Artist:     Muddy Gurdy

Album:     Homecoming

Label:     Chantilly Negra

Release Date:     4.2.21

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Tia Gouttebel (vocals, guitar), Gilles Chabenat (hurdy-gurdy), and Marc Glomeau (percussion) make up Muddy Gurdy, a trio based in the “Appalachians of central France” in the Auvergne area. The hurdy-gurdy, also known as the vielle à roue, has a distinctive sound frequently and accurately described as hypnotic. As alluded to by the band’s name, this instrument permeates much of the album and is also one of the elements that creates such a unique auditory mixture evoking both rural America and the countryside of France. The album is the trio’s second, and its jacket describes Homecoming as ”a reflection on the similarities between rural music around the world,” including the efforts of “a duo of ‘bourrée’ dancers, a harp player, a bagpipe player, and a specialist of ‘briolage’- ancient ploughmen work songs.”

The vielle à roue itself is a very old instrument, with a humble history of use by peasants and street musicians that, along with lyrics which speak to a respect for shared suffering, seems an appropriate bridge between worlds. The listener can really get a taste for the album’s unique sound in ‘Down in Mississippi’ featuring J.B. Lenoir, which combines traditional blues lyrics with the winding chant of the hurdy-gurdy. A personal favorite track was “Another Man Done Gone,” featuring Vera Hall, with its somber beat and whispering percussion. Although sung predominantly in English, a spattering of French also makes its way into the lyrics. Overall, Homecoming leaves the impression of a deftly performed celebration of the universality of blues and Americana music.

—Leah Dearborn