Préliminaires
Encyclopedia
Préliminaires is a 2009 album by Iggy Pop
, released on June 2, 2009, and inspired by Michel Houellebecq
's novel La Possibilité d'une île (The Possibility of an Island
).
Unlike his previous works, the album is less rock
-oriented and was said by Pop to be "quieter album with some jazz overtones" with its sound influenced by New Orleans jazz
artists such as Louis Armstrong
and Jelly Roll Morton
. Pop also admitted that the album is his response to being "sick of listening to idiot thugs with guitars banging out crappy music".
The album even includes a cover of the 1940s French
jazz
standard "Les feuilles mortes" (Autumn Leaves), which Iggy sings in French. The song is most associated with such artists as Yves Montand
and Edith Piaf
. The album also includes such songs as "How Insensitive", a jazzy bossa nova
standard composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim
, and "Nice to Be Dead", more of a swamp rock song.
The visuals for the album were created by French
-Iran
ian graphic novelist and animated film director Marjane Satrapi
. Marjane and Iggy met when she asked him to voice one of the characters in the English language version of her Academy-award nominated movie Persepolis
in 2007.
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, released on June 2, 2009, and inspired by Michel Houellebecq
Michel Houellebecq
Michel Houellebecq , born Michel Thomas, 26 February 1958—or 1956 —on the French island of Réunion, is a controversial and award-winning French author, filmmaker and poet. To admirers he is a writer in the tradition of literary provocation that reaches back to the Marquis de Sade and Baudelaire;...
's novel La Possibilité d'une île (The Possibility of an Island
The Possibility of an Island
The Possibility of an Island is a 2005 novel by French novelist Michel Houellebecq, set within a cloning cult that resembles the real-world Raëlians.-Plot summary:There are three main characters, Daniel, and two of his clones....
).
Unlike his previous works, the album is less rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
-oriented and was said by Pop to be "quieter album with some jazz overtones" with its sound influenced by New Orleans jazz
New Orleans Jazz
New Orleans Jazz may refer to:*Dixieland, a style of jazz music*New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park*Utah Jazz, a professional National Basketball Association franchise that was previously based in New Orleans and known as the New Orleans Jazz, in recognition of the jazz music of New Orleans*A...
artists such as Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
and Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe , known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, bandleader and composer....
. Pop also admitted that the album is his response to being "sick of listening to idiot thugs with guitars banging out crappy music".
The album even includes a cover of the 1940s French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
standard "Les feuilles mortes" (Autumn Leaves), which Iggy sings in French. The song is most associated with such artists as Yves Montand
Yves Montand
-Early life:Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in...
and Edith Piaf
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf , born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads...
. The album also includes such songs as "How Insensitive", a jazzy bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
standard composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
, and "Nice to Be Dead", more of a swamp rock song.
The visuals for the album were created by French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
-Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian graphic novelist and animated film director Marjane Satrapi
Marjane Satrapi
Marjane Satrapi is an Iranian-born French contemporary graphic novelist, illustrator, animated film director, and children's book author...
. Marjane and Iggy met when she asked him to voice one of the characters in the English language version of her Academy-award nominated movie Persepolis
Persepolis (film)
Persepolis is a 2007 French animated film based on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. The film was written and directed by Satrapi with Vincent Paronnaud. The story follows a young girl as she comes of age against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. The story...
in 2007.
Track listing
- "Les feuilles mortes" (music: Joseph KosmaJoseph KosmaJoseph Kosma was a Hungarian-French composer, of Jewish background.-Biography:Kosma was born József Kozma in Budapest, where his parents taught stenography and typing. He had a brother, Akos. A maternal relative was the photographer László Moholy-Nagy, and another relative was the conductor Georg...
; lyrics: Jacques PrévertJacques PrévertJacques Prévert was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain very popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. Some of the movies he wrote are extremely well regarded, with Les Enfants du Paradis considered one of the greatest films of all time.-Life and...
) – 3:55 - "I Want to Go to the Beach" (Iggy Pop) – 2:53
- "King of The Dogs" (Lil Armstrong, Iggy Pop) – 2:02
- "Je sais que tu sais" (Lucie Aimé, Hal Cragin, Iggy Pop) – 3:12
- "Spanish Coast" (Hal Cragin, Iggy Pop) – 3:59
- "Nice to Be Dead" (Hal Cragin, Iggy Pop) – 2:49
- "How Insensitive" (Vinicius De MoraesVinicius de MoraesMarcus Vinicius de Moraes , known as Vinicius de Moraes and nicknamed O Poetinho , was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Son of Lydia Cruz de Moraes and Clodoaldo Pereira da Silva Moraes, he was a seminal figure in contemporary Brazilian music...
, Ray GilbertRay GilbertRay Gilbert was a lyricist.Gilbert is best remembered for the lyrics to the Oscar winning song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" from the film Song of the South, which he wrote with Allie Wrubel in 1947.He married, in 1962, actress Janis Paige.Daughter, actress and singer Joanne Gilbert, July...
, Antônio Carlos JobimAntônio Carlos JobimAntônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
) – 3:03 - "Party Time" (Hal Cragin, Iggy Pop) – 2:08
- "He's Dead / She's Alive" (Iggy Pop) – 2:00
- "A Machine for Loving" (Hal Cragin, Michel HouellebecqMichel HouellebecqMichel Houellebecq , born Michel Thomas, 26 February 1958—or 1956 —on the French island of Réunion, is a controversial and award-winning French author, filmmaker and poet. To admirers he is a writer in the tradition of literary provocation that reaches back to the Marquis de Sade and Baudelaire;...
, Iggy Pop) – 3:16 - "She's a Business" (Hal Cragin, Iggy Pop) – 3:11
- "Les feuilles mortes (Marc's Theme)" (music: Joseph Kosma; lyrics: Jacques Prévert) – 3:53
Personnel
- Iggy Pop – guitar, vocals
- Hal Cragin – bass, guitar, percussion, drum programming
- Jon Cowherd – piano
- Kevin Hupp – drums, conga
- Tim Ouimette – trumpet
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) | 76 |
| Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia) | 39 |
| French Albums Chart | 19 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 44 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 48 |
| Billboard 200 | 187 |