Tom Brosseau’s Cavalier is without a doubt the most understated album I have listened to all year. Brosseau’s quavery, bordering-on-feminine voice is the primary instrument in play. He sings over his light acoustic guitar picking, and while some songs feature piano, percussion, slide guitar, organ or horns, it’s merely a hint of these additions that the listener is teased with. Produced by John Parish (PJ Harvey), Cavalier is more like a storybook than a record. The production is very homey (think sitting in a coffee house on open-mike night) and Brosseau’s lyrics are very narrative.

The folksiness of Cavalier gives the album a sort of throwback feel – back to when the world moved a little, or maybe a lot, slower. Take “Brass Ring Blues”, for example. The carousel is undoubtedly a metaphor, but the song nevertheless conjures up an image of a county fair, when they still had brass rings on carousels. The track also showcases just how effectively Brosseau uses his voice as an instrument. Listen carefully and you can hear it waver, bringing to mind a violinist producing vibrato. “My Peggy Dear” speaks to the woes of lost love and lonely train rides. Additionally, it is a prime example of Brosseau’s strong storytelling: “A gentle breeze moved through the evergreens as I made my way across the lawn/I turned around to look at you when I passed through the picket gate but when I turned around in the street you were gone“. That’s a considerable amount of imagery for two lines of a song.

The twangy and slightly eerie “Instructions To Meet The Devil” is exactly what the title implies. Very explicit instructions, in fact, right down to what to wear (a dark hooded sweatshirt, in case you were wondering). “I’m Traveling The River On The Dakota Queen” features some very tricky finger-picking and more lovely lyrics: “The wind has a way of making the thing sound like something more/The leaves could be rain the trees could be a rickety door/The tall grass could be all the lost prayers/I close my eyes, I’m in a place I’ve never seen/I’m traveling the river on the Dakota Queen“.

Hideous cover art notwithstanding, the biggest drawback of Cavalier is it’s understatedness. It takes concentration to appreciate the guitar playing, as it is often overshadowed by the vocals. And although Brosseau’s voice can undoubtedly be an acquired taste, fans of sparse old time folk music (ala Woody Guthrie) will certainly find repeated listens to be rewarding. Definitely not for those who like to sing along with their music, however.
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Links
Tom Brosseau [official site] [myspace] [buy it]