Long ago, a friend lent me the A Week In The Real World compilation, following a request for a selection of African music. What actually grabbed my attention was a song in French (I later found out they were Québécois) by La Bottine Souriante.
So I sought out more from these Canadian musicians and stumbled across this in the world music section of HMV.
Reel Du Fogeron starts of as a folk fiddle piece, joined by the horns, then Les Trois Cavaliers is a call and response song, a jolly toe tapping folk piece, and Arin Québec continues in the same vein. Chanson de Mathurin is a slower song, which never quite seems to get started, while Medley des Eboulements is a standard reel, fiddle led, but horn accompanied.
Ciel d'Automne is a lovely gentle violin piece, then it's back to the call and response on Yoyo-Verret. As we move into Suite Métisse it's becoming a little samey - another reel, very well done, but nothing we haven't already heard (except the band starts and the fiddle finishes!) And it's more reels, more call and response, with a gentle short piano interlude in Alice Au Pays D'Arto. Ami De La Bouteille is a slower, cautionary tale before the final track, the bright and bouncy Margot Fringue, yet another call and response, but a jolly conclusion.
I've enjoyed listening to this slice of Québécois folk, despite the repetition of themes, but it's no more than a gentle diversion. I'd imagine they're fantastic live, especially with a drink inside!
3* - what they do, they do well, but no musical boundaries are being pushed.
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