L'Ensemble Rayé - Même en Hiver/Comme un Pinson Dans L'Eau

With their ukuleles, accordions, and clarinets, the quirky little instrumental tunes on L'Ensemble Rayé's first disc certainly have a sizable share of lightheartedness and whimsy, but there's also the occasional sense that the proceedings are about to become unhinged. Something is a bit skewed when, for example, Jean-20 Huguenin plucks his folky guitars over the steady pulse but uncertain pitch of something sounding rather like a cross between a fuzz bass and the muffled bark of a metallic dog on "Un Square au Printemps," or when Cedric Vuille's various multi-tracked and questionably tuned instruments (including the ever-popular "lucky ducky") on "Renouveau Horloger" give the impression that New York no waver Rhys Chatham, with his twisted sense of rhythm and harmonics, has taken charge of an Appalachian folk outfit. Read More