Bassist and band leader (Le Sacre du tympan, a nod to Stravinsky, the Rite of Spring…), Fred Pallem composes and arranges soundtracks, from post-André Popp to avant-jazz-prog-rock… No limits, no boundaries, but one goal for this selection, his ultimate reference, François De Roubaix, who is the main subject of his new record…

New Morning, november 19th
https://trainfantome.bandcamp.com
www.lesacre.com

Xavier A La Maison d’Arrêt
From « La Scoumoune »

 
«Probably the melody that gave me access to De Roubaix’s world. When I was a child, my father had a cassette tape that had this amazing theme on it. I wasn’t a musician but I remember I would keep humming this melody, inside my head, so it would push bad dreams away.»
 

Mort d’Un Guide
From « Mort d’Un Guide »

 
«A 1974 rare track, that could initially only be found on Vol.3 of the 1979 Barclay’s anthology. Soaring synths, an absolutely catchy tune, time signature change. It’s like a postcard of what De Roubaix composed in his home studio, on his own with his instruments. Only a few string overdubs appear at the end.
When I was a teenager, I remember could listen to this music for hours while looking at my aquarium.»
 

Les Amis
From « Les Amis »

 
«Having a passion for french “chanson”, De Roubaix wrote this typically french pop melody, with Serge Gainsbourg inspired harmonies. I tried to take it another step forward with Alice Lewis and Alexandre Chatelard (who wrote original lyrics) sing a duet.»
 

Bataille Navale
From « Boulevard Du Rhum »

 
«This piece sounds quite classic at first (using horns and strings) but if you look closely into it, the composer integrates a lot of amazing sonic effects. The VCS3 sounds like a boat’s horn, pitch shifted mouth harps end the musical phrases, castanets, vibraslap… Sometimes De Roubaix would himself, create the film’s sound effects.»
 

Femmes Au Carré

 
«No vinyl for this unreleased and very rare piece of music De Roubaix wrote for an advert. Here you can find the composer’s whole range. A horn section, funky beats, mouth harps. A very “swinging London” type of track…»