With last year’s “nature morte,” BIG|BRAVE reached a peak. Drummer Tasy Hudson drove Robin Wattie and Mathieu Ball with what felt like two beats per minute. Ball let his guitar drone around, while Wattie joined in, delivering wonderfully fragile vocals. Powerful masterpieces were born.
Spring brings everything anew: “A Chaos Of Flowers” (Thrill Jockey) takes the famous next step. The Canadian trio introduces new elements, such as guests Tashi Dorji and Marisa Anderson on guitar, or Patrick Shiroishi with his saxophone. The sound becomes more layered but also more airy. No longer as melancholic, more accessible, yet also more experimental.
Hudson does not pound on her equipment; she caresses it. The guitar drone crackles, no longer so relentlessly sharp. Wattie enchants as ever. At least that remains constant.
Gone are the epic ten-minute tracks. In short, poetic songs, the focus is on coexisting with nature, which is portrayed here as rather peaceful.
“not speaking of the ways” starts with brutality, which then transitions into a more mystical tone. “chanson pour mon ombre” introduces the acoustic guitar, something we hadn’t heard before.
BIG|BRAVE remains a band that demands attention. This new openness may sound unfamiliar at first, but it develops an immense allure. By the shimmering “theft,” they have definitively won us over.
BIG|BRAVE – A Chaos Of Flowers: Always a pleasure. – RIFL
