Christine Melanson has branched off in a direction that feels pretty far from the jigs of her past releases. The Acadian singer-songwriter’s second full-length album, Cent millions d’années, is decidedly contemporary. Gone are the fiddle-filled instrumentals, and in their place are Melanson’s heartfelt lyrics and, for the first time, vocals to match.
Where Melanson’s last album, Constellations, was an instrumental piece with an abundance of fiddle and a strong Celtic influence, Cent millions d’années slows down the pace and puts a much stronger emphasis on emotions and lyrics. We may have been able to extract a sense of foreshadowing for this change in direction from the final track on Constellations, “Piano Set,” which was recorded live.
While the fiddle and violin are not entirely excluded from this release, soft-sung lyrics and gentle piano melodies take center stage, resulting in a much more subdued sound. This gives room for the track’s lyrics to breathe and for the emotions to make their presence known.
“Everything we did, we did to serve the song,” says Christine Melanson. “We created sound environments for some songs, but we did it without burying them. If a song needed space, we’d give it space.”
But not every track carries this soft energy. “Demain peut-être” and “Tu m’auras pu asteure” carry a Latin feel with guitar licks reminiscent of Santana, and “Le lac” brings back the energized fiddle and folk sound Melanson has so well acquainted herself with.
Being from Moncton, New Brunswick, Melanson also wrote all of her lyrics and song titles for this release in French. This allows both her expression and Acadian roots to shine through.
With the stripped-back sound pushing the emotions to the forefront, we see love as a recurring theme throughout the album. The release’s first single, “Cent millions d’années,” circles this topic by depicting two characters who find beauty in each other’s flaws. It showcases how love can be greater than beings and time itself.
Recorded live off the floor, Melanson’s Cent millions d’années showcases her wide range of musical ability and desire to musically explore the many sides of herself. After seeing her hop from jig to contemporary, we are interested in seeing what more she has up her sleeve.