Robert Connely Farr/Nora Toutain
Robert Connely Farr
Country Supper // Independent
On Country Supper, Robert Connely Farr displays his blues inheritance. Thanks to his mentor Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, Farr has received a stellar education in the Bentonia style of Delta Blues, and this sixteen song longplayer serves as his practicum. As a bonafide bluesman is wont to do, he reworks covers from his mentor, and other songwriters, and adds a hefty spoonful of his own blues tunes. The album features the usual suspects of blues subject matter, but tasteful instrumentation, dirty (in a good way) production, and Farr’s dyin’-in-a-ditch vocals make Country Supper especially satiating.
Farr and his band keep the instrumentation simple, and their restraint helps keep the soul of the songs intact. There’s a slyness to the creeping grooves, and the band leaves lots of space for the vocals. “Catfish” is one of the best examples of Farr’s brand of insidious blues. On it, the band builds tension and toys with the listener, and never concedes to self-indulgence. The dynamics also serve the set of songs well. On the closer, “I Know I’ve Been Changed” Farr’s voice starts things off and drums and bass join in for the second verse. Halfway through the song the guitar finally slides in and Farr steps away from the mic to let the guitar draw the focus for a little bit. The musicians treat these songs like conversations and they take turns speaking with grace. On “Water’s Rising” the harmonica is like a familiar friend who has dipped into the bar to pick up a growler and sees the band having a couple brews in the taproom. A musical chat takes place and the harmonica dips out. Luckily there aren’t any obnoxious drunkies who try to dominate the conversation. The musicians hang out in their haunted country blues wheelhouse for most of the album, but they flirt with acoustic folk rock à la Neil Young on “Lately,” and they pick up the pace on songs like “Girl in the Holler,” taking some tips from the freight train blues grooves of Tom Waits.
The blues is rooted in a bygone era, and it can be tough for contemporary blues musicians to borrow from its well-worn vocabulary without sounding disingenuous. That said, many of the classic blues themes are a timeless part of the human condition. Farr, who had a surprise bout with cancer in 2019 uses the blues to illustrate his experiences, and songs like “I Ain’t Dyin” provide a candid glimpse into his reality. These moments are important between songs about trains, whiskey, and the devil. Putting new skins on old blues phrases is part of the genre, but the most important thing is that the bleeding heart comes through too. Farr does a great job of making it sound like every song could be his last. He also sounds like he could be singing the songs from the gutter, from outside the liquor store or from the stage of your favourite dive bar. He lets the grit in, and often lets the notes get caught in the breeze rather than sticking the landing with vibrato. Robert Connely Farr’s voice is the most important aspect of the album, and it’s clear he was born to sing the blues.
Like a group of people in a plane that’s running out of fuel, Robert Connely Farr and his band have ditched everything that they don’t need and kept all the essential bits. Country Supper is proof that they made the right calls and have landed the plane. The musicians never get in each other’s way on these songs, and it never feels like anything is missing. There’s plenty of Ray Wylie Hubbard in Farr’s delivery, and a bit of Seasick Steve in the mix for good measure. However, being a few decades younger than these guys, it’s exciting to see what’s in store for Robert Connely Farr.
- Devon Dozlaw
Nora Toutain
Grounding Place, Vol. I // The Good People Records
Nora Toutain is a Montreal French-Moroccan R&B artist with a smooth and electrifying sound. She has recently released her debut album, Grounding Place, Vol. 1, on October 9, 2020. The six-track album was produced by Busty and the Bass member, Chris Vincent. She released the single off the album, “Women,” on July 24 th and got lots of recognition for it, including making it onto Moroccan national news.
Grounding Place, Vol. 1 is full of fun percussion, expressive vocals, and tasteful horn lines. She has a very full sound, with something interesting to listen to at each moment. The highlights from the album include pop ballad “Bad At Love,” a bilingual song called “Café Au Lait,” and her single-track “Women.”
“Bad At Love” is a catchy tune with a fun melody in the chorus. It seems to have a little hip-hop influence with her vocals and the beat used. With lots of soul in the chorus, this track makes for a great feeling song. About halfway through, horns make an appearance, but are careful not to take away from the rest of the instruments. The horns fill it out a little more and help build up the chorus before the song drops to the slow and quieter bridge. Ending strong, it picks up and is somewhat chaotic, but in a satisfying way. Almost describing a fallout or mishap that often comes with love.
“Café Au Lait” is definitely my favourite track off of this album. It’s super cool and features both English and Arabic lyrics, which also show off her impressive vocals. The song as a whole is super creative and differs a little from the rest of the album. Although I don’t understand the Arabic, her English lyrics talk about wanting to feel at home and having an identity of her own she can feel grounded to. The effects she uses throughout really add to the lyrics and vocals, giving them a frenzied feel, much like the identity she sings about.
“Women” is a track about honouring women and the beauty and power they hold. It has some fun organ and punchy guitar which makes it an upbeat track, getting your head bobbing. Celebrating all “women of the world”, her music video features multiple women dancing and doing their makeup.
I am really glad I was introduced to Toutain’s music and will definitely keep an eye out for upcoming releases. She has such a diverse, pure sound that shines through with each track. Including instrumentation with horns, organ, and even wind chimes, she never lacks a full sound. She is definitely an artist you should check out!
- Holly-Anne Gilroy
