Cabane – Grande Est La Maison
Cabane Records – 28 February 2020
There are no signposts leading to Cabane. Nothing prepares you. Even the famous (or semi-famous) names involved would not lead you to expect what you get with Grande Est La Maison. A collaborative effort using the vocals of Will Oldham (aka Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy) and Kate Stables (This Is The Kit), along with the arrangements of Sean O’ Hagan (The High Llamas), Belgian composer, photographer, and videographer Thomas Jean Henri has created one of this years most beautiful pieces of work.
While comparisons have been made to the music of Nick Drake (especially those songs arranged by Robert Kirby), the association does not even come close to fitting what is experienced in the thirty-five shimmering, stunningly original minutes of Grande Est La Maison. The string quartet and plucked guitar of tu ne joueras plus a l’amour doesn’t even hint at the sadness of the lyrics Will Oldham sings, “Home, it never looked forlorn at never being alone, for you dreamed that we would do like lovers always do. Here with sadness on the walls, some dreams are turning into blue for what we’ll never do.” The juxtaposition of music and lyrics is stunning, yet somehow fitting for beauty continues even within heartbreak.
Remarkably, there’s no fragility to the music. Kate Stables provides the perfect foil to Will Oldham, and her take on now winter comes turns the notion of a harsh winter on its head. Her softly emotive singing, along with the guitar and strings create a notion of winter easy to deal with, while the lyrics promise, “One day you’ll find another love.” Similarly, easily we’ll see rests on a series of questions from Stables, “How can you give so much love when you are so restrained? How can you give so much love and suddenly be contained?” Amidst the beauty of the music, there is a guitar chord that intentionally seems off, as if to say while there is beauty there is also pain.
As Henri notes, “When I hear Kate’s voice I hear the light, a sweet and positive emotion. When Will sings, I hear the darkness, the ghosts and the memories.” Kate ends up having the last word on until the summer comes. “We could go for a walk until the summer comes.” Strings and voices fill the in the blanks both melancholic and romantic.
This is music of uncommon grace and nuance. Never maudlin or overwrought with emotion, it is a gentle elixir. Under the guise of Cabane, Thomas Jean Henri has created a work that is never fragile, yet filled with beauty. Grande Est La Maison works its way into your heart and soul, like a rose. There are thorns, but without them would the flower be as beautiful?