Here are the latest Canadians to commandeer our iPods, and we just can’t get enough of their kick-ass album Trompe L’oeil around Stereogum HQ. Before you proceed, be warned: These tunes are in full-on French. So get your Babblefish on, or do like we do and engage in some super-charged incoherent sing-alongs. It’s fun! (But if it matters to ya, we hear their lyrics are “intelligent.”)
Malajube ? “Fille Á Plumes” (MP3 Link Expired)
Malajube ? “Étienne D’août” (MP3 Link Expired)
The first track’s melodramatic moments (and that Montreal mailbox) may elicit an Arcade Fire name check, but Malajube are so much more; the band stuffs more styles and ideas into one song than most serve up on a full length! So don?t let the spare, three-part structure of “File Á Plumes” fool ya. They can write taut, breezy bubblegum pop that would fit on Phoenix’s United (“Pâte Filo”), weave between dreamy soundscapes, indie-ska, and Brian May-styled solos (“Casse-Cou”), blend prog and punk to amazing effect (“Le Crabe”), and score the sort of string-laden soundtrack symphonies that fill arenas and tickle tear ducts (“Etienne D?août”).
Or, to hear the band tell it, they’re a “Progressive Emo Jam Band.”
Malajube has an upcoming tour through the provinces up north with Nick Diamonds and Islands, so those of us south of the border will just have be patient. (But we can’t wait!) Hear more on MySpace — and get this record.
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montreal represent
Please check out their debut album Le Compte Complet.
It`s short but great
Check out Navet Confit
His LP1 is up there with Malajube`s Trompe L’oeil for french album of the year.
Yes! I saw these guys open for BSS at Ottawa Bluesfest and they were awesome. See them live if at all possible.
Andrew (singer/guitarist) wore cool sneakers.
Lyrics:
Étienne D’août:
Parce qu’on aime
Fondre en larmes sous les draps
On s’aime comme ci comme ca
Pour une dernière fois
Mais s’il te plaît
Ferme la porte derrière toi
Et quand tu reviendras
Je serai près de toi
Et si tu m’aimes
Serres-moi fort dans tes bras
Est-ce qu’on ne s’embrasse pas
Pour une dernière fois
Mais s’il te plaît
Ferme la porte derrière toi
Et quand tu reviendras
Je serai près de toi
Mais dis-moi à quoi tu penses
Et quand tu reviendras
Je serai près de toi
Pour une dernière fois
Fille Á Plumes:
Mes yeux veulent voir
Tes yeux voient noir
Mes yeux veulent croire
Tes yeux voient noir
Mes comment laisser
la Terre tourner sans elle?
Pieds nus dans la rue
elle s’enfuyait
de nous quatre sans dire un mot.
de nous quatre sans faire un plat
elle s’enfuyait
avec mes yeux dans ses mains.
Mes yeux veulent voir
Tes yeux voient noir
Mes yeux veulent croire
Tes yeux voient noir
Mes comment laisser
la Terre tourner sans elle?
Pieds nus dans la rue
elle s’enfuyait
de nous quatre sans dire un mot.
de nous quatre sans faire un plat
elle s’enfuyait
avec mes yeux dans ses mains.
Nice to see some love for the French speaking side of the Montreal scene. You should check out Les Breastfeeders also. Another good French band from Montreal.
awesome, el payo! (but with a name like that, i would’ve thought spanish to be your thing.) do you have the lyrics to, like, the rest of the album?? we want them!
This album really is fucking stellar.
They were nominated for that Polaris Music Prize because of it.
Malajube’s “Montréal -40″ can also be heard on that Telus Communications commercial in Canada.
Yeah, get “Montreal -40″ too, it’s amazing
I?m happy to see that my favorite Québec band is getting attention in US, even if it?s all in French. You should also check for ?Le Compte Complet?, the first album from Malajube. And “Montréal -40″ is awsome.
I still am really into the first album by Le Nombre – another damn good Québécois rock band with tête-carré appeal! Blow the Fuse and Dare to Care records both have some other good bands!
So who is the actor in the “Étienne D’août” video? Who reminds me of the guy who played Friar Tuck in Robin Hoood Prince of Thieves…