Raoul Vignal - Shadow Bands (2024) Hi-Res

A singer and songwriter from Lyon, France, Raoul Vignal makes music that's rooted in the sound and traditions of folk while approaching the sophistication of jazz in his performances and close interplay with other musicians. His songs (performed in English) are personal and low-key; he prefers a whisper to a shout as he bares his soul, and his deft fingerpicked guitar lends an absorbing, mildly hypnotic tone to his music. Vignal's first full-length release, 2017's The Silver Veil, was spare and straightforward, with his voice and guitar dominating the arrangements, while 2018's Oak Leaf was a more confident variation on the same theme. 2021's Years in Marble found Vignal adopting a less casual, more full-bodied sound that explored adult relationships and the flaws of humanity with more tuneful accompaniment.
Raoul Vignal was born and raised in Lyon. He started playing guitar when he was 14 years old, and he quickly became proficient on the instrument. He initially picked up an electric guitar, which he played in a variety of groups through his teens, but when he was 20, he developed a passion for folk music. Vignal put his focus on acoustic guitar, and he began taking lessons in fingerpicking technique. He started writing original songs that better suited his new playing style, and soon was playing out regularly, learning the finer points of performing for an audience. In 2013, Vignal left France to relocate to Germany; he settled in Berlin and became an active part of the city's singer/songwriter community. He was also commissioned to write and record the score for the 2014 short film Sweet Water of Memory.
Vignal released three EPs during his time in Germany, one of which was recorded by Martin J. Fiedler at Berlin's Klangbild Studios. Fiedler was impressed with Vignal's talent, and urged him to record a full-length album. While Vignal would return to France in 2015, he took Fiedler's advice to heart, and briefly returned to Klangbild in Berlin for the recording sessions that would produce his first full-length album, 2017's The Silver Veil. He struck a deal with Talitres Records, a label based in Bordeaux, to release the LP, which was well-received by critics and helped the songwriter build a larger audience. While touring extensively in support of The Silver Veil, Vignal hired a rhythm section, bassist Jordy Martin and drummer Lucien Chatin, whose subtle, strong support would fill out the songs and become part of his sonic trademark.
Martin and Chatin joined Vignal in a studio in Lyon to record his second full album, 2018's Oak Leaf, another success in Europe. A heavy schedule of international touring followed, and in time Jordy Martin left the trio. For the sessions for 2021's Years in Marble, Chatin returned on drums, and Vignal and his recording engineer opted to let the guitarist overdub bass lines for the project.