Art D'echo - Art D'Echo

Tracks

		Track Name	Length
	1	Family Table	03:34
	2	Nothing Sacred	04:01
	3	For the Sake of Love	03:26

Photos

Videos

No Video

Information/Write-up

Art d’Echo’s 3-track EP, recorded in 1994-1995 at Montreal’s Savage Sound Studios and Studio Economik, stands as a hidden gem of the city’s mid-’90s music scene. Though brief, the EP reveals a band that blended lyrical depth with sophisticated arrangements, leaving listeners wondering what more they might have accomplished if given the chance.

The EP opens with Family Table, a haunting yet poignant reflection on family dynamics and secrets left unspoken. Frankie Thomas Hamel’s evocative vocals anchor the track, her delivery blending vulnerability with strength. The delicate keyboard arrangements and guitar flourishes from Christian Gendron and Robert Rioux provide just the right amount of tension, balancing the melancholy subject matter with subtle beauty.

Nothing Sacred is the standout track - a brooding, soulful ballad that captures the fragility of lost love and shattered trust. Hamel’s vocal performance is breathtaking, building slowly before delivering a raw, emotional climax. This song could easily have found a home on any major contemporary adult alternative playlist of the era.

The EP closes with For the Sake of Love, a cinematic, slow-burning track that marries heartfelt lyrics with sweeping instrumentation. The lush vocal harmonies and layered arrangement give it a dramatic, almost orchestral pop feel. It unfolds like a film score, building tension and resolution in waves - a testament to Art d’Echo’s deep understanding of dynamics and emotional storytelling.

A Missed Opportunity
The quality of these three songs is undeniable, making it even more of a mystery why Art d’Echo didn’t record more. Every element - from Hamel’s vocals to the impeccable production - suggests a band operating at a professional level with the potential to break through on a broader stage. The involvement of co-producer Rolly Anctil and the use of two of Montreal’s top recording studios point to a serious project with high expectations.

A Lasting Mystery
Though little is known about the fate of Art d’Echo or its members after this recording, their brief output leaves a lasting impression. If these three tracks are any indication, Art d’Echo had the potential for something far greater. For those lucky enough to stumble across their music, it’s a treasure worth savoring - a glimpse into a band that, despite its fleeting time in the spotlight, created something truly special.
-Robert Williston

Frankie Thomas Hamel: vocals, guitars, backing vocals, vocal arrangements
Christian Gendron: keyboards, guitars, arrangements
Robert Rioux: guitars
Mike Dinardo: drums

Guitar arrangements by Robert Rioux and Art d’Echo
Produced by Art d’Echo
Co-produced by Rolly Anctil
Guitars recorded by Rolly Anctil
Recorded, mixed, and engineered at Savage Sound Studios and Studio Economik, Montréal, Québec

FAMILY TABLE
Music: C. Gendron
Lyrics: F. Hamel

Sister Sarah gets her thrills
With alcohol and prescription pills
But we don’t talk about that
Brother Johnny’s got a lover
He says he loves him like no other
But we don’t talk about that

We sit around the family table
Hold hands and pray and smile if we’re able
We chew our food and slowly swallow
As we face the loneliness of tomorrow
Reality...
We don’t talk about that

Father says that mother’s trying
When he’s drunk she’s always crying
But we don’t talk about that
Uncle Jack’s always quiet
He sold his life but no one would buy it
But we don’t talk about that
No we don’t talk about that

We sit around the family table
Hold hands and pray and smile if we’re able
We chew our food and slowly swallow
As we face the loneliness of tomorrow
Reality...
We don’t talk about that

Sister Jill is a walking wounded child
She’s addicted to her lover
She likes to choose her lovers wild
She needs a man that she can smother
Denial helps to stay in control
No questions asked no explanation
Silence slowly takes its toll
When love is an obligation
But we don’t talk about that

CHORUS

NOTHING SACRED
Music: F. Hamel
Lyrics: F. Hamel

By the smallest things, you’d forget to say
Was how I first felt you turning away
To face the truth, felt like a sin
The story ends before it had a chance to begin
So what now, what more can I say
The only thing left is to beg you to stay

Baby don’t close the door
Tell me is there nothing sacred anymore
I was convinced I held the world in my hands
But now it’s fallen the floor
How can you leave me darling
Is nothing sacred anymore

I finally can see the writing on the wall
But is that all there is to love after all

Baby don’t close the door
Tell me is there nothing sacred anymore
I was convinced I held the world in my hands
But now it’s fallen the floor
How can you leave me darling
Is nothing sacred anymore

So please show me now, the slightest sign
That things get easier further down the line
When I relive the first night we met
The feelings simply won’t allow me to forget
I could try to make another start
But my mind won’t succeed in persuading my heart

CHORUS

FOR THE SAKE OF LOVE
Music: C. Gendron
Lyrics: F. Hamel

You take pleasure in your rooms of treasure
Your furniture makes you feel secure
So pour out your affection
On your life of perfection
It’s too late for ‘isn’t in’
To the one piece that’s missin’ baby

For the sake of love
Whooo...
Who’s gonna be your saviour tonight
For the sake of love
You just take from love
Whooo...
Who’s gonna be your saviour tonight

I know my convenient face
Will be easily replaced
But I’m not willing to play the part
That you had planned for me right from the start
Go find some other subject to kneel at your throne
Your kingdom won’t mean anything
When you’re all alone

CHORUS

Comments