Album Reviews

Feufollet – Two Universes

Artist:     Feufollet

Album:     Two Universes

Label:     Feufollet Records

Release Date:     03/24/2015

80

Score has been determined by editorial staff

Feufollet–translated from the French word for crazy fire, or will-o-the wisp, the mysterious fire seen in the swamps–is stretching out the two roots of this eclectic band.  The group’s newest release is perfectly named; they sing in both French and English, and the music is derivative of both cultures. At times, the genres fuse to become one in a mélange of Cajun, honky-tonk, classic country, rock and probably something that was missed in the uniqueness of the blending of styles, truly deserving the title of Americana (remember the huge melting pot of influences that makes up American music).

The band has been remodeled from the original lineup and now boasts a dual songwriter conglomerate. Chris Stafford–band leader, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist–collaborates with singer/songwriter Kelli Jones-Savoy for a tremendously polished sound. This new lineup gives them far more flexibility to stretch the music to new dimensions. For an example, listen to “Cette Fois,” which features fantastic honky-tonk guitar and piano. Jones-Savoy’s songs in French are excellent and sound entirely authentic.

This is a big step forward for a band that was originally pigeonholed as a Zydeco/Cajun band, and now the doors are finally open to expand the music in their repertoire.  It is a melodic expansion of their music into new and unexplored territories.

– Bob Gottlieb

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