La Forêt Des Mal-aimés
Pierre Lapointe
La Forêt Des Mal-aimés is Pierre Lapointe’s third album, released in March 2006 on Audiogram and widely regarded as the record that cemented his status on the Quebec music scene. Built around an ambitious concept and lush, audacious orchestral arrangements, it presents a kind of baroque pop cabaret in which Lapointe explores desire, melancholy, cruelty, and tenderness through dense, image‑rich lyrics and melodically intricate songs. Across 16 tracks—starting with Dans La Forêt Des Mal-aimés and moving through Deux Par Deux Rassemblés, Le Lion Imberbe, 25-1-14-14, Qu’en Est-il De La Chance?, L’endomètre Rebelle, Tous Les Visages, Moi, Je T’aimerai, Nous N’irons Pas, Au 27-100 Rue Des Partances, Au Nom Des Cieux Galvanisés, the interlude 25-1-14-14.16, L’équipage, De Glace, Au Pays Des Fleurs De La Transe, and the hidden finale Bannir D’Autres Lieux—he constructs a “forest” of misfits and wounded hearts, a metaphorical space where the unloved and ill-loved wander.
Musically, the album is marked by elaborate arrangements from Philippe Brault and Jean Massicotte: piano and Lapointe’s voice at the center, surrounded by strings, winds, harmonium, clavecin, synths, and subtle percussion, creating a sound that feels at once theatrical, intimate, and slightly surreal. Songs shift from waltz‑like sway to brittle, icy pop, with recurring motifs (including the cryptic number‑titles) tying the sequence together like clues in a puzzle; critics have praised how Lapointe digests influences from French chanson, art‑pop, and chamber music into a unique style rather than pastiche. The record was an instant success with both public and press, reaching number 1 in Canada, earning platinum certification for 100,000 copies sold, and winning three Félix awards at the 29th ADISQ gala, including pop album of the year and best arrangements. Twenty years on, it is widely treated as a cult classic and a cornerstone of modern francophone pop, celebrated with special radio programs and a 5‑LP box set, and remembered as the moment when Lapointe’s inner world—what was happening “dans le cœur et la tête”—found its definitive early expression on record.
La Forêt Des Mal-aimés
Pierre Lapointe
La Forêt Des Mal-aimés is Pierre Lapointe’s third album, released in March 2006 on Audiogram and widely regarded as the record that cemented his status on the Quebec music scene. Built around an ambitious concept and lush, audacious orchestral arrangements, it presents a kind of baroque pop cabaret in which Lapointe explores desire, melancholy, cruelty, and tenderness through dense, image‑rich lyrics and melodically intricate songs. Across 16 tracks—starting with Dans La Forêt Des Mal-aimés and moving through Deux Par Deux Rassemblés, Le Lion Imberbe, 25-1-14-14, Qu’en Est-il De La Chance?, L’endomètre Rebelle, Tous Les Visages, Moi, Je T’aimerai, Nous N’irons Pas, Au 27-100 Rue Des Partances, Au Nom Des Cieux Galvanisés, the interlude 25-1-14-14.16, L’équipage, De Glace, Au Pays Des Fleurs De La Transe, and the hidden finale Bannir D’Autres Lieux—he constructs a “forest” of misfits and wounded hearts, a metaphorical space where the unloved and ill-loved wander.
Musically, the album is marked by elaborate arrangements from Philippe Brault and Jean Massicotte: piano and Lapointe’s voice at the center, surrounded by strings, winds, harmonium, clavecin, synths, and subtle percussion, creating a sound that feels at once theatrical, intimate, and slightly surreal. Songs shift from waltz‑like sway to brittle, icy pop, with recurring motifs (including the cryptic number‑titles) tying the sequence together like clues in a puzzle; critics have praised how Lapointe digests influences from French chanson, art‑pop, and chamber music into a unique style rather than pastiche. The record was an instant success with both public and press, reaching number 1 in Canada, earning platinum certification for 100,000 copies sold, and winning three Félix awards at the 29th ADISQ gala, including pop album of the year and best arrangements. Twenty years on, it is widely treated as a cult classic and a cornerstone of modern francophone pop, celebrated with special radio programs and a 5‑LP box set, and remembered as the moment when Lapointe’s inner world—what was happening “dans le cœur et la tête”—found its definitive early expression on record.