Yves Villeneuve: Press

The ‘dimly-lit confessions’ of ‘The Chorus Man’ has traces of the Screaming Trees, Joy Division

Yves Villeneuve/The Chorus Man


The Chorus Man is a pretty cheerful title for an album that honestly should only be played with the lights out. Yves Villeneuve has a deep, raspy, blues-tinged voice that is reminiscent of Mark Lanegan, former lead singer of the Screaming Trees. Like Lanegan, Villeneuve sings from the gut, his brooding baritone rooted in some inner pain. In Villeneuve, his angst may stem from unrequited love as the slow-boiling songs
“I’m Sleeping Single in Love” and “Will She Say Hello Again” reveal. “Won’t forget your lovely face,” aches Villeneuve on “I’m Sleeping Single in Love.”

The music doesn’t shift in tone or style much as Villeneuve is locked in a fuzz-drenched groove throughout much of the CD. The distorted rocker “See River Flow (North)” is reminiscent of R.E.M.’s grungy makeover on their mid-’90s Monster album. “A Dream I Had Last Night,” consciously or not, owes a debt to Joy Division’s sinister post-punk rhythms. As you can tell from these descriptions, The Chorus Man isn’t packed with laughs; however, if you’re in the mood for dimly-lit confessions, you won’t find much better right now in the indie scene.

‘The Chorus Man’ is ‘enigmatic, downbeat’ match of indie rock and blues

Yves Villeneuve/The Chorus Man

From the brief Jim Morrison-ish spoken-word intro to The Chorus Man, you can anticipate a more downbeat record, which is exactly what singer/songwriter Yves Villeneuve delivers here. With a husky, enigmatic voice recalling Michael Stipe of R.E.M.’s early days, Villeneuve prepares us for a snowy winter with a selection of moody, sometimes bitter tunes. The brooding psychedelia of “See River Flow (North)” reverberates with the ominous melodrama of Thin White Rope. “You treat me like dog dirt,” Villeneuve spits on “Down On Two Knees” as ragged riffs scrape the walls.

Sonically Villeneuve takes a mostly minimalist approach as his guitars and vocals push the songs forward; there’s plenty of repetition in the lyrics and notes as well. But the hooks do stick even though the venom and sense of despair might be overwhelming to some. This is not happy, pretty-boy stuff; Villeneuve walks on the same bleak corners as the Doors once did, tying together a bracing match of blues and indie rock.

Rating: 8 stars

One could swear that Yves Villeneuve (http://www.yvesvilleneuve.com) is from Seattle. The brittle, rain-soaked rock he is fixated on in "The Chorus Man" has the Emerald City's fingerprints of misery and hopeless longing. Songs such as "I'm Sleeping Single in Love" and the slower, depressing "Will She Say Hello Again" ache with the pain of adult disappointments. Even when Villeneuve is writing about a lost love, the tone in his voice is introspective, icy. Villeneuve cuts close to the outer boundaries of Goth rock without the glammy effects.

"A Dream I Had Last Night" is a nightmarish, hypnotic headbanger; it snarls like a rabid dog in a darkened alley. On "Insane Rumors," Villeneuve seems to break away from the inner turmoil and lashes out instead, pummeling the listener with catchy, metallic guitars. The wonderfully titled "He Is the Baddest Friend In Town" resurrects the glory days of grunge with its dirty, distorted riffs.

Villeneuve's vocals stay the same throughout, heavy with the weight of break-ups and other issues on his shoulders. He is a compelling singer, one that I will continue to monitor for future greatness.

Yves Villeneuve’s ‘The Chorus Man’ journeys inward with mesmerizing results

Singer/songwriter Yves Villeneuve’s The Chorus Man is a journey inward, taking you inside the deeper recesses of the soul, unafraid to peer into and expose the network of emotional anguish within. I do not want to focus too much on the melancholy nature of The Chorus Man; however, a couple of tracks reveal their sadness so openly that it is easy to peg Villeneuve as an angst-ridden storyteller in the vein of Mark Lanegan of the Screaming Trees (their voices are similar) or Mark Eitzel (without the poetic metaphors).

“I’m Sleeping Single in Love” and “Will She Say Hello Again” are monuments to post-Valentine’s Day dejection. Villeneuve’s bleak delivery offers no irony nor cathartic relief; they are honest explorations of busted relationships. For the less lyrically inclined, Villeneuve’s stark, fuzz-toned guitar playing should be mesmerizing enough, quite addictive on “Insane Rumors” and “See River Flow (North).”