Gabrielle Papillon

Three years into her music career, Corey Gulkin had never played at a venue like this before: there was no formal stage, no mic.

And the ground was moving.

Gulkin was on a train, singing as part of Via Rail’s On-Board Musician program. The company gives artists complementary or reduced fare in exchange for performing en route to their destination.

The idea came about when Halifax-based indie/jazz band Gypsophilia decided to pull out their instruments and entertain fellow passengers while travelling on Via Rail.

“The response was overwhelming,” said Steve Del Bosco, chief marketing and sales officer for Via Rail. “Many passengers commented on how the live music added to their experience.”

So in 2009, Via Rail decided to officially start hosting musicians on-board their long-haul trains — the ones that travel from Montreal to Halifax and Toronto to Vancouver. While there aren’t musicians on every trip, Via Rail has hosted more than 300 acts to date.

Some of the performers initially applied to the program so they could avoid paying hefty transportation costs. The savings could mean the difference between going on tour and making a name for themselves or getting stuck playing only local gigs.

“I was able to expand in a way that I would not have been able to do for a couple of years,” said Gulkin, a 26-year-old Montrealer, who has performed at venues in Halifax, Vancouver and Winnipeg with the support of the program. “Gas is expensive and you need a driver’s licence, which I don’t have.”

But once on board the train, Gulkin, whose stage name is Corinna Rose, said she came to appreciate the unique environment. Traversing the nation, for days on end and with space to walk around, encourages people to reach beyond their comfort zone and get to know each other.

“There’s more room to talk to people and ask them about their stories and have that intimate connection,” Gulkin said.

And sometimes those conversations turn into lasting friendships. Last spring, Gulkin was performing with another Montreal musician, Gabrielle Papillon, on a train ride from Vancouver to Toronto. In the audience was Johanna Nutter, a Montreal actress best known for her one-woman play, My Pregnant Brother. After speaking, the three ladies added each other on Facebook; Nutter made a point to attend Gulkin and Papillon’s shows on the train. Her favourite song? In the Pines.

“They were so wonderful,” Nutter said. “They had beautiful harmony.”

One day, Papillon even did an impromptu version of In the Pines, a traditional American folk song, with a Jewish mother twist.

“My girl, my girl, don’t you lie to me,” she sang to the tune of In the Pines. “Tell me where did you sleep, last night.”

Then Papillon put on an accent inspired by her Jewish roots. “What, you never call me! Why, where are you, why, I don’t know where you’re going!”

Fits of laughter erupted in the car, Nutter said. “It was really fun.”

Like In the Pines, much of the music Gulkin and Papillon performed were folk songs, which complemented the view from the train. Rolling along the prairies while listening to music written by Joni Mitchell or Gordon Lightfoot is enough to make even performers emotional. When the ladies played The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel, everyone in the train car sang along.

“I almost choked up,” Papillon said. “I was so moved.”


- The Montreal Gazette

Three years into her music career, Corey Gulkin had never played at a venue like this before: there was no formal stage, no mic.

And the ground was moving.

Gulkin was on a train, singing as part of Via Rail’s On-Board Musician program. The company gives artists complementary or reduced fare in exchange for performing en route to their destination.

The idea came about when Halifax-based indie/jazz band Gypsophilia decided to pull out their instruments and entertain fellow passengers while travelling on Via Rail.

“The response was overwhelming,” said Steve Del Bosco, chief marketing and sales officer for Via Rail. “Many passengers commented on how the live music added to their experience.”

So in 2009, Via Rail decided to officially start hosting musicians on-board their long-haul trains — the ones that travel from Montreal to Halifax and Toronto to Vancouver. While there aren’t musicians on every trip, Via Rail has hosted more than 300 acts to date.

Some of the performers initially applied to the program so they could avoid paying hefty transportation costs. The savings could mean the difference between going on tour and making a name for themselves or getting stuck playing only local gigs.

“I was able to expand in a way that I would not have been able to do for a couple of years,” said Gulkin, a 26-year-old Montrealer, who has performed at venues in Halifax, Vancouver and Winnipeg with the support of the program. “Gas is expensive and you need a driver’s licence, which I don’t have.”

But once on board the train, Gulkin, whose stage name is Corinna Rose, said she came to appreciate the unique environment. Traversing the nation, for days on end and with space to walk around, encourages people to reach beyond their comfort zone and get to know each other.

“There’s more room to talk to people and ask them about their stories and have that intimate connection,” Gulkin said.

And sometimes those conversations turn into lasting friendships. Last spring, Gulkin was performing with another Montreal musician, Gabrielle Papillon, on a train ride from Vancouver to Toronto. In the audience was Johanna Nutter, a Montreal actress best known for her one-woman play, My Pregnant Brother. After speaking, the three ladies added each other on Facebook; Nutter made a point to attend Gulkin and Papillon’s shows on the train. Her favourite song? In the Pines.

“They were so wonderful,” Nutter said. “They had beautiful harmony.”

One day, Papillon even did an impromptu version of In the Pines, a traditional American folk song, with a Jewish mother twist.

“My girl, my girl, don’t you lie to me,” she sang to the tune of In the Pines. “Tell me where did you sleep, last night.”

Then Papillon put on an accent inspired by her Jewish roots. “What, you never call me! Why, where are you, why, I don’t know where you’re going!”

Fits of laughter erupted in the car, Nutter said. “It was really fun.”

Like In the Pines, much of the music Gulkin and Papillon performed were folk songs, which complemented the view from the train. Rolling along the prairies while listening to music written by Joni Mitchell or Gordon Lightfoot is enough to make even performers emotional. When the ladies played The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel, everyone in the train car sang along.

“I almost choked up,” Papillon said. “I was so moved.”


- The Montreal Gazette

Folk
Gabrielle Papillon - Little Bug
Papillon's narrative lyrical approach lends to such a personal listening experience, drawing you into her astute perspectives. Driven mainly by acoustic guitar with varied textural instrumentation ranging from strings and brass arrangements to gentle percussion and complex harmonies, her music has a delicate yet driving quality with a Leonard Cohen-esque drawl to her vocalizations. The first track, "Go Into the night", wraps around you like a lovingly knitted mitten on a snowy winter's eve. - Velvet Rope Magazine

Fresh from the Halifax Pop Explosion and the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals, the singer/songwriter is on what seems to be a fiercely patriotic mission - to traverse Canada as many times as possible, by train by plane or by automobile, playing shows for lovers of her intimate style of folk.

Her latest album, Little Bug, moves from jazz-inflected whispers to shimmering brush strokes of pop and off-kilter lullabies. The line "Wait til' the lifeline pulls you in to me," from the beautifully hypnotic, "Go Into the night" summarizes the draw that her Montreal fans feel to her. - Midnight poutine

Can’t miss campus shows (Oct. 24th to 30th)
By Jessie Willms | October 24th, 2012 | 2:16 pm

Dan Mangan, Rural Alberta Advantage, Poor Young Things...

Here at U. Ottawa, classes are in recess for the fall semester break, but those stuck in classrooms elsewhere in Canada also have something to look forward to this week—besides midterms. Indie bands have fanned out across the nation. Here are five of the week’s best musical distractions:

1. Little more than a year after Oh Fortune, his third full-length release, Dan Mangan is back with a fresh EP, Radicals. The tireless troubadour heads back out on tour with Toronto’s The Rural Alberta Advantage, playing the University of Guelph’s Peter Clark Hall on Oct. 26. Ticket info is here. Act quickly—this is guaranteed to sell out.

2. Blues-rock five-piece July Talk play the The Gateway in Calgary on Oct. 26. Ticket info here.

3. Charlottetown’s Tim Chaisson is set to open for Toronto’s Poor Young Things at St. Francis Xavier University in the tiny town of Antigonish on Oct. 26.

4. The Deep Dark Woods, one of the Canada’s top alt-country acts, teams up with Zachary Lucky to kick of their western Canada tour at the University of Lethbridge on Oct. 26. Ticket info here.

5. Amelia Curran celebrates Spectator, her new album, with a hometown gig at The Spatz Theatre in Halifax. Opening for the singer-songwriter on Oct. 25 is PEI’s Gabrielle Papillon. Ticket info here.
- Maclean's Magazine

Written by Caitlin Campbell

Little Bug is the fourth and newest album from Gabrielle Papillon, a young singer/songwriter from Ottawa, ON. Filled with toe-tapping rhythm, sweeping ambience, and romantic ballads, this album is a treat to the ears on a sleepy relaxed evening.

Each song beautifully blends into the next as Papillon’s soft, low voice compliments her relaxed guitar. Although she’s not shy to fill her out her harmonies with a range of strings, pianos and drums.

It’s not a stretch to assume Papillon may have some French heritage, not solely because of her namesake but her music has a touch of an Acadian liveliness that you don’t find many other places. Not to mention the beautiful Francophone serenade “Coccinelle”.

Little Bug has melodies that ring through your head all day and leave you humming subconsciously. She manages to blend a folk/pop/rock fusion perfectly making her music accessible to a large audience. Delta blues fans will be happy to hear an a capella homage to Lead Belly with “In The Pines”. The title track about a weary traveller will keep you hitting replay for days and is a perfect example of how Papillon can take a simple tune and make it haunting and catchy. In “Oh My Favourite”, she creates something that’s both joyful and mourning at the same time, a skill that needs to be heard to be understood.

“Moonless Nights”, another favourite from the album is a sample of her more upbeat sound which I would love to see her expand on as she writes new material. In “Nights”, she gives us a quick taste of her amazing fingerwork on guitar. She’s obviously talented but humble in her songwriting. I look forward to a possibly bolder sound as I know she’s capable.

Gabrielle Papillon was in town for the Halifax Pop Explosion last week, playing an in-store at Taz Records on Oct. 18th, followed by shows at the Khyber (afternoon show) & The Company House with The Mighty Oak on Oct 20th.

Little Bug launched in Halifax on the 25th, where she shared the stage with Amelia Curran at their joint album release show at the Spatz Theatre.

http://www.gabriellepapillon.com/ - Noisography

The folk singer-songwriter from the heart of Quebec has been developing her style for the past decade, but is finally becoming grounded and spreading her wings simultaneously.

Out with her most recent album in September Little Bug she now has something to truly call her own.

After a short hiatus from music to better herself with a university education in history and classic literature, she is back stronger than ever and fully focused on her forte – music.

“I don’t do it purely for myself. If my music doesn’t do something for someone, then I’m not doing something right.”

Her eclectic toe tapping mixture of acoustic ballads and serenades combined with her introspective metaphorical lyrics not only give insight into the eyes of an everyday woman evolving, but also gives the audience full lucidity into her world with lyrics purely relative to the listeners perspective.

“There’s two great things about being a musician, there’s writing the song which is amazing. But then there’s the moment when someone tells you that your music moved them in some way.”

Although she does write from the heart and experiences, her lyrical content is more poetic than it is anecdotal.

“I wish I was one of those artists that something happens and I want to write a song about it, but I draw inspiration from life as it comes.”

In recent months, she has been touring relentlessly, taking Canada from coast to coast by storm with strings and things that make the heart sing.

When she’s not on the road touring and traveling, she’s spending most of her time between New Glasgow, N.S. where her family is, and Montreal, where her music began and is based. 300 or so shows over the last few years of touring has left her feeling somewhat nomadic without a place to call home, so she made Nova Scotia her permanent residency, at home with her parents.

“It’s been about being transient for the last few years, never really resting. As a touring artist you have to have the urge and will to move around a lot, going places.”

As she bluntly puts it, if she isn’t touring, she’s not making money to support her craft. It’s about more than money for her, it’s about transformation and constant evolution. As an artist, she feels strongly about consistent change and moving forward, and different shows and bigger venues are what do it for her.

It seems too transparent to not be noticed, but her surname, which is French, translates to “butterfly” in English, and her composing follows suit to the life of one – something she says she never heeded much to.

“I haven’t thought about the life of the butterfly too much in terms of myself, that’s a cool question, but subliminally for sure it ties in.” she said when asked about the relation to her bug metaphors in the album.

Her album release and tour kicked off with a stop here in Toronto at the Rivoli Sept. 30, with friends and family, before she heads off to conquer coast to coast.

“It was wonderful to have a gang of really good friends (and one sibling) up on stage with me. They are a pretty amazing group and I’m so lucky to have them in my corner.”

Story by Devin Size - Martyr Magazine

East Coast Music with Bob Mersereau

Music Review: Gabrielle Papillon - Little Bug
Wed, Sep 26, 2012.

Nova Scotia's Papillon gets her first big-time production, courtesy of Daniel Ledwell (Jenn Grant, In-Flight Safety), and wow, what a big leap. Fans of her previous album will recognize a couple of songs, and there's a huge difference with the sonics and studio craft. But you can't just do this with anyone, and Papillon is one of the most interesting writers and singers to come along of late.


She's a wordsmith alright, nothing too verbose, but able to string unexpected words and phrases, and look at a scene from a completely different view than the norm. Lead track Go Into The Night features a loved one leaving, but only for a short time, a planned trip from which they will return. There are nautical images, and quite simply, words you just don't hear in most people's songs: "get off your perch", and "burrow down". I'm already captured and captivated, and we've just started our little 45-minute journey.

Ledwell lets her add a lot more colours to what are mostly calm and gentle folk songs. The difference in Turn Left, one of the re-recorded numbers, isn't in volume, but in the way new instruments, programmed sounds and even claps get added. Strings swirl around the vocals, and Jenn Grant swirls around Papillon in a close vocal dance. It's the most complex production on the album, but it's all in the subtlety. It's a lesson on how to build acoustic guitar songs into sounds that are new and exciting.

Another great line, from the title cut: "I haven't been this way for many years/I hold you to no promise, no arrears." Just pointing that one out. And where does such a charming image come from? Describing herself as a little bug, a little tug, "pulling at your heart strings". Whether it's a character, or the way she sees herself, again, this is a new metaphor to my ears, at least in your basic popular song.

There are several highlights, including a beautiful a capella song in French, Papillon's first on disc, with sweet harmonies and small hand claps the only add-ons. Moonless Night grabs a banjo and a pony-riding beat, and makes out like a Western tale, her Ghost Riders In The Sky for lovers. The lone cover is a quite different version of In The Pines, all ancient, off-kilter harmonies, and a stomp-clap beat added to give it the proper chain gang rhythm. Finally, there's a wonderful piece of whimsy to end the disc, I Am Sold. It's the fastest tune here, a mix of Andrews Sisters and that Western thing again, happy as all get out, with bells and kazoo sounds and a clip-clop beat. Our little trip with a little bug ends with a big smile. - CBC New Brunswick, East Coast Music

By Anthony Marcusa

Her most ambitious and mature endeavor, indie folk songstress Gabrielle Papillon has joined new, catchy songs with refined and refashioned pieces from her youth for her fourth album, the genuine and charming Little Bug.

Papillon has a wonderfully strange ability to combine heartfelt yet often eerie storytelling with a vulnerable yet confident voice. Her songs are fraught with emotion, but they are not these hard-and-fast feelings, they are not simple, and they may not necessarily be right. She sings of the uncertain future, about getting lost in ‘Go into the Night,’ about escaping off to nowhere in particular in ‘Concrete of the City,’ and about what could have been in the haunting, “Judas on His Knees.”

And in that, Papillon is a most thoughtful singer and songwriter, and a challenging one, too. She is not loud, not aggressive, not confrontational - no; instead she accepts and embraces the unknown. ‘Turn Left,’ one of her select earlier works that has been altered and upgraded here begins and often returns with the words, ‘I don’t know,’ something many people, not just artists, have a tough time saying with earnest.

Of course, she adds in the song, that since it is only me and you, ‘it doesn’t bother me.’

Ultimately it is comforting to listen to a piece of work that is not simply reactive to a transient instance or emotion. “You pull me in two,” she sings on the second song, ‘Oh My Favourite,’ another beautiful piece lined with love and acceptance.

There too is diversity, as Papillon flexes her bilingual skills, singing a’appella in French on ‘Coccinelle,’ while with the chilling ‘In the Pines,’ Papillon and company sing as one, joined only by a lone, steady, and powerful drum beat.

In the serious though, there is also levity. ‘I Am Sold’ another beautifully renovated song (formerly ‘Wedding Song,’ so there is some dark humour in it to be sure), is upbeat, catchy, and will be sung with a smile despite some possibly pessimistic undertones.

Perhaps the most fun track, however, is ‘Moonless Night,’ which picks up where ‘Outlaws and Criminals left off on her previous album. Fast-paced and mysterious, and silly provided she isn’t singing from experience, Papillon enjoys taking her audience on the lam with her across the prairies.

It is an album that offers a lot, and despite her insistence that she is ‘just a little bug, no one even knows me’ on the titular track, Papillon’s brilliant, layered, and enchanting release looks to make her far more known, even if she continues on the run.
- Lithium Magazine

Bring on the folk! That was my first thought when listening to Montreal/New Glasgow singer-songwriter Gabrielle Papillon’s new album Little Bug. The songs on this album have a very timeless feel to them. In fact, I found myself adoring them in a way that I adore the songs of say, Gordon Lightfoot, or Neil Young, who wrote songs that you can hardly imagine had never existed. Tracks like “Concrete In The City” and “Judah On His Knees,” in particular, feel this way to me.

Papillon is building upon a great tradition of folk and singer-songwriters that we have in this great nation. Her soothing voice will cut valleys of emotion into the the solid bedrock that makes up your all-too-stoic heart. (I am not judging per se; just a tad concerned.) There is a definite bittersweet tone throughout the album, but it never gets overwhelming.

This album compels you to run toward and embrace your sadness, to own up to it. Soaking up this album is good for your health.

“Go Into The Night” is streaming above. Little Bug is available now. You can also see Gabrielle Papillon on tour, dates are below. - Earbuds and Ticket Stubs

By Spindle on September 23, 2012

People don’t read the morning newspaper, Marshall McLuhan once said; they slip into it like a warm bath.

Canadian folk chanteuse Gabrielle Papillion’s latest long player ‘Little Bug’ is a lot like this sentiment. You’ll hit play and before you know it her eleven sweet songs will have washed over you like a hazy summer’s evening. That’s not to say they don’t have impact- these subtle melodies find a way of lodging themselves in your head and making a home there.

This is Papillion’s fourth studio album and most accomplished to date. Taking her cues from folk giants like Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, The McGarrigle sisters and Bobby Dylan himself- Gabrielle’s dulcet tones are complimented by her delicate acoustic finger-picking which carries everything along at an easy, steady pace.

Highlights include the lilting ‘Oh My Favourite’- which would be the perfect accompaniment to a late night campfire, and an ode to escaping the concrete jungle on ‘Concrete of the City’. The album begins to pick up more momentum in the second half, there’s even a switch to electric guitar and although there are moments of melancholia, the lyrics never dwell.

The brooding ‘He Knows’ leads into Papillion’s standout cover of the old Leadbelly classic ‘In the Pines’ (made famous by Nirvana’s version). With its haunting wronged lover’s accusation ‘Where did you sleep last night?’- this cover leaves a lasting impression.

My personal highlight is the wistful ‘Coccinelle’; which means ladybug in French. The entire song is in French so I’m not quite sure what it’s about (care to Google translate, anyone?), but I do know that it sounds like an elegant French lullaby bursting with charm and subtly layered backing vocals bordering on the downright angelic. (Srsly like!)

There are hues of more modern folk heroes like Laura Marling, Cat Power, Irishman Fionn Reagan and fellow Canadian, Feist- still Papillion has carved out a gentle niche of her own. ‘Little Bug’ is an assured, simple and refreshingly stripped back album that will leave the listener with a sweet taste for more.

‘Little Bug’ is released September 25th – get it at www.gabriellepapillon.com

Words: Tia Clarke
- Spindle Magazine

Belle découverte folk qui vient meubler cette semaine grise et froide. Little Bug, le quatrième album de l’auteure-compositrice-interprète Gabrielle Papillon, accompagne ces jours qui s’empilent, entre deux brassées de cotons ouatés et deux tasses de café, qui s’évaporent dans la fraîcheur des matins d’automne.

Avant de plonger dans l’univers de la songwriter, elle affirme ses origines néo-écossaises et montréalaises; Little Bug a été enregistré dans la métropole québécoise et la réalisation fut confiée au musicien Haligonien Daniel Ledwell (Jenn Grant, In-Flight Safety).

Elle est charmante, Gabrielle Papillon. Son folk est sobre, les mélodies sont riches, mais les arrangements sont subtils. Les onze chansons de Little Bug se faufilent doucement dans l’univers créé par sa plume, ce qui offre une belle continuité aux pièces. Les textes sont en évolution constante, qu’importe le contexte, comme en témoigne la jolie introduction du disque, Go Into The Night, où elle tient solidement la rythmique unique des couplets avant de plonger dans un refrain sans paroles, mais éloquent.

Gabrielle Papillon fait preuve d’une belle maîtrise du folk contemporain. Deux chansons a cappella étonnent par leurs qualités vocales et musicales. La seule pièce francophone de Little Bug, Coccinelle, allie chanson française traditionnelle et berceuse, dans sa sublime construction vocale qui meuble le morceau et dans la manière d’approcher le texte (Coccinelle prends ton vent, avec l’abeille qui se promène tout le temps). Même constat avec la reprise de In The Pines, chanson traditionnelle américaine, où Gabrielle Papillon s’inspire du R&B, pour apporter son soul et son groove.

Little Bug manque parfois de consistance : le disque nous accroche dès le départ et nous transporte ailleurs, même si quelques longueurs viennent briser le rythme imposé par les premières chansons. Gabrielle Papillon profite toutefois de l’occasion pour affirmer pleinement son unicité sur ce disque. En ayant trouvé sa voix, sa plume et sa place, elle vient de livrer une belle surprise cet automne, à ajouter dans votre liste d’écoute de folk canadiana.

Little Bug, dans les bacs le 25 septembre.

Site officiel : http://www.gabriellepapillon.com/
- 500khz

Folk musician Gabrielle Papillon is launching her new album “Little Bug” and I can hardly wait. I saw her perform last year at Casa Del Popolo and was mesmerized, downloaded her album and sang “Dust to Gold” every day for a month or so. The Mighty Oak are the bunch of wonderfully talented folks that Papillon has played with over the years and their contributions are majestic. A must see, must hear, must sing.
- Forget the Box

By Anthony Marcusa
Photo - Gabrielle Papillion - Audio Blood Media

A pair of charming folk singers, hailing from Montreal, stopped by the Free Times Cafes on Thursday, delighting a curious crowd to soulful, emotional, and even playful melodies. Corinna Rose and Gabrielle Papillon are friends, often playing together, but as well talented singers and songwriters in their own right, and they just so happened to be billed on the same evening during NXNE at the Free Times Café.

...

Rose returned later on in the evening, playing along Gabrielle Papillon, as the east coaster brought with her new and old songs of love and lighthouses, and prairie outlaws. ‘Little Bug’ and ‘Concrete of the City,’ were among the songs played from her forthcoming album, ones that take the audience on the usual lyrical journey that Papillon’s poems provide. There is a slight unease that underscores the songs, a desire for escape and a sense of ambition that cannot be contained, especially in the latter.

These emotions are inherent with ‘Moonless Night,’ the aforementioned felon song, and one that seems a perfect sequel to ‘Outlaws and Criminals’, from her second album A Currency of Poetry. It sees Rose back on the banjo and Papillon delivering chilling lyrics of darkness and despair, both propelling the rightfully hasty tune about being on the lam, from whatever it is that’s chasing you.

One element that endures in every live Papillon performance that bears mentioning is something that actually has nothing to do with music. Her understated humour and candor (sometimes wry) is instantly winning, and comes off as genuine and unrehearsed, which it is, and makes her a delight to listen to.

She concluded her set with her pair of lighthouse songs (which contrast nicely with Rose’s pair of mountain tunes), the ever-lovely ‘Years in Our Bones’ and the pretty yet haunting ‘In the Night.’ As luck would have it (or maybe it’s poetry), the duo fled the city early next morning on the first train back to Halifax by way of Montreal, teasing audiences until their anticipated return.
- Lithium Magazine

I met Gabrielle in a cute bakery/ coffee shop in the Village to discuss her new album, Little Bug, that will be released as of the 25th of September. The album itself is an absolute pleasure to listen to. Honestly, it’s one of those that have so deeply become a part of me that it’s been the soundtrack to my life for the last few weeks.

Gabrielle herself, however, was a pleasure to speak to. I came to Autour D’un Bon Pain (On St. Catherine West- which I absolutely suggest to visit) interested to see who the artist behind this music was. She turned out to be extremely approachable, human and down to earth. She was actually in the midst of writing a song when I arrived. Each track on her new album, Little Bug, is great. Each one leaves you with something different, but no matter what you’re doing, it makes you want to (and you do) enjoy life. And from then our little interview came to a close. In hindsight, she reminds me a lot of one my favourite artists, Feist, not only because of their super soothing voices and boundless lyrics, but because they both have this glow about them, which you can see is backed by extraordinary maturity and wisdom. She has the power to be things of beauty like the stars at night, and the wind in the trees- and her music certainly emulates that- but she also has the ability to snuggle down into our deepest emotions, and radiate a bit of warmth and comfort there. The link below is the song "Dust to Gold" off of her last album "The Currency of Poetry", however, as of September 25th, you'll have the opportunity to listen to her newest, "Little Bug". The minute you press play you'll start to feel your heart melt.

I would suggest catching this local fish at POP Montreal on September 20th, at 3 Minots, or for her album release at Petit Campus November 12th. For now, I am off, to wallow in the beauty and the sounds of what is Gabrielle Papillon. - Indecent Xposure

Gabrielle Papillon: "Little Bug" (album review)


Gabrielle Papillon is returning with her fourth album, the forthcoming Little Bug (out September 25th). This is the follow-up to the melodic folk of her last album, The Currency of Poetry, a hit with me last year.

The singer-songwriter, who splits her time between Halifax and Montreal, has greatly expanded her sound on the Daniel Ledwell-produced record. That's obvious from the album opener "Go Into the Night". With slick production and a fuller sound it's a much more dramatic feel than we're used to from Papillon. It actually feels a tad unnatural and uncomfortable.


The production is toned down on subsequent tracks, blending in with the existing melodies and complementing them. A sweeping arrangement transforms "Judah On His Knees" into a take-notice number.

What sets Papillon apart from most folk musicians is her ability to keep that notoriously dull genre interesting. An enthusiastically plucked banjo makes "Oh My Favorite" a highlight. The title track and the whistle-adorned "Moonless Night" move at a clip uncharacteristic for folk music, with an edge reminiscent of Scottish singer Amy MacDonald.

You'll recognize "In the Pines", also known as "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" which is how it was known in the Nirvana version. Papillon's arrangement is a minimal stomp percussion and vocal harmony which gives it a slight Tom Waits flavour.

Of course, nobody's perfect. The slow as molasses sombre "He Knows" is an easy-to-skip track.

When she hits the extreme boundaries of her comfort zone, Papillon comes up short. However, without pushing those boundaries she wouldn't uncover some of the fertile territory in between.

Gabrielle Papillon plays The Piston in Toronto on September 27th.

Best tracks: "In the Pines", "Oh My Favorite"

Track listing for Little Bug:
Go Into the Night
Oh My Favorite
Turn Left
Little Bug
Concrete of the City
Coccinelle
Moonless Night
He Knows
Judah On His Knees
In the Pines
I Am Sold

7.5/10 - Snobs Music

There's a certain idyllic vision I have of folk artists on tour. I imagine them living in a world where everyone travels by train, where each evening brings a new hootenanny in a new town, where shows happen in pubs and houses of kind folks, and where everyone eats biscuits. A lot of biscuits. I had thought this world ceased to exist when Woody Guthrie settled in New York, but no, apparently Canada still has it locked down. Or at least a couple of our city's intrepid singer/songwriters lived the dream for the last two months.

I'm talking about Gabrielle Papillon and Corinna Rose, two rising artists who have a rootsy grounding that expands outward into different textures like rock, punk, country, and even prog. A couple months ago, during that weird warm streak (you know the one), we had ice cream and spoke about their upcoming Canadian tour. They would be getting around on Via Rail, which has a residency program that invites musicians to perform on the train, going all the way from Montreal to Vancouver and back to Halifax. I heard about all the interesting turns they would take along the way - house shows, stops in small towns, a CMW showcase, and more, while hearing some stories from stories from tours past and learning more about the Canadian folk circuit. This was Corinna's first national tour, while Gabrielle had a couple under her belt.

They're sure to talk about how it went at their homecoming show at Casa del Popolo tomorrow. For now, check out the photos they sent back to me along the way. The captions are gabrielle's - Midnight Poutine

During Canadian Music Fest of this year we got the opportunity to speak with Gabrielle Papillon. Born in Winnipeg and currently residing in Montreal/Nova Scotia this young woman isn’t just ‘another female artist’. Her insight into the world of DIY musicians and her experiences are ones to learn from and relate to whether you’re an artist, or just a fan. She’s inspirational, and that’s all before you hear her sing!

Josh Doyle of The Ontarion said it best when he stated that, “Papillon’s acoustic delivery is the sort that will stay with you, kicking around in your head long after each track ends. Her voice has the ability to saturate your audio intake in a personal way, whilst maintaining the tempo necessary to keep your feet tapping. She has a way of articulating that gives life to the edges of those letters most people skip over.”

After getting the chance to watch her perform live, one could argue that Gabrielle could sing about making pancakes with that hauntingly emotive voice of hers and it would still cloud your head. Take into account that her lyrics are insightful, honest, and clever, and well, you’ve got a sure fire hit on your hands.

With the upcoming release of her full-length album titled, “Little Bug” we here at Minus The Stains can’t wait to watch this talented young musician grow into a force to be reckoned with on the Canadian music scene. Check out our interview with her below, and stay-tuned for more live footage of Gabrielle at Canadian Music Fest right here, on Minus The Stains.
- Minus The Stains

Acoustic and sparse, Papillon’s music is the perfect backdrop to showcase her haunting vocals and lyrics. Poetic and delivered like a lost member of Tasseomancy, these tunes will hit you like a cold shiver in a good way.

--Nicholas Friesen - Uptown Magazine Print Edition

By Anthony Marcusa
Photos by Dave MacIntyre

www.gabriellepapillon.com
www.myspace.com/gabriellepapillon

Of vampires and lighthouses, of outlaws and outliers, of farming and family, Gabrielle Papillon is a beautiful storyteller.

In the midst of a cross-country tour, Gabrielle stopped in Toronto for Canadian Music Week, playing several shows over the weekend, enamoring audiences with her lovely lyrics, infectious acoustic songs, and curious tales.

The top showcase took place on Friday night at The Central in front of a densely packed crowd, as Gabrielle took the stage with her guitar, joined by two very talented musicians. ‘The Mighty Oak’ as they are known—Corinna Rose on banjo and Simon Honeyman (his real name) on guitar—joined Gabrielle to create a harmonious and more layered set, adding a richness to the each piece.

The finest performance was arguably her superbly written and composed song, “Years in Our Bones,” a simple, earnest, and gorgeous work of love and devotion. As perfect as the lyrics are, the live song is made even better by Simon and Gabrielle singing with each other and off one another for a simply angelic and inspiring piece.

As emotionally-charged as the song is, or can be, both Simon and Gabrielle, as well as Corinna, seem to be constantly smiling, laughing, and it is that charm that comes across instantly on stage.

“Years in our Bones,” of course, is about the true love story from the annals of Papillon ancestry, set against the backdrop of a lighthouse. Which set up a statement uttered in a coffee shop days later—a thoroughly endearing one—that few if any other songwriters can say: “I really like the new lighthouse song.”

Gabrielle discussed CMW, her continuing tour, and a forthcoming album, one that features that song, “Into the Night.” She played it at The Central, and again a day later during a short set at the CBC Lounge in the Royal York Hotel. It is about, among other things, a lighthouse (not to be confused with a fog horn, about which Ray Bradbury wrote).

“I really like the new lighthouse song.” The audience did as well. The sentence still lingers as curious though. She says it without inflection on ‘new’, though I hear it in my head. It is not an attempt to be particularly quirky, overly metaphorical, or at all conceited, but is perhaps exemplary of the heartfelt story-telling her songs involve. And from our conversation, there is much more to come.

“This is the project I’ve always wanted to do to,” she says, in reference to the week she will spend in a recording studio later this spring. Touring for years, writing music and playing for far longer than that, Gabrielle is armed with pride and purpose, and is prepared to create an ambitious album expected in the fall.

“I love every one of these songs,” she adds, explaining that two of the tracks will be re-worked and re-imagined pieces from her 2010 EP, The Wanderer. “For me writing is the best part of the process,” she continues. “That moment when you are creating and you know you have something good.”

It would seem she has a quite a few good creations. The show at The Central offered a couple more of these upcoming songs, including the brand new lovely lilt, “Oh My Favourite,” and the slightly self-reflexive though not self-serious “Little Bug.”

The latter is a song she performed on her last trip to Toronto, and is rather representative of her work: catchy, beautifully haunting, and earnest. Though the song may suggest a bit of apprehension (“I’m the little bug,” she attests before playing), Papillon (also her real name) is much too humble but certainly more an extrovert on stage.

Offering a bit of history to her songs, careful not to become too loquacious, all the while cracking jokes—a couple of which may be too dry and quick if you’re not paying attention-- it is easy to become enamored with her and invested in her stories. The first song of the evening, “No Common Ground,” is more or less about vampires, or perhaps for them, she explained. “Dust to Gold” followed about farming, and then of course there is the song about her six years on the lam.

Well, not really. But “Outlaws and Criminals,” a tune that is a slight departure from the others in terms of pace and tone, was well-placed at the end of the evening, offering a fun and stirring conclusion that included Simon’s ambitious, soaring guitar playing.

As she did during her CMW performances, Gabrielle will likely tease audiences with a new song or two as she picks up her travels, a trip that includes a much anticipated return to Toronto on Tuesday May 8th at The Piston. The petite Papillon, effortlessly charming, looks to continue to take advantage of every opportunity and has much beauty and truth to offer to curious crowds and adoring fans. - Lithium Magazine

"Quite possibly one of the most talented singer/songwriters in Nova Scotia. Her inspired music is hard to classify but it will leave you wanting more." - Eastlink

"Quite possibly one of the most talented singer/songwriters in Nova Scotia. Her inspired music is hard to classify but it will leave you wanting more." - Eastlink

A Chat with Six Atlantic Songwriters on One of their Songs …
BY CHAD PELLEY – FEBRUARY 10, 2012
POSTED IN: SONGWRITER SERIES
This week,
I asked six Atlantic-based songwriters to share a song of theirs they are happy with, and to share why …
for your Friday listening pleasure.

Gabrielle Papillion’s “Years in Our Bones” off The Currency of Poetry



I didn’t really know what this song was about when I first started writing it. The chorus came to me first, and then the last verse.

It’s usually a good sign if the chorus and the verse, melodies, and lyrics come out one on top of the other like that. The tricky part comes after, when I need to write two or three more verses. Usually I won’t be able to finish a song until I have figured out or decided what the song is about, or what the story is.

With Years in Our Bones I knew it was a love story and that it really was a tale of old love–of this couple in the late stages of their life looking back on their lives together and being honest about it. There was a clear verse (the second verse) where they were younger and a clear verse (the third verse) where they were looking back on a definitive moment in their partnership that nearly tore them apart but actually brought them closer together because they chose to tether themselves to one another so-to-speak.

I was still stuck on the first verse though, and then it came to me all at once. This line was so loud in my head and on a loop: “I was born prematurely in a turbulent gale, and a seed of complaint arose in a wail.” It was about my great-grandmother (and the night her father, my great-great-grandfather, died.) I never met her but I did know and love my great-grand-father and I knew their story had been unconventional, that she chose him under peculiar circumstances. I know that she was a bit quirky and peculiar.

She was born in a lighthouse. My great-great-grandfather was the lighthouse keeper. The night she was born their was a terrible storm and her birth was difficult and the only people living on the island besides my great-great-grandparents was their 13 year old niece. My great-great-grandfather Eustache took a boat out to sea to get to the mainland and bring back a doctor. He drowned in the storm. My great- great-grandmother gave birth to my great-grand-mother Azélie with the help of her 13 year old niece.

Later on Azélie had a little lap dog that loved everyone. When she was of courting age all of her suitors were adored by this dog. All except one. The little dog immediately disliked Eudore Papillon (my great-grandfather) and as the story goes, that was how Azélie knew he was the one.

The first song I ever wrote was about my great-great-grandfather dying in a storm. I was eight when I wrote it. It’s not a very good song. It doesn’t rhyme. The melody is pretty much what you would expect an eight year old would come up with. But I was only eight, and it just came to me. I didn’t realize when I started writing Years in Our Bones (some 20 years later) that I was writing about the same story until that last verse came to me. It’s one of those songs that just sort of revealed itself, maybe even wrote itself, and I still love every word of it.

Check out Gabrielle’s website here: http://www.gabriellepapillon.com/

- Salty Ink

E-Mail Interview by Lili-Anh

CONFRONT: Music was always a big part of your life, when did you decide you wanted to make a career out of it?

GABRIELLE: Sometime in the middle around February/March of 2009 after I had finished my Master’s degree. I knew I really wanted to be able to do it full time. In June of 2010 I started touring and by the time I had come home at the end of August I had already started planning two other tours and I quit my job and took the plunge.

CONFRONT: What inspired you when you were younger versus what inspires you now?

GABRIELLE: I think when I was younger I was pretty influenced by the music I was listening to. And hormones. And melodrama. Teen angst melodrama! In high school I was really into grunge–so anything from Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Smashing Pumpkins to punk bands like NOFX and No Use for a Name was kind of my thing. At the same time there was always music playing at my house (like the Beatles, The Band, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell, lots of classical music). My mom always had music on. I danced 5 days a week until I was 18 so I loved musical theatre as well. In my late teens I discovered Ani DiFranco, The Tragically Hip, The Counting Crows and more melodic, wordier pop singers. Now I think the things that inspire me tend to come less from the music I listen to and more from life around me. Sometimes after playing a show, where I feel like I had a strong connection with the audience, or at the end of a long tour, or even just a big talk with someone I love and my heart is full, that’s when the notes will come to me and I listen for that one line and melody that usually sparks a song.

CONFRONT: What was your reaction the first time you heard one of your songs on the radio?

GABRIELLE: I’ve never heard myself on the radio! I’ve been in studio for interviews when they are playing my songs and that’s really cool but I have yet to be listening in when one of my songs gets played. I have no idea how I will react. I’ll probably be pretty stoked!

CONFRONT: Currency of Poetry is your third solo album. How would you compare it to your other work?

GABRIELLE: This album really comes the closest to what I’m hearing when I write the songs—in terms of arrangement, harmonies, and instrumentation. I think it’s a good representation of what I am capable of doing in the right studio and with great musicians and singers. It’s a precursor to the next album I already have in the works (which is already written and planned for a Fall 2012 release). I wanted to have something out there that really reflected the year and a half of road time I’ve put in and the growth in songwriting and performing that has come out of that time. For some of the players on the record it is our second or third project together and it’s a big part of the album as well.

CONFRONT: What has been the evolution since Songs For a Rainy Day?

GABRIELLE: That is a big question. How much time do you have? I’m kidding. Songs was really my first experience in a studio. We took our time. I didn’t choose the musicians, or know anything about mixing and production. I sang all the harmonies myself, one track after another. It was also a combination of acoustic songs and pop-punk electric songs. Wanderer was my first studio album in nearly nine years and while the sound was more cohesive and the songs had evolved a lot I was still very much under a producer and engineer’s wings and pretty much let them make the album sound the way they thought it ought to sound (although my producer did send me mixes and check with me on final mixes). Currency was much more of a co-production between myself and the producer for the project and even when we did disagree over the mix it was ultimately my decision in the end. It also comes after 18 months of touring so the songs have had time to mature and grow and I had a much better sense of what sort of sound I wanted and what my band was capable of.

-How would you describe your sound?

That’s always a tricky one for me. I think I’m straddling a line between Folk and Indie-Pop (or Acoustic Pop). Ultimately I want to be a part of both those worlds and I’ve been lucky to play in Folk, Singer-Songwriter, and Pop festivals. To some people if you have an acoustic guitar, harmonies, and wordy lyrics or story songs (and a sidekick who plays a banjo) it seems like you must be a folk singer, and I’m proud to wear that moniker. At the same time I realize that I’m hardly writing traditional folk songs and I don’t have a traditionally folk voice, and I write pop hooks so to some hardcore folkies I’m not really a Folk singer at all—more of an Indie-Pop type. I think as long as people like it and I’m inspired by it I’m not too focused on finding the right genre to describe my sound. I like to tell stories. I like words. I like a song that goes somewhere with a melody that makes my heart soar when I sing it.

CONFRONT: - Confront Magazine

Story by Poppy desClouds

Photo by Kofi Broughton

In a coffee shop on a busy Monday morning in downtown Ottawa, I take a seat across the table from Gabrielle Papillon. Surrounded by layers of clothing, bags, and her guitar, she sits smiling, calm and content. In only 20 minutes she is able to completely intrigue and inspire through her words and presence.

ON LIFE LATELY

“Yes. Oh my god, it’s been a bit crazy. I’ve released two records in the last little while and I’ve written the next record. I’ve got all the musicians lined up, and the producer, but it won’t be released until this time next year. I started touring a year and a half ago – June 2010. I came back to Montreal where I was still living part-time at the end of that summer, and I decided I would just keep booking tours because I was having fun. I’ve just been travelling, playing, and recording. It’s been pretty amazing.”

ON THE NEW RECORD

“The Currency of Poetry is something that had been brewing for a long time. I called in a lot of favors and had some wonderful people working with me. My band came into the studio last minute, did all their parts, and got through two really intense back-to-back 10-hour days of studio time. The amount of tracks we packed in is insane. Everything fell into place really nicely. It was nice to have this new record to tour with, and maybe to put me on the map a little more. It’s a little more reflective of what I’m capable of doing.”

ON TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

“The Ironwood in Calgary is always a good experience. It has a phenomenal sound man [and] the stage is beautiful. The Black Sheep is another favorite. I played a show at the Halifax Pop Explosion and they just happened to book me at my home stage in Nova Scotia. I brought in one of my band mates from Montreal and another one of my band mates from Halifax. They both rehearsed their parts individually, and then brought it all together. It was a very special show.

We’ve had some really nice house concerts – two in Fredricton, which were just amazing. You could just feel the energy in the room. I kind of absorb that energy, and it affects me so much sometimes. The only thing I can do is sing it out. It makes for a great show and a great experience.”

ON INSPIRATION

“I’m actually very grateful that I’m the type of person that doesn’t need to be in a dark place to write. I can’t write if I’m in a dark place. It almost stifles me and makes things worse. Whereas, when I’m inspired, I can just sense it. I know when it’s time to sit down with my guitar and listen for that initial epiphany.

Every once in awhile there is a line that is very personal that slips into my writing. Other times, I don’t entirely know where it comes from. It’s a narrative and it’s a story. I love film and I love TV. It is kind of my dream to some day score a film. So, I think sometimes in my head the stories told by the songs are very cinematic – they have a beginning, a middle, and an end.”

Afterwards, we venture into the concrete maze of the city. We pick a secluded bench in the sun and Gabrielle plays a brand new acoustic piece for me. Her eyes closed, her voice quiet and calm, Gabrielle instantly transforms the bustling city space into her own quaint, poetic world.

You can download The Currency of Poetry from iTunes or request a hard copy via her website - Plaid Magazine

2011 has shared an abundance of musical troupes. We’ve seen the continual rise of the DJ, followed the battle between folk rock and rock and watched as collaborations have seemingly formed new club drops. Here are some choice picks for 2011’s best breakouts and albums.

Gabrielle Papillon
Hails From: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Affiliation: Audioblood

The Currency of Poetry presents a songbook of swirling beauty where each story is elegantly organized from lyrical prose to delivery. Gabrielle Papillon has a hook that clasps a handle on the heart– she simply breathes vocals. Gabrielle Papillon’s approach to music is similar to the likes of Laura Marling [a personal favourite], particularly in the songwriting. Both artists exude a sultry sincerity that steers you on a journey through circumstance.

With three cross-Canada tours under her belt and past opening slots for Royal Wood and Jill Barber, Papillon continues to sing songs where every word becomes important. Recorded mostly out of the Treatment Room [Stars, Timber Timbre], The Currency of Poetry wraps together coming of age songs such as ‘Like We Go Together’ and ‘One Small Frame’ with tell tales like ‘Outlaws and Criminals’. Songwriting should never be overlooked or undermined and this is one songwriter to look at, again and again.
Must Hear Track: Common Ground

Read More: http://zouchmagazine.com/music-the-10-acts-you-already-know-right/#ixzz1hV1vUDg6

Read More: http://zouchmagazine.com/music-the-10-acts-you-already-know-right/#ixzz1hV1ngc2v - Zouch Magazine

Best of 2011: Best albums #50-1

After giving you the bottom half of my top 100 albums of 2011 yesterday, I'm back to complete the chore with the top 50.

Here they are:

50 Florence + The Machine Ceremonials
49 Sara Lowes Back To Creation
48 St Vincent Strange Mercy
47 A.A. Bondy Believers
46 Sexy Mathematics Future Nights
45 Eddie Spaghetti Sundowner
44 Dropkick Murphys Going Out In Style
43 Nathaniel Sutton Nathaniel Sutton
42 Liam Finn FOMO
41 Hurricane Bells Tides and Tales
40 Rich Aucoin We're All Dying To Live
39 The Good Hunters Love You Baby
38 Hooded Fang Tosta Mista
37 Ohbijou Metal Meets
36 Mathieu Santos Massachusetts 2010
35 Chilly Gonzales The Unspeakable Chilly Gonzales
34 Classified Handshakes and Middle Fingers
33 One Hundred Dollars Songs Of Man
32 The Joy Formidable The Big Roar
31 Das Racist Relax
30 Adele 21
29 The Black Keys El Camino
28 Wild Flag Wild Flag
27 Raphael Saadiq Stone Rollin'
26 Dog Is Blue Tortoise
25 Timber Timbre Creep On Creepin' On
24 Drive-By Truckers Go-Go Boots
23 Good Lovelies Let The Rain Fall
22 Coeur de Pirate Blonde
21 Lykke Li Wounded Rhymes
20 Nicole Atkins Mondo Amore
19 Wye Oak Civilian
18 Bella Clava Holy Crow
17 Noah & the Whale Last Night On Earth

***16 Gabrielle Papillon The Currency of Poetry***

15 Ben Caplan & the Casual Smokers In the Time of Great Remembering
14 The War On Drugs Slave Ambient
13 Paley & Francis Paley & Francis
12 Tom Waits Bad As Me
11 Movits! Out Of My Head

10 Library Voices Summer of Lust
9 Fucked Up David Comes To Life
8 Little Foot Long Foot Oh, Hell
7 PJ Harvey Let England Shake
6 Valentiger Oh, to Know!
5 Imaginary Cities Temporary Resident
4 Kalle Mattson Anchors
3 Iron & Wine Kiss Each Other Clean
2 Whitehorse Whitehorse
1 Lindi Ortega Little Red Boots


So there you have it. It was a great 2011 for new music from where I sit. With a ton of great releases on the horizon, 2012 is looking even better. - Snob's Music

GABRIELLE PAPILLON - The Currency of Poetry

La légende raconte que Mlle Papillon est tombée dans la marmite de la musique dès sa conception: sa mère assistant à un concert de Grateful Dead alors qu'elle était enceinte. Il paraîtrait que la fillette fredonnait déjà ses propres mélodies alors qu'elle n'avait pas toutes ses dents. D'innombrables heures passées à jouer de la guitare avec son frère l'ont mené à enregistrer un premier album indépendant en 2001. S'en suit une pause de huit ans durant laquelle elle termine un baccalauréat puis une Maîtrise avant de se remettre au travail créatif et tourner dans différents festivals folks à travers l'Amérique.

Le troisième album de l'artiste de Montréal est complètement anglophone, contrairement à ce que son nom pourrait laisser croire. Les deux premières chansons ne sont rien de moins que superbes. Common Ground jouit d'un texte fort alors que Dust to Gold se sert d'habiles couches de chant superposées. On se dit d'emblée que cette fille a vraiment une voix! Certaines mélodies sont fortes dès les premières écoutes, comme Paddle and Row. Très fort!

Gabrielle Papillon sait écrire de très bonnes chansons, un peu comme le fait Alela Diane ou Fredric Gary Comeau. La douce On the Banks tombe dans cette gamme de délicieux airs folk qui charment par leur simplicité. Plusieurs titres de cet album ont été enregistrés en donnant une belle, mais juste place au guitariste Simon Honeyman qui ajoute régulièrement sa propre voix douce en harmonie, donnant plusieurs magnifiques moments, comme la délicate One Small Frame. Un très bel album!

On l'écoute ici sur sa page MySpace. (credit: Constant Clip) - Sympatico.ca enMusique

Best of 2011: Canadian albums

After yesterday's list of disappointments, let's look at some of the good from the year. These are my favorite Canadian albums of 2011.

Many of these will appear on the grand "Best Albums of 2011" list later this month:

20. The Good Hunters- Love You Baby
The debut from the Hamilton band is a raucous country-rock tour de force.

19. Hooded Fang- Tosta Mista
Toronto's surprise Polaris nominees come back quickly with a fun-filled loose record.

18. Ohbijou- Metal Meets
Lush and gorgeous, it's very easy to lose yourself within this album.

17. Chilly Gonzales- The Unspeakable Chilly Gonzales
While he doesn't always take himself seriously, the Feist producer definitely has the musical chops to create some incredibly interesting music.

16. Classified- Handshakes and Middle Fingers
The only hip hop entry comes from a man who's rhymes are often goofy or childish, but they still work for me.

15. One Hundred Dollars- Songs Of Man
Twangy rock has rarely been as haunting and ghostly. One Hundred Dollars are a real update on Cowboy Junkies.

14. Dog Is Blue- Tortoise
Folk rock gets a bad rap, often from me. One listen to this warm, catchy duo will help lighten your heart.

13. Timber Timbre- Creep On Creepin' On
I have to admit, before this album I thought listening to Timber Timbre was about as exciting as watching my lawn grow. It takes a special record to change my opinion this dramatically.

12. Good Lovelies- Let The Rain Fall
A throwback to '40s and '50s USO acts, it's an absolute delight.

11. Coeur de Pirate- Blonde
Loungy, smokey, sultry, French. Perfect for a naughty night.

10. Bella Clava- Holy Crow
Never bashful, Bella Clava are more refined and confident on this in-your-face record.

9. Gabrielle Papillon- The Currency of Poetry
If you can make folk music inviting and pleasant to listen to then you've really accomplished something. Thanks Gabrielle.

8. Ben Caplan & the Casual Smokers- In the Time of Great Remembering
Halifax's Caplan made a record that both Tom Waits AND Nick Cave would be proud of.

7. Library Voices- Summer of Lust
Knocking down hooks like bowling pins, I'm not sure what else I can say about this wonderful band.

6. Fucked Up- David Comes To Life
Fucked Up follow-up their Polaris-winning album with a concept record for the ages.

5. Little Foot Long Foot- Oh, Hell
Adding twang to their blues-rock attack did wonders for this Toronto band.

4. Imaginary Cities- Temporary Resident
Their combination of melody, energy, and hooks were enough to land an opening slot for The Pixies.

3. Kalle Mattson- Anchors
The second full length from this Sault Ste Marie folk-rock outfit is more expansive in arrangements and sharper in lyrics and imagery than the first. It helps that they are so likable on stage you just WANT them to do well.

2. Whitehorse- Whitehorse
The musical couple of Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland combine for an album that can nothing short of stunning.

1. Lindi Ortega- Little Red Boots
Ortega has it all in her alt country album: razor-sharp lyrics, clever turns-of-phrase, a voice that's both beautiful and powerful, and hooks galore. A deserving #1.

Honourable mentions: Al Tuck, Nathaniel Sutton, Charge Of The Light Brigade, Mother Mother, JF Robitaille, Carmen Townsend, The Darcys, Louise Burns, Elliott Brood - Snobs Music

Three artists took the stage at Casa Del Popolo Tuesday night and delivered an intimate, moving, and delightful evening of folk music. Kim Wempe and Roxanne Potvin opened for Gabrielle Papillon and The Mighty Oak who headlined the evening, a celebration for the launch of Papillon’s new album The Currency of Poetry.

...


Finally, Gabrielle Papillon and The Mighty Oak took the stage. Gabrielle explained that she doesn’t usually perform with such a large ensemble, but that The Mighty Oak represent all of the talented folk who collaborated with her on her album. She told the audience “I’ve dubbed them The Mighty Oak, ‘cause they are so mighty.” Indeed they were. The Mighty Oak consisted of Corinna Rose on vocals and banjo (from The Corinna Rose band), Simon Honeyman on guitar and vocals (Honeyman and the Brothers Farr), Lisa Malachowski on vox (Mind That Bird), Ram Krishnan on bass and mandolin (The Unsettlers, Bad Uncle), and Jean-Sebastien Brault-Labbé on drums (The Blue Seeds). Throughout the set, members of The Mighty Oak came and went on the stage to accompany Gabrielle, and the collaboration was beautiful. Violinist Ari Swan and cellist Quinn Norin also joined the crew and brought dreamy and melancholic tones to the set. As for Gabrielle, her voice is like honey and evokes comparisons to Feist and one of my personal favourites, Laura Veirs. Gabrielle Papillon’s songs were delightful especially “On the Banks”, “Paddle and Row” and a brand new track “Little Bug”, which will be the title track to Gabrielle’s next album which is already in the works. -Pamela Fillion
- Meet You At The Show

By ALLIE MASON
Music editor
NOVEMBER 29TH, 2011

Gabrielle Papillon, a petite-framed, all-Canadian, guitar-strumming songstress who calls Montreal her home, sipped on her coffee 550 kilometres away in Toronto. She’s on the tail-end of an extensive Canadian tour that took her and her fellow folk-singing comrades from coast-to-coast on over 40 dates.

Though The Currency of Poetry is her latest release, she’s been previewing some of her songs from her upcoming album, which she’s set to begin recording with her bandmates here in Montreal at the Treatment Room in 2012.

Her new songs have grown when compared to the tracks featured on The Wanderer (2010), and especially compared to her much earlier release Songs for a Rainy Day (2001), which featured half acoustic, half punk tracks.

“The arrangements are just more developed than what I’ve done in the past,” she explains. “Maybe because I’m growing as a musician.”
But growth isn’t always constant for her. The dedication required to push on in a field over-saturated by talent can sometimes be daunting, resulting in one feeling like a tiny speck in a vast sea. So much so that Papillon has not only one, but two songs by the name “Little Bug” that speak to the insecurities and feelings of insignificance she’s experienced on her journey.

“Both of those songs, in a way, have to do with me feeling small and maybe the growing pains of being in the music industry,” she admits. “[It’s] really easy to get started and to say that you’re going to do this, that’s one thing, but to keep going—for me the struggles have come a lot more recently.”

“You know, you don’t quite know who to talk to or you have to talk to bigger industry people, and maybe you get the brush-off, or maybe you don’t get the reception you want, and you just feel small. It’s harder to go on,” Papillon trailed off. “It’s a bit of a play on words because of my last name. You know like butterfly is this really elegant thing but sometimes I really just feel like a little bug.”

She’s careful not to be too self-deprecating and tries not to let negative thoughts dominate her psyche. “It’s kind of about being small, but being a fighter,” she laughs. After all, nobody suspects the butterfly.

Gabrielle Papillon is playing Casa Del Popolo on Nov. 29 with Kim Wempe and Roxanne Potvin. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. - The Concordian (Concordia University, Montreal, QC)

Equipped with only an acoustic guitar, a dulcet voice, and a beautiful smile, Gabrielle Papillon stood alone atop the stage at Supermarket, awing the crowd across a short six-song set. Leading off with a new version of “Like We Go Together,” the well-traveled Canadian songstress with her hopeful, love-filled opening number mesmerized the audience.

Her music, like the best in the Canadiana songbook, is a catalog of storytelling. There is optimism and earnestness in her voice, a trait that allows some of the more sad songs to be more realistic and allows every piece of songwriting to resonate even more.
Playing “No Common Ground,” Papillon shared a story that the piece almost made it to television, but the wayward science fiction-esque program never made it to air. While she was joking that it wasn’t exactly the nature of “True Blood,” a serious thought emerged: more so than her recorded album, Papillon’s live solo, acoustic performance is filled with imagery and would pair perfectly with visuals.

Listening to her in such an intimate setting, with her melodic voice filling the room, it is hard not to close one’s eyes and let her words and sound take you away somewhere. Once she mentioned television, it seemed every one of her songs would be perfect underneath the best of dramatic storytelling on TV.

“No Common Ground,” filled with despair, disagreement, and finality, fits perfectly with the early seasons of Weeds, a show about familial problems and the transience of life. “Dust to Gold,” certainly has evocative images as well, a song filled with struggle, guilt, and perseverance, could be matched with Six Feet Under, a dark serial that also was one of the first to use new music to enhance the storytelling.

A song about enduring love and the best of relationships, “Years in Our Bones,” would find itself well at the end of an episode of Parenthood or even Modern Family. Playing a version of “Little Bug,” a title inspired by her ‘butterfly’ etymology, Papillon added another layer to her story-telling ability. It inspires thoughts of a torrid environment and continuing, perhaps futile struggle, and on that train would thus fit with the much adored though often overlooked Firefly.

“Outlaws and Criminals,” the final piece, a faster-paced, exacting piece about life and death, would underplay on The Walking Dead.

Though the set was short, it was certainly sweet, a triumph of the acoustic-live show, one filled with compelling storytelling and imagery that stays with you longer after the show is over.

By Anthony Marcusa - Lithium Magazine

Equipped with only an acoustic guitar, a dulcet voice, and a beautiful smile, Gabrielle Papillon stood alone atop the stage at Supermarket, awing the crowd across a short six-song set. Leading off with a new version of “Like We Go Together,” the well-traveled Canadian songstress with her hopeful, love-filled opening number mesmerized the audience.

Her music, like the best in the Canadiana songbook, is a catalog of storytelling. There is optimism and earnestness in her voice, a trait that allows some of the more sad songs to be more realistic and allows every piece of songwriting to resonate even more.
Playing “No Common Ground,” Papillon shared a story that the piece almost made it to television, but the wayward science fiction-esque program never made it to air. While she was joking that it wasn’t exactly the nature of “True Blood,” a serious thought emerged: more so than her recorded album, Papillon’s live solo, acoustic performance is filled with imagery and would pair perfectly with visuals.

Listening to her in such an intimate setting, with her melodic voice filling the room, it is hard not to close one’s eyes and let her words and sound take you away somewhere. Once she mentioned television, it seemed every one of her songs would be perfect underneath the best of dramatic storytelling on TV.

“No Common Ground,” filled with despair, disagreement, and finality, fits perfectly with the early seasons of Weeds, a show about familial problems and the transience of life. “Dust to Gold,” certainly has evocative images as well, a song filled with struggle, guilt, and perseverance, could be matched with Six Feet Under, a dark serial that also was one of the first to use new music to enhance the storytelling.

A song about enduring love and the best of relationships, “Years in Our Bones,” would find itself well at the end of an episode of Parenthood or even Modern Family. Playing a version of “Little Bug,” a title inspired by her ‘butterfly’ etymology, Papillon added another layer to her story-telling ability. It inspires thoughts of a torrid environment and continuing, perhaps futile struggle, and on that train would thus fit with the much adored though often overlooked Firefly.

“Outlaws and Criminals,” the final piece, a faster-paced, exacting piece about life and death, would underplay on The Walking Dead.

Though the set was short, it was certainly sweet, a triumph of the acoustic-live show, one filled with compelling storytelling and imagery that stays with you longer after the show is over.

By Anthony Marcusa - Lithium Magazine

Scholar and musician on the right track
November 17, 2011
By Sumedha Arya


Independent singer-songwriter Gabrielle Papillon truly loves making music and sharing it with others. A well-rounded individual, Papillon is both a scholar and an artist.

After her first album was released in 2001, Papillon stepped away from music for eight years to focus on academics.

“I always dabbled [in music] but I was really focused on writing academically. The songs weren’t coming to me. I just really needed to do something else,” she says. “I stepped away from music and actually thought I was going to follow the life of a scholar and get a PhD and teach in university.”

However, after completing her bachelor of arts and Masters at Concordia University in Montreal, Papillon eased herself into the Montreal music scene. “I had my first show in maybe eight years on January 31 of 2009,” she reminisces.

For Papillon, entering the music scene was the easy part. “A week after I defended my thesis, music was in my head again. Writing was really kind of effortless to me,” she says. “The hard part comes now. I’ve been doing all this work. Now what? Getting into [music] is the easy part—keeping going is the hard part.”

Due to her continuous drive and her talent, Papillon has forged on and has been receiving positive feedback at recent shows. In particular, she often plays at house concerts, where she enjoys interacting with audience members.

“What I love about [house concerts] is that they’re really intimate,” Papillon explains. “People are just there to hear the music. [The audience] always feel so connected to you because of the stories you tell.”

To support these concerts and a lifestyle full of travelling, Papillon takes advantage of a special program Via Rail has for musicians. In exchange for two performance sets on the train, Papillon is able to travel where she needs to go.

“It’s like an exchange of services,” she explains.

Performing on the train also has ancillary benefits. “It’s the only scenario where I get to sing cover songs,” Papillon confides. “I would never sing a cover of “Hallelujah” during one of my shows.”

Home, however, is where this singer’s heart is. After growing up in Winnipeg and living in Montreal as well as in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Papillon says, “I definitely call the East Coast home now. I spend a lot of time in New Glasgow when I’m off the road, where my parents live.”

Regardless, she is still attached to Montreal. She adds that she cannot forget her roots, saying, “I’m Francophone and that part of my life is still important.”

Papillon is extremely grateful for the shows she has played and the people she has collaborated with.

“The Canadian music scene is pretty great,” she says, adding she feels particularly fortunate to have shared the stage with Amelia Curran and says she would love to play with artists like Feist and Dan Mangan in the future.

Gabrielle Papillon plays the London Music Club with Kim Kempe and Allison Brown tomorrow night at 9 p.m. Tickets are $8. - The Western Gazette

Music Review: Gabrielle Papillon - The Currency Of Poetry
Sun, Nov 13, 2011.

I'm quickly becoming a huge fan of house concerts, and I saw another fine one this past Friday. This time it was two Nova Scotia singer-songwriters, Kim Wempe and Gabrielle Papillon. I'll have more on Wempe in a couple of weeks, as she will be back on the road as part of a unique tour called Whose Song Is It Anyway? So I'll do a preview of that, which leaves me free to talk about Papillon for now.

She's from New Glasgow, by choice. Raised in Winnipeg, her parents moved to that town around the same time she was heading to university, in Montreal. As family gatherings were then held in N.S., she got to know the place, and when it came time to pick a new home as a base for her musical career, that's where she chose. She says it's because she grew to love both the area, and the musical community, which she finds perfectly suited to her kind of music and her choice of musical friends. Cool.

Engaging and chatty in concert (she admits to being a talker), one of the first things you find out is that she is a scholar, with a Masters in history. This isn't meant to intimidate (hard in Ph.D.-plentiful Fredericton), but rather to inform you were she's coming from, and to poke fun at herself. What it told me was that this was someone who had a few experiences in life to draw on, and this proved the case. She has an inquisitive nature, and find lots of different subjects to write about, and yes, even some historical ones.

She's a new kind of folk performer, almost a hybrid, a bit of an indie rock kid as well. She certainly has no trouble with the basic acoustic guitar-voice performance, and on disc, she expands on that, with lots of harmonies and doubled vocals, plus more strings, a bit of percussion and keyboards but usually not a whole lot of any of it. The words stand out for sure, and she has some striking originals. House concerts, for me, are a great way to be introduced to a musician, especially if they do tell you something about the songs, and Papillon is fine by that. We learned that One Small Frame is about her choice to live in the east, and that Dust To Gold is a leftover from her WInnipeg knowledge of farms, although not biographical in any way.

So when I throw on her latest release, The Currency Of Poetry, there are several highlight songs for me already, and I feel somewhat invested. House concerts have a way of doing that, you don't get distracted during the show, and even in a 45-minute set you come away with more knowledge, and hopefully, appreciation. Luckily, I enjoy the new disc, as much as, or even more than the live versions. Like We Go Together gains strength with the harmonies and the drums pushing it forward. That history degree must have come in handy for Outlaws and Criminals, which is a first-person account of a no-account lawbreaker, heading into a final drama that is going to end badly for somebody. There's some seriously talented storytelling going on there, and some Texas guitarslingers would no doubt love to claim this one as their own.

There is no more fulfilling experience in music, I believe, than hearing a performer, enjoying and meeting them (house concert, remember), getting the CD, and listening and liking (or loving it) still. You've gone from no knowledge to a full-fledged fan, probably for life, in a few hours. And that, dear friends, is what has happened to me, with Gabrielle Papillon. - CBC New Brunswick

You've heard me say it before: folk music is about as enjoyable as yanking out your own fingernails with a pair of rusty needlenose pliers. Usually.

You can thank Halifax/Montreal's Gabrielle Papillon for that new added qualifier. Her new album The Currency of Poetry (out October 11th) is far from the typical folk snooze-fest.

What separates Papillon from the folk pap is that she doesn't view melody as the enemy. A slight nod to pop sensibility, and a keen sense of harmony, go a long way for her. Songs like "Paddle and Row" and "Dust To Gold" prove that you don't need a lot of instrumentation to add a memorable hook to your song. Papillon accomplishes much with just a guitar strum and the occasional banjo part.

The lyrics and themes on the record are very Canadian. Prairie imagery dominates "On the Banks", making it seem almost like a Neil Young acoustic number, if Young sang on key..and was a woman.

The vocals on the album are strong as well. Papillon's lyrics come through crystal clear. It's not a powerful voice, but it is incredibly well-matched for her musical style. The standout vocal performance comes in the touching "One Small Frame", a track on which Papillon sounds almost Feist-like.

In the end what Papillon has taught me is that it's not folk music that I have a problem with, it's that too many musicians do it oh so poorly.

Gabrielle Papillon plays The Supermarket in Toronto on November 16th.

Best tracks: "Dust To Gold", "Outlaws and Criminals"
- T.O. Snobs Music

You've heard me say it before: folk music is about as enjoyable as yanking out your own fingernails with a pair of rusty needlenose pliers. Usually.

You can thank Halifax/Montreal's Gabrielle Papillon for that new added qualifier. Her new album The Currency of Poetry (out October 11th) is far from the typical folk snooze-fest.

What separates Papillon from the folk pap is that she doesn't view melody as the enemy. A slight nod to pop sensibility, and a keen sense of harmony, go a long way for her. Songs like "Paddle and Row" and "Dust To Gold" prove that you don't need a lot of instrumentation to add a memorable hook to your song. Papillon accomplishes much with just a guitar strum and the occasional banjo part.

The lyrics and themes on the record are very Canadian. Prairie imagery dominates "On the Banks", making it seem almost like a Neil Young acoustic number, if Young sang on key..and was a woman.

The vocals on the album are strong as well. Papillon's lyrics come through crystal clear. It's not a powerful voice, but it is incredibly well-matched for her musical style. The standout vocal performance comes in the touching "One Small Frame", a track on which Papillon sounds almost Feist-like.

In the end what Papillon has taught me is that it's not folk music that I have a problem with, it's that too many musicians do it oh so poorly.

Gabrielle Papillon plays The Supermarket in Toronto on November 16th.

Best tracks: "Dust To Gold", "Outlaws and Criminals"
- T.O. Snobs Music

Papillon’s third solo release was recorded in Montreal’s Treatment Room where the likes of Plants and Animals, Timber Timbre and The Stars have worked and it sounds like their spirits have rubbed off on The Currency of Poetry. These simple folk songs are really hard to describe; every track is intimate, catchy yet shockingly beautiful. Definitely inspired by 60's folk, every track sounds drenched in mysterious melancholy that gives them weight and power – you want to discover the message and it makes for an intriguing listen.
Opening track “Paddle and Row” sets the tone for the first half of this record with sparkling acoustic picking. “Paddle and Row” seems to be about taking on hard times by heading straight into the storm and this theme appears many times throughout the album. “Row” is followed up with “On The Banks” where the arrangement reminded me of Iron & Wine with its lovely melody and beautiful harmonies, again simple and affecting. My highlights of the solo folk set include “Dust to Gold” and “One Small Frame”, both are intoxicating numbers that I love to put on at night.
After “One Small Frame”, the bottom half of this record features Papillon and a (sort of) backing group and it changes the vibe of album for the best. “Like We Go Together”, “Years in Our Bones” and “Outlaws and Criminals” are far more upbeat and perhaps give an insight on what Papillon is preparing for her “fourth and most ambitious project” (as it states in her bio) which is set for a 2012 release date. (Groundswell Records)
Rating: 4/5 Stars
- Word Press

Gabrielle Papillon's voice is a major key haunt, a moment to bask in sadness, then move into the light.

"I'm putting all my heart and soul into it when I sing," she said. "It might be the quality of my voice. I don't think of myself as a musician. I think of myself as a songwriter who loves to sing. The tone and how it comes out is everything and the words are key because I have to believe in them."

Her newest track from her forthcoming album, No Common Ground, is emblemic of her voice's seemingly oxymoronic dichotemy between despair and hope. Using her formal education in history, she builds painfully beautiful set dressing for an emotional plea for the arrowhead track for a unique style she has built based on the land, civilization, and our relationships on and in them.

The track is a product of November 2010 recording sessions. Papillon was booked in the Dead Of Winter Festival in Halifax and she needed a new record so she somehow found the time to hit the studio on the weekends while she worked for 50 hours a week at her two other jobs.

Life as an independent musician is really two jobs in and of itself. The stage, the song, the mood and the lyrics are only a part of the life. The rest is grant writing, festival applications, tour booking and coping with the inevitable rejection when the thin letters arrive in the mail saying "this isn't for us."

Papillon finally got the coveted Factor grant, a boost for musicians who funders believe have commercial potential and a stepping stone to get at high-hanging fruit grants across North America.

"I don't want to eke by because I want to have a family. You can't tour forever," she explained. "Right now, touring is the only way I make money but it's physically exhausting. It makes you well-rounded but at the same time, the songwriting is really the key."

Papillon's Saturday night show at The Cornerstone will raise funds for Kenora MOMS, a grassroots project through Women's Place Kenora that seeded from conversations among local women expressing a need for supportive community for parents with small children. Funds will be used to pay facilitator fees for workshops and to create a children's book in English, Ojibway, Micif and French.
- The Kenora Daily Miner

“I think it takes time. I think that people rush into it,” said Gabrielle Papillon, discussing the recording process. The Montreal based singer/songwriter’s insight comes at a crucial time in her music career, as she gets ready to release her third EP. From extensive touring throughout the last year, Papillon has gained the clarity and experience she needs to feel confident in her upcoming release. Since last Summer Papillon has embarked on her first large-scale tour, traveling across Western Canada after releasing The Wanderer. Now she’s setting out on the road again, and made a stop in Guelph to revisit The Cornerstone last Sunday night. The Cornerstone has become known for their acoustic Sunday night shows, and Papillon, along with her accompaniment JD Edwards fit the bill nicely.

Papillon has become something of a touring phenomenon, amassing over 150 live performances. Spending so much time on the road has caused Papillon to put a hold on recording her upcoming release, but in her eyes it’s been a worthwhile wait. With its natural way of throwing you into unusual situations and forcing one to repetitively perform the same songs night after night, Papillon has seen touring as a place for serious growth and development in several facets of her career.

“I’ve got enough material,” Papillon said of the forthcoming release. “It’s more just funding, and I’m on the road a lot right now. [But] the more the songs are rehearsed and played on the road the better they become. When you tour regularly and it becomes kind of your job, the songs come into their own a little bit.”

The difficulty in becoming financially able to make a record release is an obstacle for most any emerging artist, save for those lucked out teens whose rich parents back their endeavor. While Papillon is striving on her own to make ends meet, she doesn’t see herself hanging the microphone up anytime soon on account of low income.

“I’m so moved by it and so in love with what I’m doing right now that I’ve realized I will do whatever it takes to make ends meet and make it work. It’s not the most practical thing to do, there are no guarantees but at the same time if for some reason it doesn’t work out I’ll figure it out at that point,” said Papillon.

But even in the case of hardship Papillon is well prepared. Along with a beautiful voice and an elegant way of plucking strings that begs for intimate club performances, comes an accomplished Masters degree in history. Papillon studied post-secondary education for eight years after high school, during which time she let go of music all together. Her first release in 2001 was followed by another in 2010, marking an uncommon return to the less stable grounds of music production, especially after becoming so academically accomplished.

“I actually completely stepped away from music for a really long time. I was an academic, I was PhD track. I fell back into music kind of on a whim because I needed a break, and then just this volume of stuff started coming out of me,” said Papillon.

That volume has led to an abundance of successful shows in almost every province, and an invite to participate in the Via Onboard performance program for a second time, which Papillon sees as a product of her commitment to making every performance count.

“I feel really lucky to be a part of it because I know it’s hard to get into. It’s a whole different kind of show. People on the train don’t get on because you’re gonna be there. They like to hear songs they know so, we do lots of Gordon Lightfoot covers,” said Papillon.

Papillon’s acoustic delivery is the sort that will stay with you, kicking around in your head long after each track ends. Her voice has the ability to saturate your audio intake in a personal way, whilst maintaining the tempo necessary to keep your feet tapping. She has a way of articulating that gives life to the edges of those letters most people skip over. Gabrielle may be gone for now, but she’ll return, her recent success and passion for touring more or less guarantees that. - The Ontarian

http://www.midnightpoutine.ca/music/2009/06/nothing_lasts_forever_even_cold_november_i_meant_summer_rain/

I started off last night with Gabrielle Papillon's performance at L'Escalier.
I first met Gabrielle as an undergrad at Concordia and have since known her as someone who excels at anything she puts her mind to. Her recent return to music (having released an album in the early-2000s) has produced magnificent results. In a matter of months, she has written something like a dozen new songs to supplement her already large back catalogue. Her recent turn appeals to a wide variety of tastes, including folk, soul, indie-rock, and punk.
Last night's show was extra special because it incorporated songs and performances from Simon Honeyman and Lisa Malachowski. The trio met while performing at The Yellow Door and have since combined parts of their acts into one of Montreal's finest folk collaborations (or maybe it's a supergroup? Usually "supergroups" include at least one member who is fresh out of drug rehab, so maybe not.) They are paying a longer collaborative show at The Yellow Door tomorrow night and I suggest catching them on the same stage while you can. - Midnightpoutine.ca

http://www.thecoast.ca/SceneAndHeard/archives/2010/01/30/in-the-dead-of-winters-musical-feast

Excerpt:

As the sun sets over Halifax, the final day of In the Dead of Winter nears. This afternoon festival organizers Tanya Davis and Don Brownrigg hosted an open mix/IDOW brunch. While listeners feasted on sausages, ham, eggs, baked beans, we were treated to some amateur performers, as well as seasoned songwriters.

Festival organizers Tanya Davis, Don Brownrigg and Amelia Curran (who previewed a heartbreakingly beautiful new song) all sang, while newcomers got a chance to show off. Montreal's Gabrielle Papillion serenaded the sleepy afternoon crowd, plus many others. For those of you who missed out don't fret. She's performer tonight at the Bus Stop Theatre at 8pm. Papillion shares the stage with Jenny Omnichord, Dreamsploitation and Dinah Thorpe. - The Coast

http://www.thecoast.ca/SceneAndHeard/archives/2010/01/31/festival-express-idow-round-up


Excerpt:

Across the street Montreal’s Gabrielle Papillon got things started with her acoustic guitar and tales of IDOW extreme nervousness. She couldn’t get over singing for Ron Hynes at the songwriter’s workshop or in front of Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet at brunch. Her own show seemed like a breeze in comparison at the Bus Stop Theatre, as she played for a small group, including her parents. - The Coast