Fates is the first album of the young Canadian guitarist Erik Mongrain

Erik Mongrain

Erik Mongrain is a Canadian composer and guitarist. He uses a unique acoustic style with a wide array of different techniques, approaches and textures reminiscent of Michael Hedges.-Biography:...

. Released in December 2006, Fates contains 10 songs like AirTap!, PercussienFa, I Am Not, Fusions or La Dernière Pluie. This first album, produced by Serge Fiori

Serge Fiori

Serge Fiori was the lead vocalist and guitarist for Harmonium, an influential progressive rock band from Quebec. After Harmonium broke up he pursued a minor solo career.- Biography :...

 (see Harmonium

Harmonium (band)

Harmonium was a Canadian progressive rock band from Montreal, Quebec.-History:Lead vocalist and guitarist Serge Fiori met Michel Normandeau in a theatre music meeting on November 1972. Later on in 1973 they met bassist Louis Valois and became Harmonium. In November 1973 the group performed their...

).

Mongrain worked on the album for over two years, which was released worldwide on June 2007. The CD cover features a bishop

Bishop (chess)

A bishop is a piece in the board game of chess. Each player begins the game with two bishops. One starts between the king's knight and the king, the other between the queen's knight and the queen...

, drawn by Yan Mongrain, the guitarist's brother.

Tracks list

1. PercussienFa - 3:53    
2. Fates - 4:59    
3. La Dernière Pluie - 3:14
4. Fusions - 3:24    
5. Géométrie D'une Erreur - 4:40
6. Mais Quand? - 4:41    
7. AirTap! - 3:48    
8. Confusion #8 - 3:27
9. Interprétations - 4:17
10. I Am Not - 5:29

Tracks translations and meanings

(from CD booklet, written by Erik's hand)

1. PercussienFa (Neologism « Percussion on Fa

Note

In music, the term note has two primary meanings:#A sign used in musical notation to represent the relative duration and pitch of a sound;#A pitched sound itself....

»)

None explanations nor reasons but percussions of joy, discoveries and improvisations of a chosen musical structure!

2. Fates

I do not believe in destiny, chance does not exist... All is synchrony. Nothings happens for nothing, everything has its purpose, even the smallest thing! My vision it is, not necessarily yours! Here is however my ode to this synchrony called life.

3. La dernière pluie (from French : The last rain)

I love rain, I am rain's fool... I imagines what would be one last day on earth, with on last rain..!

4. Fusions

An utopian scenario! Two beings meeting by a canicular day, amidst a lively crowd. Their sight cross each other's, fusing from inside. Then scattered away from within the multitude.

5. Géométrie d'une erreur (from French : Geometry Of An Error)

A beautiful mistake of judgement from deep inside... Oh how can we hasty when passion flows about!

6. Mais Quand? (from French : But When?)

A French proverb states : "We harvest what we sow!" And me questioning: "But when?"

7. AirTap!

St-Sebastian, Spain, 9 AM. Sitting on stone stairs, underneath the shades of a tree. A pure sun edging out through the leaves, drawing crests of light. My coffee on my left and my guitar on my knees. It's with a heart filled with joy that these melodies came to me... and I played!

8. Confusion #8

There is many types of confusions, sad or grey, frenetic or joyful... Here is one I have lived. A confusion in which one could lose his mind, every choice appearing to me as either a good one or perhaps the bad one. For in the end not chose anything!

9. Interprétations

The amplitude that can create one interpretation, be it true or false.

10. I am not

Interrogations without any rationality and without any apparent reasons that assaulted me, suddenly, as if possessed by some force. A mental combat against a voice that states the opposite of what you've always been!