Audacity, inspiration, the taste for risk and the need to take it have no age, this is what we will first remember from thank you17e album by the venerable and eternally avant-garde John Cale. The founding member of the Velvet Underground turns 81 in March, and he still has songs to share, with his modern take on pop and his plaintive yet strong voice. His reflections on these difficult last years (he causes us about viruses, the far right and global warming, among other pressing topics) revolve around grooves hovering and sought-after electronic pop, in which a handful of brilliant musicians collaborate. Laurel Halo (on thank you opening) and Actress (on Marilyn Monroe’s Legacy which follows), figures from the English experimental electronic scene, add textures and mystery to the compositions of the master. Further on is Weyes Blood (magnificent Story of Blood), the duo Sylvain Esso (Time Stands Still) and Animal Collective (on Everlasting Days) which delicately tint this captivating and complex album. Our respects, Mr. Cale.
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