With 'Tempête', Les Guetteurs are already on their fourth full-length album, but for us, this is our first encounter with this French band from Boulogne-Billancourt. Unlike most reggae acts, Les Guetteurs don't draw their spiritual inspiration from Rastafari but instead find it in Christianity, earning them comparisons to American group Christafari.
By Jah Rebel
According to lead singer and guitarist François-Joseph ‘Fratoun’ Ambroselli, the album’s title refers to the “inner storms” that can affect our daily lives. But ‘Tempête’ also offers an answer, particularly emphasized in ‘Les Épines’: “N’ayons pas peur, soyons en paix malgré la tempête, car Dieu est à nos côtés!” or “Let’s not be afraid; let’s be at peace despite the storm, for God is by our side!”.
The album cover, meanwhile, is clearly inspired by ‘Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee’, a painting by Rembrandt van Rijn. The largely semi-acoustic ‘Tempête’ features several guest musicians. For opening track ‘On Est’, Les Guetteurs invited former Spear Hit vocalist Fratcha. Spear Hit was another Christian reggae band from France, active between 1999 and 2008, and drummer Benji and guitarist FonF also contributed on ‘Tempête’. The song itself is an adaptation of an unreleased Spear Hit track.
Les Guetteurs collaborated with Hopen, a Christian pop group consisting of brothers Antoine, Camille, Armand and Charles Auclair, on ‘Aime Et Fais Ce Que Tu Veux’, but the album’s most striking duet is ‘Vita Bella’, featuring mezzo-soprano Violaine Colin, who brings a touch of opera into the mix.
The band also brought in instrumentalists for ‘Tempête’. The classical or Spanish guitar in ‘Là-Haut’ is played by Spanish flamenco guitarist Pablo Dominguez, while cellist Ferréol Foillard lends his talents to the intimate ‘No More Trouble’.
Our personal highlights? The Manu Chao-esque ‘Stay With Me’ and love song ‘Ma Louve’ (“my she-wolf”).
Catchy album from a Christian reggae band that manages to deliver its message without forcing it down the listener’s throat.
Founder alongside Jah Shakespear who transitioned to this role in late 2014. Previously worked as critic and reporter, balancing passions for music and Haile Selassie spirituality.
December 31, 2024