There’s an artist from my teenage years that came to mind while listening to EJ Ouellette’s new album “The Fiddle Funnel Sessions”. I still can’t remember exactly who it was, but that little connection gave me a nostalgic journey through this album. And honestly, I’m happy EJ landed on my radar.
This is one of the things I love about blogging. You can discover new gems all the time, and today I found one that was a real pleasure to spend time with. EJ has a fiddle in his hands and knows exactly how to make it move. There were moments when I could easily imagine this music playing while people are dancing somewhere, just enjoying themselves.
This record doesn’t need any kind of vocals. It is mainly about the instruments and they carry the whole thing. The fiddle leads the way, while the guitars, mandolin, banjo, piano and other traditional instruments give each track its unique place. The production and mixing are excellent here. I really like how everything sounds clear without taking away the raw side of the instrumentation.
I listened to all 9 tracks without picking a favourite one, and I’m glad I did. The album works better for me as one complete journey. There’s a good energy running through and I enjoyed staying with it from start to end. It’s a lovely discovery and I’ll be keeping an eye on what he does next.
