Feathership was a multi-headed Montreal project (their first EP generated a decent buzz in 2009) before becoming an essentially two-headed adventure (the other half was producer and multi-instrumentalist Vincent Blain), five years later, for the album Howl. This time around, singer-songwriter Jean-Philippe Sauvé single-handedly incubated Feathership’s latest progeny, entitled The West Side. That said, he still surrounded himself with a few people to deliver the new opus: Christian Sean handled the production and arrangements, Benjamin Courcy delivered the drums and percussion, while Francis Major (Charlotte Cardin) took care of the mixing and sound recording. Sauvé’s work can evoke that of Fleet Foxes, Calexico, and Andy Shauf – notably the sonic atmospheres on the title track. The song “Saviour” is exceptionally catchy, whereas “The West Side” is a little jewel imbued with the sensitivity and daydreams of the globetrotting ocean lover. As for “High Moon”, it has a little more oomph, just like “Sun Friend”, which has the most complex structure of the four songs in this general offering of quality folk-rock. Beautiful lyrics, pretty arrangements, and quasi-lyrical atmospheres that create a calm but lively universe.
