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In a typically eccentric gesture, Canadian folkies Kate and
Anna McGarrigle -- who made two great records and a spotty one
for Warner Bros. in the Seventies -- have released a
delightful album of compositions sung in French. Three of the
eleven tracks have been heard before (one from each of the
Warner LPs). All boat the tunefulness, instant familiarity and
(judging from the characteristically whimsical liner notes)
intelligently emotional subject matter for which the
McGarrigles are known and loved. Fortunately, their usual
spicy folk instrumentation remains intact. the mournful
"A Boire" features a slow, churchy organ and
dulcimer-like mandolin plucking, while the jaunty, spinning
"En Filant Ma Quenouille" sports a violin, an
accordion, and a jangling banjo.
Unexpectedly, singing in French inspires the McGarrigles,
especially Anna, to new levels of passion. The author of
"Heart Like a Wheel" (which Linda Ronstadt made
famous), Anna has generally sung in a wistfully frail soprano.
But on French Record, particularly in "Mais Quand
Tu Danses" and "Excursion a Venise," she
reveals a large, gutsy, even guttural voice that's a pleasure
to discover. Kate shines brightest in the album's tenderest
tune, "Cheminant a la Ville," and both sisters have
a lot of fun with a rock & roll number, "La Belle
S'est Etourdie (You make Me Dizzy)."
Nearly all the songs, whether by Kate or Anna, are
collaborations with Canadian poet Philippe Tatartcheff. Most
are distinctive for their offhand imagery and dry wit. For
instance, one verse of "Entre Lajeunesse et La Sagesse
(Between Youth and Wisdom)" (the title of the Canadian
version of French Record, with Lajeunesse also a
reference to a Montreal thoroughfare) translates as
"Between Lajeunesse and wisdom/There's a subway
station/Two handy stores, a Mr. Fix-it/A billboard of Brigitte
Bardot."
Interestingly, the LP's strongest cut is "Complainte Pour
Ste. Catherine," which appeared on the McGarrigles' debut
album and once topped the charts in Holland. A prayer to the
patron saint of single women, this composition has an
irresistible melody that combines North Country folk music
with the stunted rhythms of reggae. It's given grand flavor by
the horns of George Bohanon, Kate's accordion and twin fiddles
of Jay Unger and Floyd Guilbeau. But what's really wonderful
is the contrast between the innocent accompaniment and the
curmudgeonly words. The final lines, not translated on the
lyric sheet, go something like: "And yes, I am a
Christian/Every Sunday I walk my dog."
It's good to have the mischievous McGarrigles back!
Rolling Stone, April 1981
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