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Thursday, December 12, 2013

REVIEW - BODH'AKTAN "Tant qu'il restera du rhum" (2013)

Bodh'aktan "Tant qu'il restera du rhum" Go Musique Cat no. GOCD1305
Release date: 19 November 2013
Running time: 52:54, 13 tracks + 2 bonus tracks


Do you remember Bodh’aktan? Their debut album was no. 4 at our list last year. It was a kick-ass album whose English version has been recently released. But this is not their sole release in 2013, since they have just  issued their second album in French, “Tant qu’il restera du rhum”.

The best words to describe the album are happy and fun. Happy, because happiness is what the fans will feel when they listen to this album. And fun, because that’s what these Quebecer guys offer. They do really enjoy life and music.

Bodh’aktan’s musical approach, that merges La Bottine Souriante and Dropkick Murphys,  is stronger than ever. The line-up has been increased from six to seven musicians with the addition of Luc Bourgeois (guitars, bagpipes, mandolin, whistle, bouzouki and vocals) and lyrics and/or music are written by almost all of the band members.

Regarding the songs, there is one French drinking/shanty song (“Le 31 du mois d’Août”), one Matmatah cover ("Lambé An Dro”), a set of tunes ( “Down the Brooms a.ka.  Le Set de Balais”, traditional + Jonathan Moorman’s) and a lot of self-penned songs. The list of guests is quite interesting too: Alan Doyle (Great Big Sea) on “Dansez/ Dance Hey!”,Tristan Nihouarn (Matmatah) on “Lambé An Dro”, Yves Lambert (La Bottine Souriante former frontman) on “Trash Tombola” and Choeur Marine on “Le 31 du mois d’Août”.

The opening track is titled “La bouteille est agréable”. It’s a drinking song featuring pipes and fiddle. The perfect example of their blend of traditional Quebecer music and standard Celtic punk/rock.

The next number, “Dancez/Dance Hey!” is a celebration of their Quebecer and Canadian identity. Lyrics are half in English, half in French. A catchy song with amazing fiddle and tin whistle.

“Les fantômes de l’écoutille” it’s a song about a tavern in a harbor where the punters are the  ghosts of old sailors. The song has a French twist thanks to the accordion.

Track no. 4 is titled “La Démone”. It’s a Soldat Louis infused number about an unrequited love.

The following track is one of the standouts. A passage is inspired by  the “Keel Row” strathspey, a tune that every punk rock fan will recognize, as it can be heard on Toy Dolls “The Ashbrooke Launderette” song. The lyrics are modern folk. I mean, the topic seems to be traditional, but I cannot imagine the same end in the XVIIIth century.

No rest for the damned. Track no. 5 is Breton (folk) rock at its best: Bodh’aktan’s rendition of Matmatah’s classic song “Lambé An Dro”. Awesome!

The lads keep on sailing on French waters, since “Salut les disparus” has a French rock flavour too.

“Le 31 du mois d’Août” is another brilliant number. It’s a shanty/drinking song about a French corsair that captured an English frigate. The arrangements are top-notch. If you loved the instrumental sets on the last Mahones album, you’ll love the fiddle and whistle part near the end of the song (in fact, Jonathan Moorman played fiddle on “Angels & Devils”)

And the biggest punk number on the album is reached: “La Racaille”. Great backing vocals, accordion, bass and a fiddle that makes me think of Johnny Cunningham on DKM “The Gang’s All Here”. Lyrics deal with the real power in the world: the banking families, and the sound blends SoCal punk and keupon bands such as Parabellum.

And after a serious topic, the guys deliver a party song: “Hoompa Hoompa Yeah”, a polka song which is fun, fun and more fun.

Their next move is “Trash Tombola”, a song with a gypsy sound about a haunting fiddler. Beware of fiddlers!!!!

The last numbers are “Le Set de Balais” and “La Finale”. The former is a top-notch set of tunes in the Ashley MacIsaac “Devil in the Kitchen” vein and the latter is a slow song. There is a hidden track, a sort of a joke titled “ Le Craw’s”.

Fortunately, the album is not over, since there are a couple of bonus tracks. “La valse d’hier” is the perfect Christmas song and “Au pays des géants” gets a traditional Quebecer treatment.

La Belle Province (Quebec) has a burgeoning Celtic punk/rock scene: Farler’s Fury, Irish Moutarde, Drunken Dogs, The Maggoty Brats … All of them are fantastic bands. However, if you want to enjoy the real Quebecer roots, then your choice should be Bodh’aktan. Bodh’aktan “Tant qu’il restera du rhum” is the best Christmas present for any Celtic punk/rock fan. My advice: buy it now. If you cannot speak French, you can always buy the English version of their debut album.  But if I were you, I would pick up this one too.

Tracklist:

01. La Bouteille est agréable 3:30
02. Dansez (Dance Hey!) 2:15    
03. Les Fantômes de L'Écoutille 4:49    
04. La Démone 3:09    
05. La sainte-nitouche 2:40
06. Lambé An Dro 3:27    
07. Salut les Disparus! 4:02    
08. Le 31 du mois d'Août 4:22    
09. La Racaille 3:47    
10. Hoompa Hoompa Yeah! 2:13    
11. Trash Tombola 4:32    
12. Le set de balais (Down the Brooms) 2:39    
13. La finale 4:36
14. Bonus track: La vals d'hier 3:52
15. Bonus track: Au pays des géants 3:03


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Review by Kinksmarkham



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