Les Chanterelles release debut EP

After spending the past few years performing sold out shows to folk friendly audiences in their hometown of Fredericton, Les Chanterelles make their recording debut with a three song, self-titled EP.

Matt Carter

It’s turning out to be an incredible year for Fredericton music. With new releases from Marian and The Hypochondriacs having just arrived and new albums from Motherhood and The Tortoise, The Hare and The Millionaire and others on the way, it almost feels like things couldn’t get any better. But wait. They can. And they just have.

After spending the past couple of years cultivating a dedicated fanbase and selling out shows here at home without ever releasing any music of their own, Fredericton folk trio Les Chanterelles have finally made things official with the release of their self-titled debut EP.

Fitting somewhere within the canon of contemporary Canadian folk acts like The Good Lovelies, The Be Good Tanyas and The Wailin’ Jennys, while channeling the timeless comfort of artists like Kate and Anna McGarrigle and Sylvia Tyson, Les Chanterelles create an essential connection between the voices of the past and the here and now. A little something old, something new, if you will.

The group consists of singers Sylvia Reentovich, Juanita Bourque and Justine Everett, three women who have been helping keep Fredericton folk and country music audiences appeased over past several years as members of Sissy and the Hobos (Reentovich and Bourque) and The Hypochondriacs (Everett). Never swaying from their love of folk music, story songs and the human connection that comes from performing to a true listening audience, Reentovich, Bourque and Everett have come to occupy a place all their own within the province’s ever-expanding musical identity. Their songs are sweet, subtle and reflect our experience as friends, families, and communities collectively navigating life’s hurdles and simple pleasures.

Prior to releasing their debut, Les Chanterelles were guests of the East Coast Music Hour on CBC Radio, contributing their song New Beginnings to the show’s The Story and the Song series alongside a broad range of Atlantic Canadian musicians including P.E.I.’s Vince the Messenger, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Eastern Owl, Halifax-based reggae musician Jah’Mila, and several others.

&lt;a href=”https://leschanterelles.bandcamp.com/album/les-chanterelles”&gt;Les Chanterelles by Les Chanterelles&lt;/a&gt;

Their debut finds New Beginnings placed between two previously unreleased songs, Static and Cheap Perfume. Backed by a host of friends and collaborators, each of these three songs find Reentovich, Bourque and Everett weaving between lead and backing vocal lines adding impeccable warmth and intimacy to lyrics rich in imagery and harmony.

Accompanying Les Chanterelles on this release are Krista Touesnard (fiddle), Aaron Bravener (drums), Tim Everett (rhythm/lead guitar) and brothers Shane (lead guitar) and Jamie Guitar (bass). The songs were recorded, mixed and mastered at Shiftwork Studio by Dylan Ward.