What Are You Listening To?

[Jerome]

When oxgene the original was released, it was a very different sound from what we were used to hearing on the radio. Over the years though we have got used to that kind of sound. I think Jean-Michel Jarre's music has dated more than that of many other pioneers of electronic music, and is possibly why the new album seems disappointing. This is only a theory; I have not heard the new one, so can't offer an opinion on it.

I was listening the other day to one of my cassettes with stuff recorded from radio in the 1980's. There were some snippets from a JMJ live performance, including some pieces from Zoolook, an album that seemed to get a bit overlooked at the time. I'd say it's more experimental than most of his well-known stuff, but I was quite enjoying it, in fact more than I remembered enjoying it back in the day.

I hear you Bob, but for me Oxygene (the original) still sounds way ahead of what anyone else has done to date - it does not sound dated to me at all. Oxy 7-13 was a modern take on the original Oxy and I quite like it - has some wonderful atmospheric bits and some really original concepts. Great rhythmic structures. Oxy 3 just does not 'complete' the series for me. It lacks direction and musical concept. Has some good bits but to me it's like he did not really know what he was going to do. I do know that he gave himself a period of about 6 weeks to compose the thing and I think that's where he made his mistake. You can't force music. You either have an idea or you don't. Ah well, that's just one opinion on the album - I am sure there are many who think it's classic JMJ but I just don't happen to be one of them. I would like to see him compose a new work - not related to any other album - a completely new approach/composition.