Eschewing the brass-pop chansons he's become renowned for, French vocalist Bruno Nicolini, aka
Benabar, returns from a three-year break with a surprising new country-inspired direction for his sixth studio album,
Les Benefices du Doute. Produced by Jean-Louis Pierot (
Alain Bashung,
Etienne Daho), the follow-up to 2008's Infrequentable still contains the same sardonic humor and unique reflections of everyday life that have earmarked him as the heir to
Renaud's cynical troubadour throne, as on the sparse acoustics of "Differents?", a contemplative take on the darker side of human nature, and the defiant protest songs "Politiquement Correct" and "L'Agneau." But other than the honky-tonk ska-pop of "La Phrase Qu'On N'a Pas Dite" and the melancholic balladry of "Les Mirabelles," a heartfelt tribute to his late
Incognito co-star Jocelyn Quivrin,
Benabar has infused them with an array of bluegrass banjo riffs, barroom piano chords, and shuffling hoedown beats. While the old-fashioned Western saloon sound of "Les Rateaux" and the jaunty country-pop of "Alors, C'est Ca Ma Vie" reveal a certain nostalgic charm, the album's rather repetitive production begins to wear thin, with only the optimistic singalong of closer "C'est d' L'amour" and the cheeky nod to
George Michael's "Faith" on "Faute de Gout" providing anything of note on a disappointingly flat second half.
Benabar certainly possesses the necessary storytelling abilities and worldweary tones to convince as a country & western crooner, but
Les Benefices du Doute is simply too one-note to be anything other than a brief, novel curiosity. ~ Jon O'Brien