Borealis Records is a Canadian label with far-reaching tastes. These three recent releases will give you an idea of just how far-reaching they are.
Mighty Popo’s Gakondo is a journey to Rwanda. Bluesman Taj Mahal has called is “one excellent album.” He should know having recorded with African musicians like Toumani Diabate and Ali Farka Toure. If you are at all familiar with the work of those artists, then the sound of Mighty Popo will be familiar to you. The fact that the album was recorded in Quebec and British Columbia may be surprising, but Popo is a refugee/survivor from Rwanda/Burundi who left the violence of Africa for the relative calm of Canada. His music is peaceful, thoughtful, even laid-back. He seems to harbour no long-lasting traumas, or at least they aren’t displayed on the music presented here.
The songs (all composed by Popo) have lyrics in Kinyarwanda, Rwanda’s only indigenous language, so you have to listen to the sounds of the singing and stunning guitar work to get the sense of what’s going on. Or, you could read the helpful insert that Borealis has provided. For instance, it tells us that “‘Gakondo’ is a song about family history revealing Popo’s blood ties to…the high priest of ancient Rwanda, and keepers of the dynasitc code.” ”Urugendo” on the other hand is a gift to his mother for “bringing [him] to this earth to experience the beauty of both Canadian and Rwandan landscape.” So it goes. You have the repetitive ‘riffs’ that make up much of the African form as we know it, with different time signatures and a variety of African vocal styles combined with Popo’s guitar and other stringed instruments to create an altogether hypnotic mix of world music.
James Hill is a Canadian ukulele master. I’ve been following his career since he was the lead soloist for the Langley School Ukulele Orchestra. His CDs have progressed dramatically since then, and this latest presents him is a different light. He is a Man with a Love Song. No longer arranging TV theme songs and the like as showcases for his uke prowess, he has written a set of songs with lyrics that he sings himself. It’s a brave new direction and…it works.
The sound is perhaps a bit thin with ukuleles as the foundational instrument, but James also plays piano, violin, and harmonises with himself on vocals giving us more to listen to. As producer he also surrounded himself with a handful of of backup musicians. Anne Davison joins on vox and cello on half the tracks. The other associates provide a touch of harmony here, a little accordion, sax, trumpet and trombone there. Hill’s voice is rather plain but true, and he sings from his heart. The cover design (by A Man Called Wrycraft) shows that Hill has lost his head, and keeps his heart close to to his vest, in other words…the cover echoes the songs. A moody but enjoyable album that pays dividends with further listens.
Row Upon Row of the People They Know is the second album by Newfoundland’s The Once. This trio chose their name from a Newfoundland phrase meaning ‘imminently’ and as the promo material stats…now is their time. They played in town a week or so ago to rave reviews, and this album is a gorgeous piece of folk music. The album title comes from a poem by George Murray that inspired them. They made it a song called “Song For Memory.” It’s about life, like all good songs, like all the songs here.
The Once is made up of lead singer Geraldine Hollett and Phil Churchill and Andrew Dale who play guitar, mandolin, fiddle and bouzouki. It is gentle, melancholy, even sweet music. Listen to their take on Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend.” Gone is the Mercury bombast, but the melody is central, and the Once’s harmonies are rich and lovely. From that they turn to the traditional “My Husband’s Got No Courage” and “Valley of the Kilbride” which range from powerful to haunting. This is contemporary folk music at its best.
Borealis is not afraid to show its range, and the breadth of the country it calls home, beyond borders, beyond beliefs, beyond expectations. Try any or all of these marvelous new CDs.
Comments