Be warned: Dear Criminals – three musical partners in crime, each in the possession of an enviable stash of talent and now with Weapons at their disposal – have designs on hearts and minds. And if Montreal multi-instrumentalists Charles Lavoie (b.e.t.a.l.o.v.e.r.s), Frannie Holder and Vincent Legault (both of Random Recipe) get their way, yours will soon be theirs. The plan is deceptively simple: warm and alluring, darkly coloured indie folk anchored around crazily complementary vocal interplay courtesy of Lavoie and Holder and guided by the arranging hand of Legault. It’s a deftly executed, three-pronged push that lends grandeur to music that is otherwise essentially minimalist at base. And despite the inviting, transporting nature of the writing, one never feels too far away from the bare bones of the tunes, six of which have just made their way into the light of day in the form of the band’s just-released Weapons EP. Elevating the entire endeavour is the captivating, one-two combination vocal punch thrown by Holder (at points soulful, at others vulnerable, always affecting) and Lavoie (powerful and emotive without ever sacrificing subtlety). It’s a special creative relationship that merited special treatment in the making of Weapons. It’s a result that draws wide-ranging inspiration from the likes of Timber Timbre, Cat Power, James Blake, Elysian Fields, Emily Haines & The Soft Skeletons, Patrick Watson, CocoRosie and Portishead among others, and which sees Lavoie, Legault and Holder deftly folding these influences into dynamic new shapes. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Dear Criminals est le projet parallèle de Vincent Legault et Frannie Holder (Random Recipe) et Charles Lavoie (b e t a l o v e r s). Ayant exprimé leur envie de partager la scène pendant des années, les deux chanteurs joignent enfin leurs efforts dans ce projet où l'intense et puissante voix de Charles et celle de Frannie, fragile et vulnérable, se complètent de manière unique et touchante. Ce mélange vocal est ensuite plongé dans un paysage musical hanté créé par les arrangements de Vincent, créant un folk sombre et sensuel trahissant l'influence d'artistes tels que Cat Power, Timber Timbre et Elysian Fields.