Search - Jean Michel Jarre :: Sessions 2000

Different style, and boring

Eric Fortier | 07/06/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"If you like Jean Michel Jarre for his old style music, like, equinoxe, oxygen, chronologie etc... don't waste your money. This album is not for you...."

Is this Jean-Michel Jarre??

Pete C. | Raleigh, NC USA | 03/26/2007

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD about 4 years ago and sold it the same day I got it. This is nothing at all like Jarre's work. The songs went nowhere. They lacked style and direction. It was like "ambient-jazz", if there is such a thing. The CD came with no information about this as well. It was just the case and the CD. It was almost as if this was a push to meet some kind of a deadline or record company requirement.

All in all, if your looking for Jarre on this one, he is not musically present. Some musicians take different paths with their art , and while some pull it off...Jarre's path leads to a cliff. This is just really bad music.BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!"

I have no idea what compelled Jean Michel Jarre to create th

Rykre | Carson City, Nevada | 09/30/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

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Had this album been released by an unknown stranger, I might accept it as a typical new age ambient concept that would be good to listen to when you need to hear something that would help to put you to sleep. So, I could listen to a meditative CD of the sounds of waves crashing ashore, or the sounds of a rainfall (maybe even a thunderstorm), or I could put on this sleep-inducive CD of Jarre's "Sessions 2000".



Jean Michel Jarre must truly have been struggling these passed 15 years. He has his own unique sound, and yet he's been trying to stay alive for more than 30 years. I can see his confusion though. His most loyal fans have a particular expectation of what music he creates. And nobody can be expected to just continue to do the same thing over and over again. "Oxygene", "Equinoxe", and "Magnetic Fields" were the albums that set the stage for what was Jarre's fabulous unique sound. But, all through his career he seemed to want to re-create himself. He did a weird soundtrack album in 1973 called "Les Granges Brulees" which only recently got released on CD a couple of years ago. I didn't like it and I'm sure Jarre himself is not too fond of it. However, in 1976, his illustrious career began with "Oxygene", which is probably still his most famous album. Anyone who has "Oxygene" probably has "Equinoxe" as well. Anything he released after this, we couldn't wait to buy. Then, he caught us all off guard in 1984 with "Zoolook" This took a little while to grow on me, but eventually, it did. It also made me a little hesitant about his next album. In 1986, he put out "Rendez-vous" and redeemed himself, and our expectations. Then, it seemed like he was beginning to get sloppy. He has released a lot of live albums and I thought that he was just killing time with all those unnecessary releases. I enjoy 1982's "The Concerts in China", and I've kept his other double live CD of 1994's "Hong Kong". But he has several other live albums that just seemed to repeat the same sound as the previous studio releases, but with half-hearted applause from the listening audience.



In 1988, his album "Revolutions" had some great short passages, and then some rather dumb child-like sound concepts. Then in 1990, his album "Waiting for Cousteau" had two fabulous instrumentals called "Calypso 2 and 3" (I didn't care for Calypso 1") and then his title track is his first truly ambient sound passage. He did a nearly 47 minute soundscape which simulated lying on the ocean floor and listening to the sounds of passing sea mammals and other underwater sound effects. I do like it, but I gotta be in the mood to listen to it. When I'm tired and I want to sit in the dark and listen to something, this track is pretty soothing and relaxing.



Then, in 1992, he puts out an album called "Chronologie". To me this is his greatest album since his first three albums. This is one of my top five favorite albums from Jean Michel Jarre. I was thinking: "Yes! The Jean Michel Jarre that we all knew, is back!" But, then, after this album, I think Jarre was beginning to get confused. He didn't quite do anything for a while. Maybe he was basking in the glow of his new latest sound achievement, and now he didn't know how to follow up on it. Two years afterwards, he releases another double live album called "Hong Kong". I like it because he incorporated a band to add more energy to his familiar music of the past and so it was nice to hear a concert that featured the music of all his best albums. I wish this concert was filmed for video. What a loss that is.



A year later, somebody tampers with Jarre's music and created a various remix album called "Jarremix". I don't think Jarre had much participation in creating these remixes other that just the rhythms of certain tracks. This is another CD that I have to be in the mood for. I seldom ever care to play this CD.



With Jarre suddenly realizing that he's tapped into a multitude of different directions, he came to a halt on his creativity. So, check this out. In 1997, he releases an album called "Oxygene 7 -13". This album sounds like he's trying to resell his most cherished album by simulating some of the sounds of the original album. It's a keeper, but I don't know why Jarre felt like he had to do this. Maybe he knew that it couldn't help but sell well because he IS Jean Michel Jarre and "Oxygene" WAS he greatest selling album. You know, Mike Oldfield did this too. In 1973, his first album "Tubular Bells" was his greatest selling album, with his career continuing a moderate downward direction of appeal, in 1992 he released an album called "Tubular Bells 2" which brought his earlier fan base back (including me). And in 1998, he even did a "Tubular Bells 3" and then he did "Tubular Bells 2003" which proves that he has lost his grip with what he wants to put out for his fan base. Anyway, I was wondering if Jarre was going to put out an album called "Equinoxe 9 - 17". He may as well, I'm sure it would sell.



I have mixed opinions about Jarre's new millenium album called "Metamorphoses". The long album side soundscapes are no more. He's starting to stick to just a bunch of short songs. And he incorporates female voices in many of the songs. It's hit and miss with these tunes. Mostly miss. Then he comes out with "Sessions 2000". This album does not sound like Jean Michel Jarre at all. This whole boring concept sounds like the sounds you could invent in your own head if you were sitting forever in a waiting room, or you were in silent solitary confinement. Then his next album "Geometry of Love" continued the same dull concept. Two bland, boorish, CD's in a row and neither one even worthy of being released in a regular jewel case.



Yes, the days of Jarre's greatest moments are all truly over. I believe it ended with "Chonologie." If you're new to hearing Jean Michel Jarre's music, start with "Oxygene", "Equinoxe", "Les Chants Magnetiques (Magnetic Fields)," and the "Chronolgie". You won't be disappointed. But it's up to you where you go from there.

"