Everyone has their own way
That’s it, for Beyries : a first album in French. That’s it, for San James (Marilyse Senécal in civil): finally a first complete album. That’s it, even for one Guylaine Tanguay from whom we only expected the continuation of a performing career: a first album of his own songs. Coincidence? No, the time is for accomplishment, for completion. The post-pandemic, precariousness, changes in the industry confront artists with their projects. Old refrain from Plastic Bertrand: should I stop or should I continue? Question more relevant than ever. To go where ? A Sylvie Paquetteafter more than thirty years of songs, continues its journey. Laurence Nerbonne promises to move resolutely into the unknown: that’s his way. Maude Audetabundant, adds Songs for you to his recent album. THE Térez Montcalm, Mônica Freire resurface. Andréanne A. Malette, Mariko, Émilie Laforest, Shaina Hayes, Christine Tassan and her Impostors will also have new discs. Have you noticed ? Women, women, women. They are the ones we will follow this season.
The Francophile flowering of Beyries
At URSA, a local place, Amélie Beyries unveiled this fall the bouquet of barely hatched songs from the album Fire in the lilacs. All magnificent, all important, all written and set ablaze with Maxime Le Flaguais. Finally ? Yes finally. It took seven years of varied shoots, show themes, covers, collaborations, most often in French, and two albums in English, Landing in 2017, Encounter in 2020, to get there. Critical unanimity did not prevent the observation: a string of Franco opportunities seized, an officially Anglo career, we were looking for logic. At the preview of URSA, we understood: there was a secret garden, finer and stronger emotions that could only be expressed in French in the text. And great care was required: it was Joseph Marchand who did the gardening, at the console. Time, first extract, has been smelling good since November. From February, it will be in full bloom. We’ll go and smell it.
The return of non-binary people
See you tomorrow maybe : it’s an album title and it’s the promise kept by Galaxy, the group of Olivier Langevin, Fred and Pierre Fortin with François Lafontaine. They are our non-binary champions of garage psych-rock, Karkwa’s brief return has not made us forget him, after five years of hope. A welcome return as rock in French is not very strong among the guys back home. We will find a little bit of everything in the months to come: the folk song of a Alexandre Poulinof a Ian Kellyof a Matt Holubowski and a Elliot Maginotthe pop song of a Peter Peter, the still formidable trad of a Yves Lambertthe dynamic and dynamite rap of Clay and Friends. And the rewatch of Crow, in there? Certainly, we will find Laurence Nerbonne next to the croonerbut all in all, I prefer them 2 brothers : their next album is called Start the thing againe, and it meets a real need.
The saviors of rock
We never stop predicting the death of rock, in the era of triumphant pop. However, the season, launched on January 19 by the aptly named Saviors of Green Day, will pick out the killer riffs. A Pearl Jam duly rough is expected, Tom Yorke the intractable returns with The Smile, his post-Radiohead group (Wall of Eyes), Sheryl Crow will mark his recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with a new album titled Evolution, Dave Davies swears he’s going to do Kinks again with brother Ray, Lenny Kravitz will do it again, up to the irreducible Judas Priest who will present an album in the form of armor: Invincible Shield. Supreme symbol, the very first group of hard metallers in history, I named MC5, will resume service. Wayne Kramer will have new songs, 53 years after the last ones, which he will perform in the company of Vernon Reid, Slash and Tom Morello, among other disciples. Album title? We Are All MC5. Undeniably.
The raceaux archives
Each new year brings its share of anniversary boxes: the golden age of albums corresponds to the 1970s, the fiftieth anniversary is celebrated and the “deluxe” editions pile up. We’re already a little late for Band on The Run, the most famous record of Paul McCartney & Wings, the reissues (and the novelty!) of the Beatles having requisitioned the fall, but a so-called “underdubbed” version will nevertheless reach us: primitive mixes prepared at the time by Geoff Emerick, before the avalanche of additions by the prolific Paul . Likewise, we will have a rich box set of four discs for the Madman Across The Water by Elton John, filled to the dregs with demos and alternative versions. The program of reissue specialists is already full and goes well beyond anniversaries: let’s note an improved overhaul of the masterpiece Shine On Brightly of Procol Harum, at Cherry Red Records. The gift of the year? Neither anniversary nor reissue, Tami will sing Willie! The album Nilsson Sings Nelson aims for immortality, nothing less.