Rosie Valland

I’ve got a soft-spot for Rosie Valland, an incredibly talented auteure-compositrice-interprète from – yes – Québec. I’ve already raved about her here and it is safe to say that her debut album “Partir avant” is one of two that I’ve been eagerly anticipating (you’ll have to wait just a little while longer for the other one…)

“Partir avant” is an album born out of break-up and heartache; of conversations that never took place. The nine songs on this stunning debut album are wrought with emotion. There’s an overwhelming air of melancholy – themes of distress and shattered dreams abound – the atmosphere is sombre; this is a dark journey that Rosie has undertaken. But it is also incredibly cathartic, there is hope and salvation. You know that Rosie has emerged stronger from this…

The album opens with the magnificent “Oublier”, a song that oozes sadness and painted with the same monochrome palette as her debut EP, the song vividly captures that moment the flames of love are extinguished.

“Noyer” and the album’s title track similarly touch on the aftermath of breaking-up, however the latter is noticeably more upbeat – driven by a hypnotic percussive beat and multi-tracked vocals, it’s arguably reflects on looking forward, rather than back – a topic revisited on the album’s closing track, “Finalement”, which not only offers closure but hints at revenge.

“Rebound”, “Quebec City” and “St-Denis” are all songs that caution love on the rebound. The former wrought with both regret and anger, highlighted by touches of brass that not only add an extra depth but also tension. Meanwhile “Quebec City” is claustrophobically dark, the grunginess amplifies the feeling of menace as it warns of stumbling out of one relationship into the outwardly inviting arms of another. “St-Denis” on the other-hand is more up-beat, lighter in texture and tone – almost summery – but you still get the feeling that Rosie longs to escape the city…

“Olympe” is perhaps the most obvious example of a radio-friendly pop-song; while the mood is still one tinged with emotion, the mood is lighter. The edginess in the voice has been replaced by a more soothing mellowness while synths and electric guitar help create a rich and easily recognisable pop-like sound. The soaring refrain and catchy hook suggest that Rosie Valland is more than capable of turning out intelligent adult-themed pop songs – if she so chooses. However, it is the utterly compelling “Nucléaire” that is my favourite song on the album. Haunting synths and reverbed guitar couple with arguably Rosie’s finest vocal performance, at one fragile, tinged with regret, yet at the same time forceful. Somehow a song about the Le fin du monde never sounded so serene…

“Partir avant” is one of the best albums to emerge from the Québec music scene this year and confirms Rosie Valland’s exceptional song-writing talents which she has married to her distinctive guitar style and oh-so compelling voice. Aficionados of the peerless Salomé Leclerc – with whom Rosie would appear to share a kindred spirit – would be wise to check out.