In Review--Le Vent du Nord

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Le Vent du Nord
Dans les airs
Borealis Records

 The traditional Quebecois group, Le Vent du Nord's third album, Dans les airs also features the group's third incarnation. The departure of Benoit Bourque feels missed here. But his replacement, Rejean Brunet, formerly of the Flying Beavers group, provides a new dimension. Besides, bringing his accordion on board, he also contributed acoustic bass and piano to this recording. Nicolas Boulerice took on a stronger role on this third time out, by contributing vocal duties on many of the tracks. But violinist Olivier Demers, the other remaining founding member along with Nicolas, handled most of the songwriting duties.

 Despite a revolving door of band members since the debut recording, La Vent du Nord's fare seem tighter than ever and the playing more mature. The traditional fare of songs about drinking, falling in love with sweethearts or losing at the game of love, fills up most of this disc. We are also informed about Nicolas' venture into fatherhood. We are exposed to little tidbits of personal information about each band member and how they discovered some of the traditional material for the recording. Those tidbits add to the sparkle and shimmer of each song or suite of songs that take this toasty CD from start to finish.

 Dans les air exudes a zest for life set amongst rollicking fiddle, accordion, hurdy-gurdy, guitar, foot tapping and all the sounds you would expect to hear with traditional Quebecois fare. This collection of songs about drinking, sharing bread with friends, and lifting one's heels up to life certainly hits the spot on a stormy spring day. And then there are those dragons...

 Leventdunord

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