Les Granges Brulees

by Thom JurekThe CD issue of Jean-Michel Jarre's soundtrack to the Jean Chapon film Les Granges Brulées has been long overdue. An integral but less well-known part of the composer's catalog, it marks Jarre's first full immersion into film scoring and as such, it is an inquisitive, speculative works that illustrates concept more than it does nuance. In this case that's a plus. The themes here are rarely extended; they shift and jar the listener episodically, coursing form one "major" scene to the next without bothering much with serial elements. It's a compelling listen, but ultimately not terribly memorable. That said, it's a plus for fans who've been seeing expensive LP copies for decades now.