Maude Audet
Auteure-compositrice-interprète Maude Audet left a lasting impression with her debut - 2013's "Le temps inventé" - an album that skirted contemporary folk-tinged pop and which reflected upon love, hope and disillusionment. But what set her apart from a number of her Québec contemporaries was the introduction of an edgier sound, complete with reverbed and grungy guitars to an album that is highly recommended.
"Nous sommes le feu" is Maude's long-awaited follow-up and one that was eagerly anticipated by this Blog. But is it a case of 'Sophomore slump' or - as has been demonstrated by Maude's contemporaries time after time - confirmation of a prodigious talent?
Opening with the deceptively simple "Orée" - and its breathlessly whispered intro; "Un, deux, trois quatre..." - a short orchestral interlude featuring piano, cello and double-bass alongside acoustic guitar and voice, the track is incredibly peaceful and melodic, lulling the unwary into a false sense of serenity and bliss...
Which lasts until the opening bars of "Dans les nues." Deeply resonant and sombre double-bass melt with bass and drums before Maude's beguiling vocals portray the finality of death; "...Tu ne toucheras plus jamais la douceur de l’amour, Ni l’amertume des jours devenant trop courts, Le mer ne reflètera plus jamais ton portrait, Ni la vitrine de tes yeux ceux que tu aimais..." / "...You will never touch again the softness of love, Nor the bitterness as the days become short, The sea will never reflect your portrait, Nor the windows of your eyes those that you loved..." However, while the song is tinged with melancholy, it is never funereal; the combination of Maude's voice and lyricism conveys a poignant yet poetic quality. There's also a thread of melancholy that is woven throughout "Perdus magnifiques" - it's perhaps one of the reasons I'm so enamoured with this album - but it is a truly beautiful song. Featuring an upbeat chorus, magical refrain and a gorgeous guitar solo, all are combined with Maude's entrancing vocals and lyrical prose to convey the belief that a beacon of light will always pierce any gloom.
And it is this ability to pen moving and at time profound verses, yet at the same time wrap them in the most delicious of melodies, that makes this album so special. On "Leur arsenal", Maude not only rallies against the arms trade and more succinctly those businesses that trade in arms, but also those of us who - "...Sous nos yeux fermés..."/ "...Under our closed eyes..." - turn a blind-eye as our governments and businesses trade in death, all the while wrapping the lyrics into a poppy sixties-inspired tune.
"On ne s'est pas trahis" is another moving pop-song which hints at a liaison amoureuse and while it may be wrong, leaves Maude with no regrets and no feeling of betrayal. Again, there's magnificent wordsmithery; "...J’avais dans mon corps un naufrage, Toi dans ton manteau un nuage..." - which admittedly loses a little in translation - but which floats over the predominantly and metronomic percussive - and timeless - score. In many respects it reminds me of the effortless - again, timeless - pop-songs that Grenadine pulled-off with such aplomb on her eponymous debut album.
"Nos gestes répétés" finds Maude borrowing from elements of folk alongside that most French of musical forms chanson all the while questioning as to why we blindly ignore nature for "false kings" on what is perhaps the most striking vocal performance of the album.
"Nous sommes le feu" is Maude's long-awaited follow-up and one that was eagerly anticipated by this Blog. But is it a case of 'Sophomore slump' or - as has been demonstrated by Maude's contemporaries time after time - confirmation of a prodigious talent?
Opening with the deceptively simple "Orée" - and its breathlessly whispered intro; "Un, deux, trois quatre..." - a short orchestral interlude featuring piano, cello and double-bass alongside acoustic guitar and voice, the track is incredibly peaceful and melodic, lulling the unwary into a false sense of serenity and bliss...
Which lasts until the opening bars of "Dans les nues." Deeply resonant and sombre double-bass melt with bass and drums before Maude's beguiling vocals portray the finality of death; "...Tu ne toucheras plus jamais la douceur de l’amour, Ni l’amertume des jours devenant trop courts, Le mer ne reflètera plus jamais ton portrait, Ni la vitrine de tes yeux ceux que tu aimais..." / "...You will never touch again the softness of love, Nor the bitterness as the days become short, The sea will never reflect your portrait, Nor the windows of your eyes those that you loved..." However, while the song is tinged with melancholy, it is never funereal; the combination of Maude's voice and lyricism conveys a poignant yet poetic quality. There's also a thread of melancholy that is woven throughout "Perdus magnifiques" - it's perhaps one of the reasons I'm so enamoured with this album - but it is a truly beautiful song. Featuring an upbeat chorus, magical refrain and a gorgeous guitar solo, all are combined with Maude's entrancing vocals and lyrical prose to convey the belief that a beacon of light will always pierce any gloom.
And it is this ability to pen moving and at time profound verses, yet at the same time wrap them in the most delicious of melodies, that makes this album so special. On "Leur arsenal", Maude not only rallies against the arms trade and more succinctly those businesses that trade in arms, but also those of us who - "...Sous nos yeux fermés..."/ "...Under our closed eyes..." - turn a blind-eye as our governments and businesses trade in death, all the while wrapping the lyrics into a poppy sixties-inspired tune.
"On ne s'est pas trahis" is another moving pop-song which hints at a liaison amoureuse and while it may be wrong, leaves Maude with no regrets and no feeling of betrayal. Again, there's magnificent wordsmithery; "...J’avais dans mon corps un naufrage, Toi dans ton manteau un nuage..." - which admittedly loses a little in translation - but which floats over the predominantly and metronomic percussive - and timeless - score. In many respects it reminds me of the effortless - again, timeless - pop-songs that Grenadine pulled-off with such aplomb on her eponymous debut album.
"Nos gestes répétés" finds Maude borrowing from elements of folk alongside that most French of musical forms chanson all the while questioning as to why we blindly ignore nature for "false kings" on what is perhaps the most striking vocal performance of the album.
"On leur demande" again demonstrates the ability Maude possesses to take a serious subject - in this case the war crime that is the forced 'recruitment' of child soldiers in conflict-zones - and not drench the song with melancholy. Starting out like an acoustic version of a rock number, Maude expresses her disgust as the middle-eight cranks-up a reverbed cacophony of guitars as she temporarily revisits the darker-edge of "Le temps inventé." Maude also takes aim at the policies of austerity, which - since "we are all in together" - the one-percenters have suggested is necessary, with the up-tempo "Troubles-fête." There's glorious chord progressions and refrains aplenty on a song that contains more than enough to keep mind and body occupied.There's just something incredibly warming and reassuring about Maude's delivery of "Je serai nacelle." It's undoubtedly the most moving and heartfelt of songs, with the acoustic accompaniment the perfect accompaniment to the sentiment - la tendresse - the lyrics convey. I love how the mood of the song totally changes during the uplifting and reassuring chorus - "...Je suis là, Avec toi, Je te prends, Dans mes bras..." / "...I am here, With you, I'll catch you, In my arms..." - melting my heart as she deftly holds the note on each of the last syllables... And it's a trick that Maude pulls-off once again with "Contre ton corps on se sent moins vieux." Another graceful - romantic - and heartwarming song, here love - like a fine wine - improves with age; "...Contre ton corps on se sent moins vieux, Nue sur ta peau tout semble mieux.." / "... Against your body one feel less old, Naked against your skin everything feels better..." It's a beautiful song that touches on similar sentiments to Les sœurs Boulay's "Maison" from this year's stellar album "4488 de l'Amour."
I also love how once again Maude uses the cello sparingly to add texture and depth, with "Nous sommes le feu" it adds a touch of gravitas and reflection. The song itself is one of those seemingly effortless numbers which meanders along quite serenely, all the while reflecting that mankind's actions le feu" are often destructive, when channeled as a force for good there will always be hope - the hungry bellies of the starving will be replaced by smiling children and the sweet taste of a lover's kiss.
The album closes with "Crépuscule" - a short outro - and a simple two piece featuring just Maude and her guitar that reflects wistfully on the times that couples tear each other apart.
So Sophomore slump? Not a chance. While the album may not be as expansive as her debut, Maude has focused and honed her craft (in many respects similar to the path Chloé Lacasse took on 2014's year-listed "Lunes.") for "Nous sommes le feu" to create an album full of timeless songs which are illuminated by her magnificent storytelling. Once again the album has been sympathetically produced by Jean-Philippe Fréchette - aka Navet Confit - and the end result is an œuvre of delightful folk-tinged pop that is utterly enchanting.
Maudet Audet (Website)
"Nous sommes en feu" (Bandcamp)
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