Coinciding with Médiapop Éditions’ release of Mendelson Intégrale (1995-2021), a collection of the writings of Pascal Bouaziz for his group, the album is a tribute to their adventure in rock ‘n roll and music. The singer, guitarist and songwriter will have taken us on a winding journey, with his penchant for biting irony, along an extraordinary path filled with real artistic ambition. He spent less time grappling with a lack of public success and relative media disinterest. Through seven albums, Mendelson has forged a unique and uncompromising path, filled with raw and brutal poetry, hard-hitting and unsettling lyrics, spoken word, melancholy and anger. This ardent critic of half-hearted efforts also teamed up with Jean-Michel Pirès to create the sonic explosion and unfiltered textual flow of Bruit Noir. He has since been working with Michel Cloup and Julien Rufié on the compelling stage adaptation of Joseph Ponthus’ book, À la ligne.

Opening with Algérie, a deeply moving twenty-minute track, Le dernier album is a dazzling and disturbing masterpiece that is as musical as it is literary and as fiercely autobiographical as it is strangely universal. The spoken voice draws the listener in, telling the intimate story of a life without success, settling all accounts before self-destruction. It is reminiscent of the styles of Bashung’s L’Imprudence, Nick Cave, Mark Hollis and Leonard Cohen. “It’s not so terrible to die a bit,” concludes Pascal Bouaziz in a final macabre drum roll. Mendelson’s sacrifice will continue on stage for its faithful fans and to the delight of others discovering them for one last time.