Chic Gamine

Canadian ensemble’s debut recording is eclectic and often funny

I sometimes get nervous when told that a group uses their voices as instruments. All of a sudden, I start thinking about a lion sleeping at night. But it’s still amazing to hear a quintet like Winnipeg- and Montreal-based Chic Gamine blend and meld their voices voices that you can, refreshingly, still tell apart. Gamine’s self-titled debut, comprised of 12 original tracks, was released independently in June 2008 and scooped the 2009 Juno for roots and traditional album.

I listened to Chic Gamine sitting at my computer trying to work. Bad idea. I was distracted by the often-funny lyrics of the songs, like, I really want to brush your hair, even on your fuzzy little feet.

(At least, I think that’s what they were saying.) Or really moving songs like Old Jerusalem, a piece that brings in a Gospel touch typical of roots music.

At times, Chic Gamine reminded me of the all-female African-American a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rocks. In the album’s second track, I Don’t Lie, I could hear the influence of R&B bad girl Amy Winehouse. The music demands your attention, partly, I think, because it’s unpredictable and combines so many different elements, honouring each style as well as the singers honour each other’s voices. This group can sing, and it can write. Their voices are rich, deep, smoky
and sultry, and they sound like they’re having a blast. This isn’t music to work to, though: it’s for sitting on the porch or dancing with your kid, which is a lot more fun anyway.

Karen Stiller is a writer in Port Perry, Ont.