Le Chat Bleu Expanded Edition

This is possibly Mink DeVille's best album, and most definitely my favorite one by them. Or should I say "him", owing to the fact that Mink DeVille was pretty much the vehicle for Willy DeVille to display his enormous vocal and songwriting talents. Possibly due to the fact that DeVille burst onto the music scene in the late 1970s he somehow got lumped into the "new wave" or even "punk" category. Or maybe it was the tattoos and that rebelious look that Willy had. Whatever the case, neither genre was a remotely appropriate one to confine the likes of DeVille and his band. The music was more rooted in classic 50s & 60s rock, pop, and soul.The songs on this album are some of the strongest that DeVille ever recorded and his vocal performances throughout are magnificent. His amazing voice could deftly caress a tender ballad, or rip it up on a fast-paced rocker. Diverse and thrilling, sweet and sassy; this album covers all the bases.I had this as a vinyl record import for years (elsewhere online you might want to read about the problems that DeVille had with Capitol, his US label, in trying to get this album released) and was delighted to see a CD reissue, now with extra tracks. And these live tracks are nothing short of fabulous, showcasing a vocalist who very much comfortable on stage in front of an appreciate crowd. And the added "bonus" of an interview with Robert Klein, where songwriting legend Doc Pomus (who also co-wrote some tunes with Willy on this album) turns up in the studio is also a nice touch. All I can do is echo the comments that others have made: this album still holds up well after 30 years, sounding fresh and vibrant. Willy DeMille is very much missed.

Very interesting blend of influences.

This has always been for me the pinnacle work of Willy DeVille. I love every album he has done, but this album stands in a class by itself. The addition of the Live tracks in this remaster are great and a welcome addition to any true Mink DeVille fan's collection. But in a way they should have left this masterpiece as it originally was only with a remastered sound as the extra cuts,(great as they are), are like adding more to a great painting. It should have stood alone!

Another great cd from Willy De Ville"s band, Mink De Ville. I am a fan, what can I say except that I love it. There is a bonus section on this album of his live performances. Great cd! Great tunes and beat...love Willy"s voice!

I am replacing my vinyl with cd copies

Love Willy Deville's music!!

Thanks to Rock archivist, Glenn A Baker, for re-mastering ,'Le Chat Bleau'. Having owned it originally on vinyl, and through my roving days, on cassette, it was a thrill to rediscover it on the Raven label. de Ville's mind-set is essentially the evanscent soul of the greatest,'Drifter's' hits. That is, the boy/girl thing, the hermetically sealed priviledged conjunction about whose axis, the rest of the world can go rotate. Willy seems heroically immune to the intervening decades when these sounds and sentiments were momentous. Thus, 'Le Chat Bleau' was a glorious anachronism when it appeared, causing Capitol U.S, to baulk about its release. Unlike say,a 'Drifter's Greatest Hits', this Cd is conceived as thematically linked, with balanced tempos, and crafted to perfection. de Ville is in great voice and his pen just dripping with the inevitable, suggestive couplets.'This Must Be Tonight', justifiably turns up on most compilations. 'Bad Boy' and the cajun spiced,'Mazurka', the celestial harmony of,'Heaven Stood Still', exemplify his range. The Doc Pomus collaborations are exhilerating.'The World Outside,'You Just Keep Me Holding On', and'Just To Walk That Little Girl Home', are as classic as anything he conceved for Ben e King. Having applauded the in tact original, I think Baker's gone for overkill with the bonus versions of 7 of the tracks.de Ville's handling of,'Save The Last Dance For Me' is an honorable and devotional tribute to his sources. However, the live stuff does nothing but reveal how brilliant the chemistry was in that Paris studio. It was, as he mused, his,'Starry Night'.

An absolute classic. Combines doo-wop, soul, rock, latin, into one wonderful mix. His voice, for those who have not heard him, is truly unique. Some of the songs will make you think of street-corner harmony groups, while others take on the punk spirit of the times. However, no matter what you've read, this is absolutely not "punk" or "new wave." It is music solidly grounded in the r&b and rock&roll of the late 1950's and early 1960's, without sounding dated or derivative. One of the rare early 1980's records which has aged extremely well.

Good CD & some songs grow on you the more you listen to them. Sadly a singer song writer who wasn't as popular as he deserved to be !

The best!

Wer sich hier umschaut, wird einige Rezensionen von mir über Willy bzw. Mink de Ville finden. Und wird auch entdecken, dass ich ein grosser Fan bin. Ich gebe dieser CD die 5 Sterne, weil es unfair wäre, aufgrund des bei fast jeder folgenden CDs von Willy, die noch besser war als der Vorgänger, weniger gut zu beurteilen. Ich habe hier die "Expanded Version" und gerade diese Bonustracks von diversen Konzerten sind das "Salz in der Suppe". Eine Studioaufnahme von "Heaven stood still" wird niemals einer live version das Wasser reichen können. Ohne diesen Vergleich sind die meisten seiner Lieder sehr gut und - wie geschrieben - live noch besser. "Save the last dance for me" gibt es in unzähligen Coverversionen von durchaus sehr guten Künstlern, die live Aufnahme aus Holland 1984 auf dieser CD wird für mich von keinem (am ehesten von Bruce Willis) erreicht. Stücke wie "This must be the night" und "Just to walk that little girl home" (sowohl live wie Studio) aus den frühen Jahren zeigen wie toll Willy und seine Mannen waren. Zu jeder Zeit !

from one gear 2 the next Willy shifts as smooth as silk ...and this CD presents Willy in all his glory ...from studio 2 live , hard 2 fault ...no glitches ,nice production ,A/Bd with 180gm vinyl and there is a notable difference , BUT ! nothing most of the public would notice ,excellent sound stage(heaven stood still stands out) , only complaint was damaged jewel case hub ,a case is cheap so really !

Man nehme die Originalausgabe, stelle die Stereo- Anlage auf eine Lautstärke, wähle einen bestimmten Titel ( am besten "Mazurka") und vergleiche direkt mit der Expanded Edition. Und schon wird klar, dass sich die paar Euro Mehrausgabe gelohnt haben. Klanglich superb überabeitet kommt unser Willy De Ville aus den Boxen, dazu ein völlig "unerhörter" Studio- Track und als Draufgabe 7 Live- Aufnahmen aus den 80ern. Mehr ist manchmal wirklich mehr.