I just fell in love with Francois Virot. His stripped down folk pop has a special vocal effect that gets me deep inside. Virot, out of Lyons, France, is becoming a favorite abroad and it’s not hard to tell why. Yes or No may be his first official release, but the fully conceived ideas within the album, achieved with no superfluous additions, are that of a sage. Virot fills out each of the tracks on his own, making it truly hard to believe that this music is made by just one. The bare instrumentation on Yes or No, one guitar, sometimes two, one voice, sometimes two or three, plus handclaps, finger taps, and bits and pieces of percussion, sound like a symphony in my ears. What is created is music that is entirely so much more than what one expects to hear from a “singer-songwriter”. The songs seep with emotion, releasing beautifully suppressed anger, all the while overflowing with generosity and Virot’s open heart. His strum is hard, but the essence is soft, and the melodies soar. You don’t think of a guitarist with a guitar but instead, whatever Virot wants you to imagine.

mp3: Where O Where A – Francois Virot – Yes or No (2008)
mp3: Not The One – Francois Virot – Yes or No (2008)
mp3: Island – Francois Virot – Yes or No (2008)

Not surprisingly, Virot has been chosen over and over to be a part of Blogotheque’s Take A Way Shows. The shorts feature musicians performing in unusual environments, offering an intimate look at the artist. Take the time to get into the one below…

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Download through Amazon: Yes or No