Louis-Jean Cormier, lead singer of acclaimed Quebec rock band Karkwa, just launched his highly anticipated solo album on the new label Simone Records. Le treizième étage, or The thirteenth floor, is an intelligent, playful and inspired collection of songs carried by a strong and engaging voice.
Karkwa fans, rest assured – the group has not disbanded. After a world tour of the 2010 Polaris Prize-winning album Les chemins de verre, members of Karkwa made the collective decision to put the band’s projects on hiatus. They also have one rule: no collaboration between the members of the band is allowed on each other’s projects during this pause.
While other members were busy working on various collaborations and solo releases, Cormier started off by producing Lisa LeBlanc’s recent album – a big hit presently across francophone Canada – before actually going into studio to record and produce his solo album.
Listen to the first single of the album, “L’ascenseur.”
Cormier’s biggest challenge? Finding himself. As the voice of Karkwa, it’s difficult to imagine Cormier being himself without sounding like his band. Essentially, Cormier’s signature now lies in his lyrics – they’re more down to earth, socially conscious, transparent, bright and evocative. He writes catchy melodies and creates contemporary and well crafted arrangements. He also includes more vocal harmonies, which highlight a perfect blend with Adèle Trottier-Rivard’s voice.
For Le treizième étage, Cormier created a special chemistry with a new group of collaborators: Marc-André Larocque (drums), Guillaume Chartrain (bass, piano), Benoît Cormier (violins) and Trottier-Rivard (back vocals, piano, percussion). He also asked Daniel Beaumont, lyricist for Tricot Machine, for his input on the lyrics of many songs. The result is a personal style of acoustic folk and rock, with lyrics inspired not only by personal experiences but also by a social conscience that pleads for action.
On Sunday, Sept. 29, on CBC Radio 2, A Propos features many songs from this superb new CD, as well as host Jim Corcoran’s translations. Tune in to hear more!
ListenListen to Corcoran’s translation of Louis-Jean Cormier’s song “Bull’s Eye.”
The future looks busy for Cormier. Before the album was even recorded, halls across Quebec had already included Cormier’s concerts in their programs. He will be performing across the province throughout the fall and winter. To find out more about his tour, visit his site.
Related:
A Propos: Jim Corcoran in conversation with Louis-Jean Cormier
In Translation: 'Marie tu pleures' by Karkwa
CBC Radio 3's Sessions Podcast featuring Karkwa