The publication Wednesday at dawn of Royal Pubthe last album of Cowboys Fringants, was welcomed as a musical testament by many admirers of the group, still in mourning for Karl Tremblay, who died on November 15.
Well received by critics, this 12e The group’s “long game” was listened to with emotion by their fans on both sides of the Atlantic, who saw it as both the charismatic singer’s swan song and a celebration of the group’s work.
“This album is, for me, the end of a story with the audience of Cowboys Fringants as we knew them,” confides to Duty Patrice Belhache-Renier, a fan long-time Frenchman of the group. “The album is also a lesson in life and humility. Karl thanks his audience, his loved ones, all those who have been there for him all his life, as we hear in The end of the show – in all humility, as Karl always was. What emerges overall is that despite death, we must still continue to live, and love life and learn to live with the death of a loved one. »
Royal Pubwhich is inspired by characters who have crossed the group’s repertoire since its beginnings at the end of the 1990s, is in fact full of references to the state of health of Karl Tremblay, who died at the age of 47 from cancer of the prostate, and his relationship with his partner, the violinist of the group Marie-Annick Lépine.
“I was impatiently awaiting this new album, but I was afraid at the same time… Fear of being in even more pain,” explains Marie-Claude Garceau, an admirer of the group since the release of Union break in 2002. “The arrival of the new album is like a balm, but also a tear. Because what I understood as a message was that it was the end for the Cowboys Fringants. »
The one who bought tickets to see the stage version of Royal Pub received the full force of certain songs like The White hairs And Thank you well!. “They crash into me like it’s unbelievable,” she said. “The Cowboys are forever in my heart. At my funeral, I will have songs from them that will accompany me on my last journey…”
“The Cowboys’ latest album touches my heart. Being 47 years old and in remission from cancer for 10 years, the words of JF [Jean-François Pauzé, le parolier du groupe], the story of Karl and Marie, completely upsets me,” explains Marie-Noël Geoffrion. “What is life like when you accept death? The answer came last night, through the words of JF and the mouths of Karl and Marie. »
Same emotion on the side of Julie Lefebvre. “I am disturbed listening to this album. Disturbed and overwhelmed to imagine Karl singing these poignant words for the first and last time, to imagine JF writing his last texts for his old man chum, to imagine Marie-Annick heartbroken by the departure of her darling while wanting to leave something beautiful (very beautiful) to their fleas. I’m really upset. An album that changes the way we see life but especially death…”
An end or a beginning?
Browsing through the Facebook pages of the group’s main fan clubs on Friday, we could see that many wanted the group to continue its activities despite the loss of its singer. An opinion shared by Christophe Rondel, French admirer of the group.
“Selfishly, I wish I could still go to their concerts,” he says when asked by The duty. “It seems complicated to me, because Karl was luminous. Without it, I’m not sure it would work. But I remain hopeful that JF and Marie-Annick will go some way for both of us. But the talent of JF, his magnificent voice on this album, and the talent of Marie-Annick can produce beautiful things. »
“I would love to see them again on tour. But I honestly think that this album marks the end of the group. I hope I’m wrong,” says Patrice Belhache-Renier.
“I would like a continuation, because I believe that JF Pauzé could perform magnificently. JF’s texts are too powerful, relevant, intelligent and magnificent not to have a sequel….. It will never be the same without Karl, but it will be a way of continuing to bring him to life,” says Marie-Claude Garceau. “If the band decides not to continue, I will respect that, and I will continue to listen to their work. »
Breakthrough in the charts
Royal Pub also marked the return of Cowboys Fringants to the major Canadian charts. The music video for the piece The end of the showwhich pays tribute to Karl Tremblay, rose to second place on YouTube Canada’s music charts, just behind the success Fortnight of the inevitable pop star Taylor Swift.
No less than 10 of the 13 tracks Royal Pub have made their way into Apple Music’s Canadian top-100: The end of the show (38e), welcome to our house (55e), Loulou vs Loulou (58e), Hopes in question (63e), It’s three o’clock, we’re closing! (64e), Thank you well! (70e), Unanswered questions (74e), What do we do now ? (75e), Life and death of Gina Pinard (81e) And The White hairs (83e).
On the official Canadian Spotify chart, The end of the show arrives in 26e position, with more than 168,000 plays in less than 48 hours.