Le Phare

For the proposed skyscraper in Paris, see Le Phare (skyscraper).

Le Phare
Studio album by Yann Tiersen
Released 20 February 1998
Recorded 1998
Length 43:56
Label Ici, d'ailleurs...
Yann Tiersen chronology

Rue des cascades
(1996)		 Le Phare
(1998)		 Tout est Calme
(1999)

Le Phare (English: The Lighthouse) is the third studio album by French composer Yann Tiersen. This was the artist's breakthrough album.[1] He collaborated with distinguished French songwriter Dominique A (who wrote and provided vocals to both "Monochrome" and "Les Bras de mer"). Typical of Tiersen's work: violin, mandolin, accordion and piano feature heavily, as well as some more unusual instrumentation including a bicycle wheel, typewriters and saucepans. Three songs from this album, "La Dispute", "La Noyee", and "Sur le fil" were used later for Tiersen's soundtrack for the film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain. "L'Homme aux bras ballants" is also the soundtrack to a short film by the same name by Laurent Gorgiard.[2] "Sur le fil" has become a live favourite, normally only the violin section performed with great intensity, sometimes even breaking many hairs on the bow.[3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [4]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Yann Tiersen except track #12, "Les Bras de mer", written by Dominique A. 

No. TitleLead vocals Length
1. "Le Quartier"    2:01
2. "La Rupture"  Claire Pichet 2:49
3. "Monochrome"  Dominique A 3:16
4. "La Dispute"    4:14
5. "L'Arrivée sur l'île"    1:03
6. "La Noyée"    2:23
7. "Le Fromveur"    1:20
8. "L'Homme aux bras ballants"    5:05
9. "Sur le fil"    7:28
10. "Les Jours heureux"    2:10
11. "La Crise"    1:37
12. "Les Bras de mer" (written by Dominique A)Dominique A 3:10
13. "La Chute"    5:48
14. "L'Effondrement"    1:32
Total length:
 43:56

Personnel

This also contains all the instruments used on the album.[5][6]

Musicians
  • Yann Tiersen - violins, accordion, piano, mandolins, guitar, typewriter, small and big saucepans, cooking pot, tam-tam, banjo, harpsichord, oud, acoustic guitar, 12 stringed guitar, toy piano, vibraphone, cello, melodica, chimes, bowed mandolins, bicycles, bontempi, vocals
  • Claire Pichet - vocals on "La Rupture"
  • Dominique A - vocals on "Monochrome", vocals, piano, and guitar on "Les Bras de mer"
  • Sacha Toorop - percussion, drum kit, big drum, and small bell on "Le Quartier", "La Rupture", "Monochrome", and "Les Bras de mer"
Production
  • Stephane Kraemer - engineer, mixing
  • Frank Loriou - artwork
  • Renaud Monfourny - photography

Charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
French Albums Chart[7] 50

Notes

  1. ↑ "Yann Tiersen". All Tomorrow's Parties.
  2. ↑ L'Homme aux bras ballants on YouTube
  3. ↑ Yann Tiersen-sur le fil in madrid 2006 on YouTube
  4. ↑ Le Phare at AllMusic
  5. ↑ Le Phare (Media notes). Yann Tiersen. Nancy, France: Ici, d'ailleurs... 1998.
  6. ↑ Le Phare at Discogs (list of releases)
  7. ↑ "Yann Tiersen - Le Pahre". lescharts.com. Retrieved 3 May 2012.