DIRK BLANCHART : EUROPE BLUE

 

  1. It's Only You That I Fear
  2. I've Been Waiting for You
  3. Shed My Skin
  4. Drop Me in a City
  5. Babylon
  6. Fool Yourself Forever
  7. Better
  8. Cockpit
  9. A Happy End

Label : Statik Records

Release Date : 1985

Length : 37:56

Review (The Belgian Pop & Rock Archives) : Inventive Belgian singer-songwriter. Always on the brink of making it big-time. Never breaking through. In the early eighties, dirk Blanchart was part of the groups Once More, which later went on in the quite popular Luna Twist. He started a solo career immediately after this group split up in 1984. His real name is Dirk Blanchaert, which he anglifies to dirk Blanchart in the impression this would make it easier to get accepted in the States and England. Unfortunately, he never got that far. He made his debut as a solo-artist with three impressive singles "I don't mind ..", "Drop me in the city" and "Cockpit" as openers for the exciting album "Europe Blue", full of melodic pop of international standards. An international break never happens though, because his British record company Statik goes broke and legal obligations forbid him to produce any new material for several years. In these years he becomes a producer for other - mostly Belgian - bands, among which Elisa Waut, Kloot Per W, Ivan's Land, Blanc de Blanc etc.... He has a soft, almost crooning voice, which contrasted nicely with new-wave influences in his music in the early eighties. His voice, however, isn't his strongest asset : a song like "Fool yourself forever" in a version by Paul Young would have been a worldwide hit.

Review (Gazet van Antwerpen) : Verhalen over binnenlandse pop- en rockacts die op de rand staan van een internationale doorbraak zijn van alle tijden. In 1985 speelde Dirk Blanchart er een hoofdrol in. Blanchart, inmiddels een gevestigde waarde dankzij Luna Twist, tekende bij het Engelse Statik-label voor zijn solo-debuut. Nog voor dat op de markt kwam, ging de firma over de kop. Einde internationale carrière, waarna Blanchart nog een rij mooie albums maakte vooraleer in de marge te verdwijnen. Hoeveel potentieel door dat hobbelige parcours verloren ging, bewijst het heruitgebrachte Europe Blue. Een beetje Belpopper kent singles I don't mind (if the sputnik lands), Cockpit, Drop me in the city en Fool Yourself forever nog, maar herkent in het gecroonde Better en de futuristische kamermuziek van Babylon al even gemakkelijk de tijdloze klasse. Ook de productie heeft de tand des tijds goed doorstaan.