Friday, November 19, 2010

CD Review: Quebec's Mauvais Sort


Droit Devant
To describe Mauvais Sort as spellbinding would not be very far from the truth. In fact, the translation of their name can be described as "to put a spell on someone". Canada's folk-funk-ska group is a riotous journey through the Balkans, Scandinavia, and the North American continent. All of the vocal songs are sung in French, with accompanying liner notes in French, too. The horns, guitars, bass, strings, and punchy percussion make Droit Devant (Straight Ahead) a fun listen. The edgy "Ne vous estimez pas tant" is similar to something Canada's Glengarry Bhoys would produce. The military-esque "La mort du colonel", the anthemic classical-standard "Il me faut un mari", Andalusian-inspired "Cabane a Zouk", and the groovy "Le Pere Bacchus" cement Mauvais Sort's uncanny ability to produce music with different elements and sounds without sacrificing quality. Droit Devant does not deviate too far away from Canada's fiddling traditions, but it is still a contemporary effort. A happy mix of foot-stomping, head-bobbing music to thrill the soul. ~ Matthew Forss

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