It’s pretty cool how electronic music has progressed, or perhaps ‘influenced’ is a better word. It seems like all the genres are now coming around and adding these tools to their arsenal, all the way down to classical, like Anoice, and folk, such as The Banjo Consorsium. The way the latter employs its electronic enhancement is mostly organic in nature, a way to have more control over the layers and arrangements of acoustic instruments. On first impression, I was reminded of the cut-up mixing of old Fridge releases, with songwriting like mixing the naturalism of Grizzly Bear with the electronica of Efterklang. But while comparisons may give you a general idea, they totally fail to capture The Banjo’s sound because it’s bristling with too many new ideas.
A Turning One follows the Quebec folktronic band’s 2005 release Le Debut, which was received fairly well by those who heard it, and has that sophomore release strength of knowing just what they want to accomplish. The sound is really clean and direct, intentional. The project is the brainchild of one man, known as 'Japh,' who writes and plays everything for the record. You have to hear the complexity of some of these songs to really appreciate how amazing that is – it sometimes sounds like 5 or 6 guys playing their fingers to the bone. Oh what a crazy age we live in.
Album-opener "Grinkler" forms a rhythm with some quick, almost glitchy loops of mandolin, bells and a weird, stompy kind of percussion – soon a slow cello grazes in on top while a wispy, flute wafts melodically through it all. Cymbals and electric guitars are brought in for very brief shifts in dynamics, and it's very carefully executed. I'ts a pretty nifty package that’s fun to bob along to, and the sound is totally their own. The next two tracks follow along somewhat similar lines and show off what fun he has blending all these arrangements and beats together so effortlessly.
It’s clear that The Banjo Consorsium is really a folk band at heart, but don’t let this turn you off, as it doesn’t fall victim to the weakness of a lot of folk music’s being all too plain and simple. The arrangements are richly intertwined, laced with warm and thoughtful subtleties and diverse in instrumentation. He uses a lot of acoustic stuff – guitars, cellos, mandolins, drums – plus now and then tossing in soulful vocals, accordion, claps, samples, flute and – wait for it – even a banjo! The instruments are all playing pretty simple phrases individually, but they all play off each other so well and cohesively that the cut-up mixing is maybe The Banjo’s strongest skill.
"Tuesday Cracker" has a rustic lo-fi charm to it, beginning with just the slow creak of a lonely old swing, soon joined by the sad ode of a solo accordion, which is so smooth and lush that it’s really a shame how it’s ignored by most other artists. The track later picks up with a totally happenin’ banjo crescendo that gets me all excited for a crazy folk frenzy, then right at the peak it breaks into a quick synth dance beat. A bit disappointing, I have to say, the sound of it is pretty blank of texture and it’s a clash with the earthy old rustic vibe I dig about the rest of the track. This is a weakness I found with the album in a couple other areas actually – Japh sometimes goes a little overboard with the electro beats. Other times it blends almost seamlessly though, (‘Une Soiree Kebekoise’ is a fun, uptempo track that seriously had me dancing all around the house – and I got caught) and I have to respect experimenting with such radically separated genres.
As A Turning One spins toward the close, The Banjo Consorsium really start cooking the tracks up with love. "Burning Feet" has a simple, genuine feel, made up of a hand-clapped rhythm, acoustic guitar and the trademark banjo playing lead, and he sings about how much he cares about everyone and everything. And goddamnit…he means it. And to end is, I’ll just say, the delicately crafted and perfectly-titled "My Sugar Melted" (but psst.. there’s a secret track too). A Turning One is like a neo-medieval festival, and it’s wonderfully engrossing.
-Greg Vipond