L' lAmour Ou la Folie

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
Recorded shortly after Beausoleil celebrated their 20th anniversary, L'Amour ou la Folie ("Love or Folly") finds them at the height of their confident, highly spirited, and considerably unstagnant powers. By now the sextet transcends the dancehall, possessing the ability to transform nearly any traditional Cajun, Creole, or French tune into high art while preserving a clear sonic bloodline back to its roots. Guests Richard Thompson, clarinetist Dr. Michael White, and lap-steel guitarist Bessyl Duhon are lagniappe on a record that encompasses everything from happy and sad old-timey waltzes, two-steps, and ballads, to spry "newgrass" originals like Michael Doucet's "Newz Reel." --Richard Gehr

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-01-24 rating:
It's Great, thats why it won the Grammy!
I'm a Beausoleil addict! I agree with everything Riverdude said about how wonderful this CD is and I bought this one from David Doucet himself from the back of his car so that makes it even more special to me. Newcomers and diehard fans of Beausoleil must own this one! Oh and Riverdude, sorry sweetie but the drummers name is Tommy Alesi, not Jimmy.

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review by: date: 2008-01-05 rating:
Fantastic modern music from a Cajun French perspective
From the wry lyrics and joyous melody of the title cut ("Love or Folly") to the heartfelt slow-dance sadness of Les Blues De Creve De Faim ("The Hurting with Hunger Blues"), Beausoleil's musicians again demonstrate their enormous range. Born out of traditional Cajun-Creole folk, the group has raised old-time Louisiana French folk songs to artistic heights few down-home bands have achieved. Beausoleil is the dynamic rhythm and lead guitary of David Doucet, brother Michael Doucet's alternately dizzying and passionate fiddle and strong lead vocals, Jimmy Breaux's virtuoso accordion, backed by dead-on percussion of Billy Ware and Jimmy Alesi.
The guest musicians include Guitarist Richard Thompson, Augie Meyers, saxophonist Harry Simoneaux, Josh Graves on dobro, Murnel Babineaux on pedal steel, pianist Dave Pellicciaro, Tommy Comeaux's mandolin, and accordionist/steel guitarist Bessyl Duhon.
You get a some old-time Cajun, a little "newgrass," some Caribbean spice, a Parisian-flavored melody, and the most danceable and toe-tappable TV news theme ever broadcast (Newz Reel really is the theme of the nightly newscast in Lafayette, LA).
If you already know Beausoleil, you'll have a hard time deciding if this isn't the best of all of their studio albums. If you don't know Beausoleil, the first Grammy winning Cajun band, this is a fine place to start appreciating their talent for inventing a new sound out of a musical tradition stretching back decades and even hundreds of years. If you do like this album, you'll also want to get Cajunization, Cajun Conja, the new live album, and all the collections they've released. These guys really are the Beatles, not just of Louisiana, but of all roots-based American music.

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review by: Prairie Cajun date: 2004-08-27 rating:
Steeped in Tradition, Boldly Forging Forward
Maybe it's the Cajun boy in me, but I used to be very unnerved by the popularity of Beausoleil across the world. I just couldn't comprehend why folks in cities like NYC or Boston or San Francisco would enjoy this music, most of which was in a language they couldn't understand. It almost seemed as if Beausoleil was using their "ethnicity" to trick people outside of Louisiana into liking them because they were a "novelty" act. Boy, was I ever wrong. As I've become more mature, I've realized that Beausoleil's popularity isn't due to their "novel" status, but their brilliant music. Few contemporary Cajun bands can play songs like these guys and turn it into a beautiful thing that crosses language and cultural boundaries.

The songs on "L'Amour Ou La Folie" are fun, imaginative and heavily steeped not only in Cajun tradition, but the French tradition as well(listen to "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie" and don't tell me that you think of France when you hear it). "Newz Reel" had me longing to watch KATC news(you won't get this if you haven't been around Lafayette). The rest of the album, from the tribute to "Pop" McGee to the title track, is fantastic. The fiddle work is brilliant and the band's sound is tight. The songs are well done and nothing comes across as gimmicky or fake. When you hear "Charivari," you catch a glimpse of life that few have ever experienced outside of the Pelican State. Everything is found on this album. It's a true masterpiece. Not only does the music pay homage to the past, but you can hear new sounds that haven't been played by a Cajun band before. The closest example I can come up with would be rockabilly. In its infant stages, most of its pioneers could barely play instruments, but when folks like Buddy Holly, who studied music and experimented with it, came along, the sound took on a whole new state. Beausoleil does that with Cajun music. It's traditonal, but at the same time there is a "newness" about it.

Thanks, Beausoleil, for spreading the music of our unique culture across the world. As long as bands such as yourself exist, I don't think we'll have to worry about the Cajun culture fading away for a long time.

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review by: smk47 date: 2004-01-04 rating:
Just pure and sweet music
I hav seen Beausoleil Every time they came to the Bluegrass and Cajun Festivle, in Rhode Island. This cd is a must have. The music brings me right back to the many times I have seen them play. As a matter of fact, it's 2:15 a.m., Have the headphones on and have it cranking.


review by: sf246 date: 2002-04-09 rating:
Chime Street
One day in early March I was wondering around the LSU campus with hours to go before the Tulane/LSU baseball game. On Chime Street I stumbled across an excellent Cajun band right on the sidewalk. Talk about perfect music for a perfect day...They were so good that I took them with me to the "tailgate" at Tiger Stadium before the baseball game. This type of music gets in your head and stays. When I returned home I purchased L' Amour Ou La Folie. There are certain albums/CDs that are great the first time through. Without question, this is one of the best I have ever purchased. It would be silly to try and name the best selection. Each song is better than the next. Merely playing this CD makes you want to visit the great state of Louisiana (as well as get up and move). Not only is the music exceptional, the technical production is too. I have ordered two more Beasoleil CDs. You should listen to this when you are in a good mood, want to be in a good mood or need to be! (P.S. If anyone knows the "sidewalk" Cajun band from Chime Street on March 5th, please e-mail me) They are well worth seeing.

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