Pat Le Poidevin

If his 2005 Conduct Becoming offering – titled ‘Short Story’ – told us anything, it was that Pat LePoidevin’s arrival at Mount Allison was full of important life questions. With the release of Blue Tornadoes four years later, it would appear that he has finally been able to respond to a few of the queries that marked his youth. As many in the Sackville community will testify, it has been a great pleasure to witness LePoidevin’s development as an artist. From his beginnings as a simple piper and singer/songwriter, Pat has evolved into a genuine performer, exhibiting a clear level of pride and professionalism in his craft. To say that his musicality has matured would be an incredible understatement. He has proven himself as one of the most exciting young musicians on the scene to date.

In examining said evolution, one cannot deny the importance that looping has had on the direction of his work. To fully grasp the splendor and talent that marks LePoidevin’s musicality, one must first appreciate the concept underlying his equipment. Outfitted with a Looper Pedal – which allows its user to record and playback multiple segments simultaneously – LePoidevin is able to build melody upon melody, mixing dense vocal harmonies, guitar, practice chanter and a variety of whistles into a literal tornado of sound. It demands a tremendous level of skill, patience, and artistry. The fact that he has gained such commanding dexterity in such a short time is something to be commended in itself.

LePoidevin recorded the album live in CHMA 106.9’s studio space over the course of a few months. While many artists have been known to work looping into their live show – Keller Williams, KT Tunstall, and Craig Cardiff come to mind – very few have approached the actual recording process with this technique. Despite these unconventionalities, LePoidevin tackles his method with ease. It seems appropriate that he would include this faction of his live show in the recording process, as it is clear that Blue Tornadoes was an album written to be performed; many of the songs rise and fall in such a way as to accommodate space for layers of vocals and guitar. As well, the recording lends an intimate quality to the album; one is able to experience the promised warmth and authenticity of a LePoidevin live show in their headphones.

The songs are consciously epic, barraging the listener with an intricate mix of simple sounds whose sum is larger than life. His structural approach produces a series of singular riffs that work together to paint an entire sonic scene. Isolated, the parts are unobtrusive; combined, they are an incontestable jackhammer. Despite its power, the sum never disrespects its parts; each construct is aptly mixed to give space to every intricacy of his sound. When ‘Cancer’ collapses at the 3:00 minute mark, the listener is drawn into five guitars playing descending and incredibly dissonant scales. The result is both tumultuous and beautiful, drawing attention to the pain natural to the lyrics. A troupe of chanters blast out on ‘The Cougar and the Night’ to introduce force and panic to the tale. At times like these, it is difficult to imagine that one man is capable of producing all of the music at one time. It is very impressive.

While his music is indubitably complex, LePoidevin accomplished the difficult task of balancing scope and simplicity. At first, Blue Tornadoes seemed to mark a departure from LePoidevin's previous efforts; instead of mapping out coherent narratives, LePoidevin opts for the abstract to focus harmonies that convey the emotions behind cryptic lyrics. This theory quickly became problematic upon multiple listens. The lyrics are sparse, but they are certainly not simplistic. While the melodies are upbeat for the most part, the lyrics often deliver poignant insight into the underlying implications of human language and interaction. ‘Salt Lake War Memorial’ provides a vivid description of wartime terrors by way of a straightforward reflection of a commemorative site. ‘Car Crash’ pairs natural imagery with a condescendingly angry tone, resulting in a surreal dream-like experience. The terror in ‘The Cougar and the Night’, as well as ‘Cancer’ is truly suffocating. Songs such as ‘The Bird and the Basement’ and ‘What About the Mouse?’ explore how we relate to one and other, as well as with the world around us. Amidst these new terrains, we are still provided with a momentary glimpse of a classic LePoidevin romance with ‘Toumba, Texas’ and ‘Make Sure It’s Blue’. All of the songs are sung with contagious sincerity, driving its audience to both empathize with these very human emotions and sing along.

If the introductory ‘Short Story’ was about the need to discover oneself, then Blue Tornadoes is a convincing manifesto from an artist who is finally comfortable with his artistic voice. Now that he has come into his own, it will definitely be fascinating to see where Pat LePoidevin goes next. Blue Tornadoes will be released this Friday (March 13th) at George’s Roadhouse.

- Kellen Barrett for The Argosy Newspaper

Mt. A singer/songwriter releases full-length album, plans tour; obsessed with wild animals

Perhaps you've noticed a marked increase in local windiness recently? Blame Pat LePoidevin for unleashing a torrent of sound (and wind) on the unsuspecting town with Blue Tornadoes. Already a staple on the Sackville music scene, the fourth year History/Classics student looks to cement his status as a local music icon with the release of a full length album, Blue Tornadoes. It is his third full length album, but his most complete and focused. Newcomers to the Sackville music scene can look to Blue Tornadoes for a good indication of what he can deliver.
The instruments used on Blue Tornadoes are few and all performed by LePoidevin himself. On the minimalist record, he plays acoustic guitar, tin whistle, practice chanters (a practice instrument for bagpipes), and sings. The result is a genre which LePoidevin describes as "loopy folk" which is perhaps closest to the style of Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett). Both use loop pedals in their live shows to incorporate all various sounds in their live solo performances to produce the lush, full arrangements without a large backing band.
When asked why the album was called Blue Tornadoes, he laughed and gave an answer every student can understand, "It's a procrastination tool," he joked. "When I'm in class and I'm bored I'll draw little tornadoes in the margins and I thought it would be cool as an album cover." However, he decided that that explanation sold the record short and concluded that it's "symbolic of his music - it's a tornado of sound."
The album was recorded over a period of several months, between July and December 2008. Although he had already begun the recording process at CHMA's recording space in the old STUD, the material on Blue Tornadoes was recorded exclusively in the new studio space, which coincided with the purchase of a new guitar. He also used the computer program GarageBand to create the loops used in the record.
Throughout the six-month period, LePoidevin continued the creative process, recording sporadically while writing new songs and reworking others.
"The only thing set in stone was that I wanted to record an album," recalls LePoidevin.
Wild animals dominate the album and many deal with his childhood history, and incorporate basic themes. "Cougar and the Night" for instance, hinges on the theme of courage. LePoidevin's songwriting process is rarely systematically.
"I start with an animation running in my head and I try to paint that story for the listener."
Perhaps his animations have become more complex, as his sound has evolved and developed considerably in his four years at Mount Allison. He credits his time in Sackville, and the resulting exposure to and interaction with an eclectic array of artists and sounds during his time here.
"It comes from being exposed to different influences living in Sackville. The town's a musical hub and intimate town where you can take in influences and evolve your sound through interaction with different artists." He recalls that he learned a new style of guitar tuning from attending a Henry Manx show.
His influences range from local to national: he lists Final Fantasy, Old Man Ludecke, Julie Doiron, Gordon Duncan, and Rock Plaza Central as some of his major influences. With the exception of Ducan, who died in 2005, all of these artists have performed in Sackville, sometimes with LePoidevin, allowing for interaction with these performers as they pass through town.
With a warmly received album, at least in the Sackville circuit, what's next for LePoidevin?
He naturally intends to take his work to the next level, which will take him and his music out of the safe confines of the Sackville bubble.
"In Sackville it's hard to reach people who know me as a musician first" so most feedback is positive, coming from friends and acquaintances.
"I think lots of good friends genuinely like my music but until I tour outside my realm, it's hard to know how it will be received."
To this end, he recently performed at Gus' Pub in Halifax and is planning cross-country tour at the end of May, supported by a new Sackville record label Bridgeport Falls. It will be a grass-roots tour, jumping from couch to couch as he makes his way cross-country, but with Blue Tornadoes LePoidevin seems posed for a big leap.
Blue Tornadoes is available digitally on iTunes and physically at Rob Lyon's Graphics for $10. - William Gregory for The Argosy Newspaper

Pat LePoidevin’s opening set was the biggest surprise of the festival. He uses loop pedals, tin whistle and acoustic guitar to create a sound that draws from Scottish folk music while pushing past it’s boundaries. His CD release show at George’s on March 13 is not to be missed. - The Argosy