompanying them are oscillating licks that take centre stage just as much as the accompanying vocals do. It’s a lot of fun to listen to and ties the whole song together; this track could be instrumental and still hold up as a fun, exciting number. [4/5]
‘Minimum’: A deceiving title, this is one of the album’s most full-bodied and busy tracks. While other songs have been short, sweet, upbeat and dancey, ‘Minimum’ takes on a much more epic form. It’s a song to let yourself get lost in, where the musicianship has corners, and you can walk right into the centre. The tone doesn’t shift too much to put the listener out of sorts, though. This track is very appropriate for this album and in keeping with the clear tone established throughout. [4.5/5]
‘Passion rock’: The band make good use of the wah-pedal on this sexy-sounding song that could be the backdrop for a detective drama. Distortion can make anything sound large, but realistically, this song is pretty stripped-back, happy to rely on the one riff and a choir of “la la la’s” to give it the full-bodied effect that prevails throughout. Don’t be fooled, though; this is simplicity at its finest. [4/5]
‘Enfant de l’air’: A beautiful and incredibly psychedelic sounding tune. If you were falling over, this song would catch you. It’s light and delicate, yet a lot is going on, and varying instrumental runs complement one another incredibly well. Purely instrumental, the musical power of the band is on full display with this adventure of a song. [4/5]
‘Bouquet’: A pretty sounding stripped-back number, the whole thing runs incredibly smoothly. ‘Bouquet’ is a song that doesn’t demand any hard work on your end; instead, it is a song that allows you to listen with little to no effort. Simply sit back and enjoy; this is the definition of transportive music. [3.5/5]
‘Aire de plastique’: The kind of music that will help grass grow. There is nothing, human, plant or animal, that could hear this light-hearted and funky number and not immediately flock towards it. It sounds like the kind of song you could use to celebrate world peace. A perfect personification of the power of the whole record. [5/5]
‘Entre le rouge et le vert’: High-pitched keys and a catchy vocal melody take centre stage on ‘Entre le rouge et le vert’. It’s a song that begs from a summer day, to the point that it almost feels cruel releasing it as the winter months draw closer. This can be a song that gets you excited for the future in lieu of actual sunshine to listen to it in. [3.5/5]
‘Gardienne de nuit’: Quite easily one of the heavier tracks on the album. The guitar is much more unrelenting on this track than in others. The distortion is heavier, and the way it’s played is aggressive. It’s good to hear that Bon Enfant can produce a hard rock sound and a psychedelic tone. [4/5]
‘Décollage’: A real change of pace for the outro as a pulsating synth and trippy backdrop see the album out. It’s an interesting way to end things but also a fun glimpse into everything Bon Enfant is capable of. [4/5]
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