MilleFeuille translation
by Ann Cooper

At a time when all the world's blogs prophesize about who will follow Arcade Fire to be the next to win the "Hype de l'annee 2005" trophy (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah seems to have a small lead, according to an Ipsos-Sofres-Pitchfork poll), there are still groups worthy of interest outside the ever powerful promotional circuit who don't grace the "ideas/gifts/culture" pages of the special Christmas edition of Telerama.

Peter and the Wolf certainly won't make the covers of the back-to-school Inrocks, but god knows this duo from Austin, Texas deserves a little attention on this side of the Atlantic. This first eponymous album, released on Whiskey and Apples, is close to being the ideal album to accompany cotonny, muffled musings in the shade.

In ten elegiac pieces, Red Hunter, a prolific songwritier who cut his teeth in all the redneck bars of the southern United States, accompanied on this album by the vocalist Dana Falconberry, distills his refreshing folk melodies with a disarming simplicity. Product of a new generation of artists who imagine themselves to be wandering hobos - (Dear Old Robyn) - the spiritual grandson of Woody Guthrie, both free and detached, Peter and the Wolf gives us a sincere and human album. Recorded with edgy techniques (an old guitar always helps), each piece, veiled by the characteristic whisper of a dilapidated four track sounds true and whole. Red Hunter has the deep voice of a young Leonard Cohen, his companion Dana harmonises in mysterious encircling wreaths: the two voices listen, embrace, and respond to each other magically.

The album is overflowing with luminous hymnes rarely longer than two minutes (How I Wish, The Apple Tree). This is the source of the feeling of frustration when the voices of this duo subtlely disappear on the final track, What Happened Up There. What just happened? One way of answering this question: push the repeat button again and again. Heavily recommended.

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