Review - Belleisle Longstanding

Belleisle is a young group of old souls who jumped into recording to catch these sounds as they are coming together all early, earnest and yearning in the band-becoming-band process. Tasha Cyr’s voice is particularly delicate, charming, soo soul sad and careful, thoughtful, dropping soft things in her phrasing. (Tasha is recording with the Darling Demaes now, which is really exciting.) When Cyr and Rebecca Silverberg (who is also co-founder of their label, Ships at Night) harmonize dearly over thunderous guitars or solo trumpet, with the trumpet crying in that way that can make trumpets sound like the hollow wells of the worlds long longing, well. It’s just fine. Some tracks are stronger, both vocally and lyrically, then others (Track 1, 4 and 13 I relisten to a lot) but the label diligently pursues a feeling of incredibly high quality handmade, family and commuity and all the love and sorrow and sarcasm in it. Even the packaging is beautiful, and a sound that’s haunting, layered and edged, music loving with streetsounding instrumentation (Plants and Animals, Orillia Opry, Percy Farm, Timber, Field Register) and if you like this sound and feeling then you’d like our neighborhood in Montreal very much, and you’ll like this album. And if you’re looking for a new music gift for a smart, folk rock-loving young woman this would be one I’d recommend. Check out the myspace here.