Geneviève Beaulieu is one half of Menace Ruine, with her partner Steve De La Mothe. I enjoy the two Menace Ruine records I own (from 2008, on Alien8 Recordings), and while I tend to file them alongside my Black Metal collection the band also overlap with dark ambient and “neofolk” genres to some extent.
Today’s record Augury (UNION FINALE UNI15) is a 100% Geneviève Beaulieu solo effort – she wrote all the songs, sings, plays her acoustic guitar and banjo, did the recording, mixing, and the cover art. It seems she and De La Mothe moved into a more pastoral environment some years ago, and this has been a life-changing event for them. I shan’t say they retreated to a woodland fortress in the manner of J.D. Salinger (who was attempting to escape being noticed), but evidently the joys of nature have inspired Beaulieu to take this acoustic back-to-basics pathway. Her refreshed spirit is also reflected in the lyrics, with imagery largely drawn from the woodlands – trails, fruits, roots, flowers, earth, growing, wells, the seasons, and so forth. Naturally, many of these things and more are taken as signs and symbols for Geneviève Beaulieu’s life journey of discovery.
For those diehards who crave a flavour of the original “menace” of Menace Ruine, perhaps we could suggest they turn to the song ‘Severed Head’; there’s no real violence in the music or melody, apart from the clever shifts into a minor key, but the lyrics are shot through with tasty images of blood, serpents, and nightmares. But even this song is intended as a form of redemption, I expect; the listener is exhorted to have no fear. Very distinctive sound to the record; sharp, clear recording (no ambient fog shadows concealing everything); the voice cutting through like clear air in the sunlight; stringed instruments played with unearthly precision. Even her Quebecois accent, which carries through into her singing voice, has its own unique flavour. (29/07/2024)