REVIEW: CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS - PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE

5/5

An Angel's Love.

Dylan, the Foo Fighters, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper and Ben Folds. Last week's New Music Friday was blockbuster big this summer season. But this one is even bigger with three of a kind. Janelle Monáe gives us 'The Age Of Pleasure' we've been waiting for since the age of Aquarius. Whilst Jenny Lewis is just trying to spread 'Joy'All'. But like 'What Matters Most', let's save the best for last with Christine and the Queens' epic trilogy and Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier's magnum opus featuring Mike Dean, 070 Shake and musings from the one and only Madonna. 'Paranoïa, Angels, True Love' is a Louvre loved work of art, from one of this generation's greatest artists with acclaim. The rain of November gave us the perfect prologue of 'Redcar les adorables étoiles'. But now with the summer sun we can now feel the trilogy masterpiece as Redcar's story continues down the road in three acts. 

Ever since the French singer gave you your flowers and the human warmth of 'Chaleur Humaine' the music world has never been the same. Whether the self-titled sophomore set 'Chris' and the wonderful 'The Walker' teased things to come. Or if the deeply personal 'People, I've Been Sad' turned into the anthem of our collective planet pandemic. Now on 'Paranoïa' the first seven tracks takes us even higher in the realm of mesmerizing music for your muses. This experimental art pop opera opens with the opulence of an 'Overture' like the second disc's Mike Dean feature. All before getting straight to it with the instant classic single 'Tears Can Be So Soft' with the grief that falls like 'Aftersun'. Sampling Marvin Gaye ('Feel All My Love Inside') singing, "I miss my mama, miss my mother/Miss my mama at night/Ooh, she gave me life, ah, ah/I miss my brother, miss my brother/Miss my brother all day/Ooh, we used to pray/Ooh, I miss my lover, miss my lover/Miss my lover at night/Ooh, to hold me tight." The pain is profound. 

Marvin's room continues to be inhabited on the magnificent 'Marvin Descending' for this operatic masterpiece. 'A Day In The Water' continued this formidable glow for the source of your streaming. Purification from the pain, soothing "Deeper, and the deeper/Deeper, deeper that I go/Softer, it gets softer/It gets softer, softer, I don't know/Father, oh, father, oh, father/Oh, father, let me go I don't want it no more." But in this magnum opera, it doesn't get more classical, or 'Full Of Life' than sampling a 17th century composer for a hallowed highlight. Johann Pachelbel's 'Canon in D Major,' makes the life of this song exactly that. Major! But if you thought that was big, or the first act's 11 minute 'Track 10' finale in all its musical journey, then wait until you hear 'Angels Crying In My Bed'. Because this is the first time we hear the massive megastar Madonna's moving monologues. "And maybe we will almost fall in love/I will look into his eyes, and he into mine/My one singlе eye, the unfortunatе other blinded by a punishing slap/And we will agree that love can be blind." The superstar storytelling with the greats. 

'He's Been Shining For Ever, Your Son' The second act declares. Beautiful in black and white like the striking pose of the album artwork like a dancer. 'The Flowery Days' continue this beautiful bloom, before meeting an angel again with Lady Madonna. The first 070 Shake collaboration comes with 'True Love' however. And the 'Let Me Touch You Once' second track that follows. "Flexing, flexing hard, flexing hard/Flexing slow, flexing slow/See my abs, see my abs/I'm your man, I'm your man, mm/As I am imperfect/Waiting for some hot sex/Oh, forgive me, parles-tu français?" Unapologetically. Yes, this album deals with the grief of Héloïse losing his mother. But that doesn't mean he can't find the joy in life like Jenny. Or the pleasure principle like Janelle channelling Janet. 'Aimer, puis vivre' concludes all of this en Francais. "Love, love with, love without love/Pour lui, elle a tout lâché, je comprends/Elle tend sa main dans le froid, je n'entends pas/Love, love with, love without love (Je fais des choix)." 

Tarot card album artworks deal you to the third and final act of this ménage à trois for the fourth album. This is where the 'Angels' become 'True Love'. This "operatic gesture" inspired by Tony Kushner's 1991 play 'Angels In America' lets it all 'Shine'. All because like the record company, 'We Have To Be Friends'. "Touch yourself/Boy, it's all still there/Your mouth, your nose/Your eyes, your elbows/Your knees were supposed to go/But it's all still there/And you loved, boy, open wide/A sorrow crashed on the floor, wasted again/But, boy, oh, boy, at least you tried." Heads, shoulders, knees and toes never sounded so good for the whole body you touch. 'To Be Honest' before the first single of this fourth, it gets really racy 'Lick(ing) The Light Out' with Madonna in a neon dream from the sparkling flashbulbs of the Iron Lady. "Descend a bit lower, lower/Mm, and meet me there", he says. Whilst Madonna like a prayer asks, "Where do you think I stand?/I stand in your heart/Just next to your lungs/You smoke too much/Do you want to chase me away?/I am dwelling in your sorry." "If an angel in power decided just to see me/Could I get that much higher?" the Queen asks. Putting two hands together for those guardians from the United States. 

'I Feel Like An Angel', Letissier laments, spreading his wings. All before the 'Big Eye' like the portrait of a famous artist comes to a close. Your love is your power. Your love is your soul. And we see it in collective unison for the one. "After the signal you sent me/When I f### you now/Oh, I touch you now/Recreate it now/Penetrate it now/Soul/My soul/Yeah/Open it all/Open it all/Oh, my word is my sword/Eh, oh, my word is my sword/Recreate it all/And forgive it all/My eyes is my pride/It's all dead inside/It's all dead and then it is reborn in me/Endless memories/I see you from inside, my teacher/Master of love, my pride/I am now your mother." Through the grief and the paranoia comes an angel to watch over you true. Making you believe in love again and the power of the spiritual and the sexual. In the boundless beauty of a Queen's bountiful body of work. This Redcar ain't stopping. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Playlist Picks: 'Tears Can Be So Soft', 'Full Of Life', 'I Met An Angel (Feat. Madonna)'.