The Très Bien Ensemble are a six-piece band from Toronto, comprised of Kirk Hudson, Matt James, John Jowett, Daniel ‘Paco’ Paquette, Greg Smith, and Yawd Sylvester. They do pop and ska-tinged psychedelia, to name just two genres. They are very good, as the name suggests.
‘Learning How To Learn How To Learn’, the opening track on new EP Keep On Keepin’ On, can be categorised as mid-70s theme tune, though take a closer look at the lyrics: sarcastic commentary on conformity or a straight-up admission that the basics are hard? “It would be healthy to eat today / …Learning how to learn how to learn / How to leave when you’re scared.” The beginning of ‘Field Guide’ features ‘Strawberry Fields’-like organ and, other than a comparatively heavy guitar interlude at the minute mark, the track has the ambience of a Serge Gainsbourg song – think of the grizzled chanteur wearily coaxing his lover dans La Jardins Du Luxembourg circa 1967.
‘The Landlord’ has the lowkey funk and lopsided narrative of a typical Eels track. “Well, parties are decent / They’re good for morale” – some of us prefer writing music reviews in bed, but each to their own. If Randy Newman assumed vocal duties for The Hold Steady, the product of this collaboration would surely be akin to ‘Cold Heart’ by The Très Bien Ensemble. For all the mentions of having a shivering cardiovascular system, the track has the understated defiance of a newsagent shooing away a loitering crowd.
The title track ‘Keep On Keepin’ On’ starts with a swirly space movie sound then in comes keyboard that seems to have been transplanted from the Belle and Sebastian recording studio. “So put your battle helmet on / The past is over, done and gone / …Just keep on keepin’ on” – this stoicism is supported by joyous flurries of brass, fluttering flute, glistening guitar, and “doo doo doo doo”s. It makes Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ seem as happy as ‘The Intense Humming of Evil’. It’s like Sesame Street doing self-help. The track is much, much better than that description.
Can a dance to The Très Bien Ensemble? Oui. Can a think of better puns? Peut-être. De toute façon, achetez Keep On Keepin’ On maintenant.
Keep On Keepin’ On is out now on Bandcamp
The Très Bien Ensemble: Bandcamp
Review by Neil Laurenson
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