Montreal’s harp-wielding singer-songwriter Éveline Grégoire-Rousseau, better known as ÉVELINE, is gearing up to unleash her second solo album, Après la tempête (After the Storm), on February 16th. Brace yourself for a post-rock odyssey tinged with jazz, where thunderous drums collide with the harp’s celestial chime and Éveline’s voice navigates the murky waters between shadow and light.
This isn’t some saccharine post-storm serenity, mind you. Après la tempête is a record born from the wreckage, swimming in chaos yet pulsating with an undercurrent of defiant hope. Think the aftermath of a hurricane, not as a picture of devastation, but as a potent brew of rawness and renewal.
François Jalbert (guitars, co-production) provides the rock backbone, while Rémi-Jean Leblanc (bass) and Sam Joly (drums) lay down a groove that’s both earthy and ethereal. Jérôme Beaulieu adds a touch of keyboard magic, and Erika Angel, Myëlle, Madeleine Messier, Chantal Bergeron, Ligia Paquin, and Sheila Hannigan weave a lush tapestry of strings, courtesy of Philippe Brault’s arrangements. Even Stanley Péan lends his pen to “Superheroine” and “Your Old T-Shirt,” adding another layer of depth to the emotional tapestry.
But it’s Éveline who truly steers the ship. Her classically trained harp isn’t your grandma’s parlour instrument. Here, it’s a weapon of mass melody, weaving intricate riffs and shimmering washes of sound that counterpoint the raw power of the rhythm section. And then there’s her voice, clear and emotive, carrying the weight of experience and the promise of something brighter on the horizon.
Éveline is no stranger to musical diversity. A classically trained harpist with a restless spirit, she’s traversed the worlds of pop, jazz, and even film and theatre soundtracks, sharing the stage with the likes of The Barr Brothers, Pierre Lapointe, and Elisapie. This genre-hopping has instilled in her a unique sonic fingerprint, evident in the kaleidoscopic influences that shimmer through Après la tempête.
Calling it “art-pop” or “indie-classic” wouldn’t do it justice. Éveline’s universe is something altogether more unique, a tapestry woven from raw emotion, sonic experimentation, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of music.
Catch Éveline’s launch show at Verre Bouteille in Montreal on February 20th at 8 p.m.
Photo credit: Sarah Seené
Share this :
