Tromper le temps

For those who don't speak French, a new Vent Du Nord album is simply a new opportunity to luxuriate in the unique pleasures of Québecois folk music: the bittersweet fiddle melodies with crooked rhythms, the intricate foot-tapping, the unison call-and response singing. All of these constitute a more-than-adequate reason to tune in; no one else currently active on the Canadian folk scene can match Le Vent Du Nord for tightness, vocal blend, or instrumental virtuosity combined with taste, so anyone who loves traditional music can thoroughly enjoy this album. Those who understand the lyrics (which are not, unfortunately, translated in the booklet) will have access to another, sharper layer of meaning. "Lettre à Durham," for example, responds defiantly (if belatedly) to a 19th century report written by the Earl of Durham telling the King of England how best to quash the French-speaking population and its nationalist tendencies; "Le Diable et le Fermier" bemoans the development of shale gas in agricultural areas. On the lighter side, other songs celebrate unconditional love (both maternal and romantic), or commemorate travel woes, or spin fantastic tales of dragons and princesses. Every single track is a solid winner, and several will make your hair stand on end with their melancholy beauty.