Chanson Du Jour 11/9/2016: “Vas-tu Freiner” by Nevche

“Vas-tu freiner?” by Nevche, is a haunting French chanson that serves as effective antidote to post-Arcade Fire noise (Monsters and Men, Lumineers, The Lone Bellow …Bellowing Monsters, The Lone Lumineer, etc.)

Is there a barefoot accordionist prancing about Nevche as he sings? No – but there is a very cool sounding Senegalese fiddle called a riti.

The track is from 2015 Retroviseur album which was recorded in Dakar, Marseille, Paris and Réunion Island.  Nevche (formerly known as Frédéric Nevchehirlian) makes music that is moody and magical – a sound that would fit in a Sergio Leone’ spaghetti western where the barefoot accordion player gets killed by a stray bullet fired by hombre Lee Van Cleef. (The shooting was unintentional, as the bullet was meant for the banjo player. Not the main banjo player, the additional one who doubles on timpani.)