Des Pas Dans La Neige

Carson gave this album on2012-01-14.

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A few weeks ago, I discovered Maryse Letarte's Christmas and Winter themed album Des Pas Dans La Neige thanks to Mia Mind Music.

One of the first things that I noticed while listening to the album is the large number of different instruments used. Pianos, drums, clapping, voice, chimes, bells, and strings (or possibly synthesized versions of some of these) are employed to give a rich, varied, and vibrant sound. The next thing I noticed is that there are tracks in French and English as well as instrumentals present on Des Pas Dans La Neige. While some of the songs may not be in the listener's native tongue, they transend the language barrier and still deliver their meaning.

And, while we are on the subject of meaning, the messages on this album are as varied as the instrumentaion while still sticking to the common themes of Christmas and the Winter season. For instance, "Boom Boom", the only English language track on the album, is a love song. On the other end of the spectrum there is "L'automobiliste Et Le Blizzard", which delivers the feel of a car travelling over a winding, hilly road during a snow storm. Imagery is als important in "L'année Qui S'achève" which - with its sedate sound and simple instrumentation - conjures images of sitting by the fireplace on Christmas Eve.

While there are a lot of different musical feels on the album, Des Pas Dans La Neige sticks closely to its theme. The only song that seemed out of place was "Agnes De Neige" which feels kind of tropical to me. This is rather ironic since the name means "snow angels".

Des Pas Dans La Neige would make a great addition to anyone's Christmas album collection. Many of the tracks would also fit well into a relaxation playlist.

Track	Name		Carson	Katherine		Track	Name		Carson	Katherine
1	Ô Traîneau Dans Le Ciel					6	Le Mendiant De Noël
2	Anges De Neige					7	Gloria
3	Entre Noël Et Le Jour D'lan					8	L'automobiliste Et Le Blizzard
4	Boom Boom					9	L'année Qui S'achève (Epilogue)
5	L'année Qui S'achève					10	Songs De Décembre