3 out of 5

Label: Un je ne sais quoi

Produced by: Benjamin Maumus

A double bassist and an accordionist cross paths at a music residency in France…

Tertous, which the media copy translates as a type of familiar, regional way of addressing a group or crowd – e.g. the equivalent of “hello, everyone…” – engenders a kind of storytime vibe, as suggested by this title: to gather everyone around, and listen to what these two improvisational musicians, breezily blowing past one another with their stringed weapons in hand, have to say. As such, Mélanie Loisel & Rachel Langlais begin the album as a chit-chatty conversation; the instrumental equivalent of chatter. Topics soon emerge on opener Une Longue Losse Anuit, whether its Loisel’s sonorous bass, or Langlais’ weepy squeezebox, the duo lamenting the loss of some sort, before the back-and-forth becomes scattered and pointed and almost energized on Danse à dandilleux, the two shouting at one another.

We’re three tracks in at this point, on A force de fêtes, and the talk has gone quiet after this peak. Maybe it’s also a little weird and goofy, and the cycle somewhat starts over: A force de fêtes becomes wistful, followed by the zoomies on Du bon créquoui, and back to more contemplative, rumbly quiet on Acas d’iau, which picks up in intensity as Langlais hammers on some chords…

This time, though the chaos of the conclusion hits a wall of unmusical noise, which extends into Venvoles et silences’ 7-minute stretch, allowing drone-like repeated tones to emerge, deep within the track. De son estoc is a slow, drawn out goodbye; the chatter has run a full course a couple times over and exhausted its participants, the song dripped with happy, satisfied energy that’s ready to go home.

This is a good story to listen to. Even accounting for the space give to improvisation, Tortous feels very on point and followable; a conversation that managed to stay on script, perhaps just wandering at the most convenient places. At the same time, I’m not always in the mood for a stage play of sorts; or to relisten to some specific podcast episode – as another example of a medium (often) structured around conversation – and while “good,” the album is also lacking the more exact details to make it great. But it’s an experience remembered fondly for sure, and likely one – when you see Loisel or Langlais again, passed in the hall – you’ll be reminded of, and want to hear at least one more time.