Cendres de Lune

Infobox Album | Name = Cendres de Lune
Type = Album
Artist = Mylène Farmer


Released = April, 1986 (first edition)
April, 1987 (second edition)
Recorded = Paris
Genre = Pop music
Length = 53:08
Label = Polydor
Producer = Laurent Boutonnat
Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fiftxqyhldfe link]
Last album =
This album = "Cendres de Lune"
(1986)
Next album = "Ainsi soit je..."
(1988)Singles
Name = Cendres de Lune
Type = Studio album
single 1 = Maman a tort
single 1 date = March, 1984
single 2 = Plus grandir
single 2 date = September 25, 1985
single 3 = Libertine
single 3 date = April 1, 1986
single 4 = Tristana
single 4 date = February, 1987

"Cendres de Lune" is the first studio album by Mylène Farmer, released on first on April 1, 1986, then one year later. The first release was precedeed by the hit single "Libertine", the second one by "Tristana". This album, which was Farmer's sole one written and composed by Laurent Boutonnat, achieved a moderate success in France in comparison with the next albums of the singer, but helped launch the career of this one.

Background

After the very moderate successes of the first four singles ("Maman a tort", "My Mum Is Wrong", "On est tous des imbéciles" and "Plus grandir"), Boutonnat and Farmer decided to release their first album. At the time, they had signed a contract for two albums with the recording company Polydor, but this one reserved the right to break the contract at any time if the singer did not record a success. Fortunately, in 1986, the success of "Libertine" brought to Farmer her first big hit and allowed her to produce "Cendres de Lune". ["Cendres de Lune" [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/cendres.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)]

In its vinyl version, the album contained only nine titles : "Maman a tort", "Plus grandir" and its B-side "Chloé", plus six other songs. Indeed, Polydor didn't bought to RCA the copyrights of "My Mum Is Wrong", "On est tous des imbéciles" and its B-side "". However, in 1987, with the increasingly frequent use of the Compact disc, the album was reissued with a total of 12 titles : "Tristana", the 1987 hit written by Mylène Farmer, and two remixes ("Libertine" (remix special club), "Tristana" (remix club)) were added to the track listing.

The cover, in black and white, was produced by Laurent Boutonnat and shows Mylène Farmer in profile, apparently sad, putting a hat.

The album was also released in Canada and Germany.

Lyrics and music

The texts, poetic but simple, were written by Laurent Boutonnat who claimed to have had difficulty in composing them."L'Intégrale Mylene Farmer", Erwan Chuberre, 2007, City Ed., p. 71-72 (ISBN 978-2-35288-108-7)] However, "Plus grandir", "Tristana" and "Au Bout de la nuit" were written by Mylène Farmer (incidentally, from "Tristana", she wrote all the texts of her songs), and "Maman a tort" by Jérôme Dahan. Generally, the lyrics deal with the recurring themes in the various albums of the singer, namely death, violence, suicide, sexuality, sadness and fear of aging."Le Dictionnaire des Chansons de Mylène Farmer", Benoît Cachin, 2006, Tournon Ed., p. 67-68] Therefore, the bases of the singer's universe were laid with this first album whose darkness contrasted greatly with the optimistic songs of the time."L'Intégrale Mylene Farmer", Erwan Chuberre, 2007, City Ed., p. 71-72 (ISBN 978-2-35288-108-7)]

Except for "Maman a tort" and "Libertine", the music was produced by Laurent Boutonnat who used mostly synthesizers and acoustic keyboards and was inspired by the New Wave."L'Intégrale Mylene Farmer", Erwan Chuberre, 2007, City Ed., p. 71-72 (ISBN 978-2-35288-108-7)]

Critical reception

"Cendres de Lune" was generally well-received by media. It was considered as an "excellent" album ("Gaipied"), ["Gaipied", August 1, 1986 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/GAIPIED_010886.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)] a "success" ("Podium"), ["Podium", 1986, "Mylène Farmer - Bonjour l'humour noir", Robert De Laroche [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/podium_86.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)] "a first album rather masterly" ("La Provence"), ["La Provence", August 1, 1986 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/la_provence_010886.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)] "in the area of the variety, one of the most beautiful things of the moment" ("Les Gran"). ["Les Gran", 1987, "Mylène Farmer, un je-ne-sais-quoi en plus" [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/LES_GRAN_86.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)] "Full of little marvels" ("Charente"), ["Charente", October 14, 1986, "Embrasons-nous", Jean-Louis Mathieu [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/CHARENTE_141086.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)] it contains "hits having an wholesome impertinence" ("Télé Poche") ["Télé Poche", June 2, 1986 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/TELE_POCHE_020686.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)] and "provides a real insight of [Farmer] 's talent" ; [the singer] carries us with her crystalline voice and strange texts, out of time and out of the standards" ("Le Républicain"). ["Le Républicain", September 14, 1986, "Une chanteuse "libertine"", Christine Hiquet [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/le_republicain_140986.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)] "The songs of Mylène fill the air with an atmosphere alternately naughty and sad but very engaging" ("7 à Paris"). ["7 à Paris", April 23, 1986, "Passionnément" [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/7_A_PARIS_230486.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)] "Mylène's voice is exquisite and her accomplices made her sing little ordinary things" ("La Dépêche"). ["La Dépêche", June 29, 1986, "Libertine, la petite Mylène qui monte..." [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/LA_DEPECHE_290686.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)] " [Farmer] seduces with sensitive texts, almost surreal, tenderly erotic" ("Le Télégramme"). ["Le Télégramme", April 16, 1986 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1986/le_telegramme_160486.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 25, 2008)]

Chart performances

In 1986, the album reached #10 on the French Top Albums and was certified Double gold by the SNEP for a minimum of 200,000 copies sold. Three years later, it appeared again on the chart for four weeks, peaking at #39.

In 2005, the album was reissued in a digipack version at the same time of "Avant que l'ombre..." 's release. As a result, "Cendres de Lune" entered the Top Mid 'Price on March 20, 2005, remained on this chart for four weeks totaling 5,649 sales, and reached #5.

ingles

¹ Only on the second edition of the album

Credits

* Text :
** "Au Bout de la nuit", "Tristana", "Plus grandir" : Mylène Farmer
** "Libertine", "Vieux Bouc", "Chloé", "We'll Never Die", "Greta" : Laurent Boutonnat
** "Maman a tort" : Jérôme Dahan
* Music: Laurent BoutonnatExcept "Libertine" : Jean-Claude Déquéant ; "Maman a tort" : Jérôme Dahan & Laurent Boutonnat
* Sound : Jean-Claude Déquéant
* Mixed by Jean-Claude DéquéantExcept "Tristana" : Thierry Rogen
* Assistant : Philippe Laffont, Laurent Lazahie
* Synthesizers and acoustic keyboards : Laurent Boutonnat
* Guitars : Slim Pezin
* Saxophone : Alain Matot
* Drums : Gilles Chamard
* Background vocals : Carole Frédéricks, Estella Samantha Radji, Anne-Marie Constant, Yvonne Jones, Les Moines Fous du Tibet
* Mastering and engraving : André Perriat
* Editions : Bertrand Le Page, Polygram MusicExcept : "Maman a tort" : Bertrand Le Page Cesanie ; "Greta" : Bertrand Le Page, Movie Box Music
* Photo on the first side and in the booklet : Laurent Boutonnat, Christophe Mourthe
* Photo on the back : Éric Caro
* Management : Bertrand Le Page
* Recorded at "Le Matin calme" studio
* Mixed at studio of Palais des Congrès
* Produced by Laurent Boutonnat

Certifications and sales

Charts

References