Austin – Despite its name, Americana music isn’t limited to the soundscapes and scenery surrounding amber waves of grain and purple mountains majesties. In fact, some of music’s most compelling country hybridizations come from beyond the border. Fans of Swedish folk groups First Aid Kit and The Tallest Man on Earth can attest to that. The genre only continues to spread. Maybe Marcus Mumford sparked the movement, or maybe music fans crave a reprieve from the autotuned hooks clutching radio airwaves. Either way, the desire for simple and sincere string bands keeps growing, and Canadian folk trio Les Hay Babies know how to deliver.
Les Hay Babies is comprised of Julie Aubé on banjo, Katrine Noël on ukulele, and Vivianne Roy on guitar. Beginning as solo artists, the three musicians started collaborating after meeting each other at the New Brunswick music competition “Accros de la Chanson.” Like Canada’s rollicking rodeos and dirt-kicking cowboys, their music rumbles with an earthy current of grumbling force.
Aubé plays in with a personalized banjo technique. Rarely using fingerpicks, she alternates between old-time frailing and bluegrass style fingerpicking. Like her banjo skills, her smoky, breathy vocals aren’t easy to replicate. When combined with Noël and Roy’s soothing harmonies, the chords take on a personality of their own. Katrine Noël’s bright ukulele accents provide a light and airy contrast to the pinging banjo, and Roy’s acoustic guitar accompaniment sounds as comforting as an autumn campfire.
Their songs alternate between English and French, and while their English songs bubble with catchy hooks and twangy banjo rolls, their musical personality soars when they sing in French. Whether or not you’re fluent in the language, you can’t miss their honest vulnerability in tracks such as “Chu pas une femme a marier” or “Obsedee.” There’s something about the French language’s natural resonance that complements the dark, sliding accompaniment so beautifully. It’s a sound that will tickle eardrums and continually pique a listener’s interest. These songs require focused attention and can’t be absorbed passively.
Their songs in English have a rougher quality to them and are ideal for easy listening around campfires or music festivals. Even through their vivid imagery of dusty landscapes and picturesque lifestyles, Les Hay Babies shy away from trite and overused cliches.
Though no future American tour dates line the docket for them yet, they will be traveling through Canada until November. Their live performances pulse with quirky energy and centered focus. At one moment they’ll bounce to a cover of Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets” and in another they’ll introspectively croon to a lonesome melody of the whispering breeze.
No matter where they perform or what musical influences seep through their sound, Les Hay Babies always create music that’s unique and authentic to their background. Let Les Hay Babies push the boundaries of what you thought you knew about Americana.
More information about Les Hay Babies, their latest album and tour dates can be found here.
Elisa Regulski
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