THE CORMIERS-THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER The packed audience at The Cormiers' last Labrador West appearance left the Arts and Culture Centre laughing and humming the infectious original tunes of the family band. A sweet mix of voices and sounds from the west coast of Newfoundland, The Cormiers easily found the perfect balance between their French and Scottish roots. From haunting melodies to boisterous reels, they bring the best of those cultures together once again with songs from the second CD, The Cormiers. With the group's second-generation growing up quickly, their latest recordings also include just the right touch of attitude making them a true act for all ages. Most changed this time around is Mallory. When last here, she was the child we thought might be stepdancing just a little too close to the edge of the darkened stage and she was more than a little ticked off by having her show clothes lost on the way in; today, she's a young woman whose songwriting talents reflect with maturity the world she sees around her. Her "Moving Away" last tour reflected the loss of a friend's family off to Fort McMurray to find work unavailable in this province. This time around, "If Someone would Care" highlights victimization by school bullies while "Not Me, Not Now" tackles the unseen peer pressure of today’s high schools. The lilting voice of a child is mellowing into a powerful instrument, promising a long career for a multi-talented performer. Randall, happiest when hiding behind the drums last time, still thinks he has "a lot to learn there yet!". Any self-proclaimed holes in his education certainly aren’t evident in their latest recordings and there’s plenty of evidence that an onstage presence will soon become as comfortable as old jeans. For experienced performers Loretta and Gordon, "The Cormiers, as a group, was always intended to be a vehicle and a showcase for the children, a venue where they could explore their musical possibilities in a supportive environment." With decades in front of an audience themselves as individuals, The Cormiers, while a relatively new group, has always provided their audiences the professional touches, great timing, strong presence, and a rhythm that carries the entire show, allowing listeners to really enjoy the quiet moments which builds to hand-clapping, foot-tapping intensity when the fiddles look for the talented D'arcy Broderick! and tin whistles come out. Strength marks every aspect of a performance by The Cormiers. Gordon, the quiet backbone of the group, plays a half-dozen instruments with casual ease. Up front, Loretta's steady vocals are backed by her own hands on the guitar. Even the youngest group member, Randall, continues to expand his instrument selection, showing more than mere competence on the bodrhan. It's originality, however, that sets The Cormiers apart. While capable of reeling off any of the traditional standards, the majority of their new repertoire are songs written by Gordon, with nine of the titles on the new CD either written or co-written by him. That's a departure from their first album, a deliberate one according to Loretta who says, "When we went to record this album, we had a lot of new material that we'd performed in front of an audience." With strong positive reaction from listeners, and the support of a new professional representative, they decided to give up the crutch of well-known traditionals on their new album. Live performances continue to blend old and new, with the entire group confident their audience will always tell them "what works, what connects". Whether it's Mallory's interpretation of the life of a modern teen, or Gordon's reflection on growing up on the same soil his grandfather's family farmed two hundred years ago in the Codroy Valley, Cormier songs are drawn from their local roots. Said Gordon, "Most lives, no matter where they're lived, have something in common. Everyone has lost a friend, grown up, and longed for home. That we write about all those things from our perspective doesn’t mean our audience won’t relate quite the opposite in fact. It's the common experiences of life that draw us all together, no matter where we might be from." If growing popularity is any indicator, Gordon is right. The three years since the group last graced the stage in Labrador West have proven busy ones for the family. They've opened for some of country music's leading lights, including Sammy Kershaw and Lorrie Morgan. When the East Coast Music Awards organize their 72-Hour Jam last year, The Cormiers were prominent talents. They were also showcased at the ECMA’s and Canadian Music Week in Toronto. At every venue, standing ovations mark the end of their performances, proof positive that their messages are universal. "New folk," or "alternative country," or "modern traditional" tags applied by their reviewers all fail to describe the Cormier style. "Crowd pleasing," "original," and "accessible" however, do not. Ngaire Genge, 53 North Magazine |
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