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Album Review: The Fortunate Ones

The Bliss
The Fortunate Ones
Old Farm Pony Records
fortunateones.ca

With the impending doom of midterms and term papers, the temptation to bliss out and escape, even for just a moment or two, often becomes overwhelming. The Fortunate Ones attempt to provide such happiness with the folksy-maritime sound of their debut album The Bliss, but average song-writing fails to differentiate the duo from the rest of the Canadian folk community.

The Bliss draws heavy influence from the general sphere of folk pop, and a Newfoundland sound shines through on occasion, specifically on “Without a Name.” The duet uses a lot of harmonies, and while some songs feature the male vocalist, his female counterpart should have been given equal time to highlight her talent in solos.

The lyrics of The Bliss are cute, but not ground-breaking. The album’s namesake song sings about making choices, while “Lay Me Down” tells of lost loves. The Fortunate Ones boast a distinctly Canadian folk sound: catchy vocals, moments of a capella harmonies, and just a touch of accordion-goodness. The instrumentals are perhaps more cohesive than the lyrics themselves, carrying “bliss out” vibes throughout the album. “Oaks and Willows” could be played at the end of a yoga class: hipster savasana, if you will.

As a debut album, The Bliss proves how versatile The Fortunate Ones are. This album is truly multi-faceted: slow songs to study to, upbeat songs to dance to, songs to serenade your man-bun, plaid clad lover with on Valentine’s Day. While The Fortunate Ones may not have revolutionary song writing, The Bliss has a lovely, folk sound for easy listening.

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