Olivier Jarda – Good Luck Cartel

Artist: Olivier Jarda
Album: Good Luck Cartel

Moncton’s Olivier Jarda has a great story. The Ottawa-born musician released Diagrams in 2008, but he had found himself working as a climate policy analyst for a think tank in Washington, D.C. after studying at Oxford University. He has since then quit his job, relocated to Halifax and is now set to release Good Luck Cartel, an album that’s been a couple years in the making.

From the album opener, “Speed of Light,” there’s a sincere feeling to Jarda’s vocals. “Diving Bell” opens with beautiful strings, while the album gets a little louder and fuzzier with “Skinny Grass.” Jarda sings, “I was down in the USA learning how to give and how to take,” indicating that he lets his own personal experiences guide his lyrics. “Tendencies” is bit more of a rock tune, singing, “We have our tendencies. We could banish them from here, always with a chance that they might return. I’m prepared to try and I pray I’m not the only one.” Showing some variety, there’s some moodiness with the songs that close out the album, “Into the Lake” and “Burning Valley.”

My personal favourite on the album is “Piece of Fiction.” There is a heart-warming feeling as the piano lifts the song underneath the strumming. “If this love is a lie, we can be happy that it happened so fast. I’ll keep it as a piece of fiction, one you can visit any time you ask,” Jarda honestly sings. It’s just another example of how the lyrics guide mood of the songs.

Good Luck Cartel has hooky, catchy moments when the pop side takes over the folk side, but more than anything this album is contemplative, honest and intelligent. The album will be released independently on April 10th and via Jam Jar Records in May. Let this album settle in. It’s quite beautiful.