The Montréal (Canada) orchestral indie-pop outfit Groenland (led by vocalist Sabrina Halde with Jean-Vivier Lévesque — keyboards) have announced a string of European Dates [see below] to show-off their spangly new debut album ‘The Chase.’
We had a listen:
‘Our Last Shot’ is flickity-wristed with a cheerfully chortling piano.
The velvety warmth of that voice will quickly bob your tail.
It is as noble and sincere as Timi Yuro — with a husky, jolly spiciness that will make you smile.
Even though this is a song about ‘Ending it…’
‘Superhero’ has twinkly guitar strings and a doleful harmonica.
The voice trembles conservatively (non-heroically). But soon, this song develops into something very solid. And very fruitful.
‘Immune’ has more frown-faced heart-ache than a final embrace with a loved one.
In fact, it seems that most of the sadness is held back behind the skirts-and-skirts of percussion and the rivulets of pounding-heart piano.
Of course, here, Sabrina reminds us of Adele. The tension grows slowly, with the portentously dark cellos …
And it is then that the voice really makes a grab at your soul. Turning it inside-out.
The title track ‘The Chase‘ has some eccentric percussive sounds. Then things get a bit more adult, as the orchestration becomes abundantly evergreen.
On this number, the voice is slightly ornamental (the arrangement is particularly strong) and so it is like a silk cummerbund around the waist. Shiny, and almost incidental.
Basically, this album is a collection of clever folk-pop songs.
The centre-of-attention is, of course, that incredible, deepened jazz-soul voice.
But the artistry on this album also includes lush orchestration, a thorough understanding of quality accompaniment, and plenteous (perhaps even slightly indulgent) percussion.
Words:@neilmach 2015 ©
Photo Crédit — LM Chabot
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groenlandband
Euro Dates:
04/04 Cowansville, QC // Église Emmanuel
27/04 Bourges, FR // Printemps de Bourges – Les iNOUïS
28/04 Frankfurt, DE // Nachtleben
29/04 Hamburg, DE // Volt
30/04 Berlin, DE // Auster Club
02/05 Münster, DE // Schnabulenz
04/05 Adelsdorf, DE // Kuckucksheim
06/05 Halle, DE // Objekt 5
08/05 Erfurt, DE // Franz Melhose
09/05 Cologne, DE // Wohngemeinschaft
12/05 Paris, FR // Les Trois Baudets
15/05 Brighton, UK // Paganini Ballroom (The Great Escape)
16/05 Brighton, UK // The Old Market (The Great Escape)
17/05 Amsterdam, NL // Paradiso Noord (London Calling)
