These days, with the sheer dominance of the language, it is almost a rite of passage for foreign bands to sing in English – and their ticket to greater things. So what does one make of a band who shun our native tongue and sing purely in their own? Well recently it has worked for some people, most notably Bonde do Role (but then again a lot of Brazilian people know what they’re singing about anyways) but not many more. So what is one to make of Malajube: a band from Montreal that sing entirely of French? “Montreal!” I hear you coo. Well that’s all one needs to say these days. A Canadian passport will almost guarantee you instant recognition and attention here with such fellow bands as Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene. However Malajube are a little different and it’s not because they sing in French. No, this is a band that sit above the throng of Canadian bands and are intent on showing you another aspect to the Canada that we know.

Malajube were initially formed many years ago in high school in Montreal. “We wanted to start a punk rock band,” Francis the drummer tells me. But fate had another route for them to take. Immersing themselves in the vibrancy of the Montreal music scene, they honed a sound which has been described strangely by some people in the media as a cross between The Arcade Fire and The Super Furry Animals. Delightfully odd I must say. In 2004 they released their debut album Le Compte Complet – which fellow band member Mathieu tells me means “a baseball term. It’s hard to explain in English. It sounds good in French” to which I won’t argue as Conor don’t know any French – but it was with the wonderful Trompe L’Oeil last year which got most peoples attention. Trompe L’Oeil was nominated for a Polaris, the Canadian equivalent of the Mercury awards and that year Malajube were the “who the hell are they?” nomination. Eventually it was won by Final Fantasy but it was one major step up into the limelight for the budding band. It was a major surprise even to the band. “We were really surprised to be nominated with bands like Wolf Parade and Broken Social Scene” Francis beams and for us all the better we are for it.
So I bring them to the age-old question many of us are asking-what the hell do they put into the water in Canada and especially Montreal that has produced so many great bands over the years? “Montreal is so cheap and there’s so many venues and parties. Lots of bands are coming to Montreal but are not originally from there. You can rent a space for cheap and so on,” Francis illuminates. So there you go, all we need are some cheap dingy venues and we have a killer musical scene. There has to be something more. Is it the mixture of French and English culture in an American setting perhaps? With the answer comes a fascinating insight into Montreal when Francis states “There’s so many different cultures in Montreal. Also it’s half Anglo and half French. They don’t mix so much together and the Anglos have their own venues and so on”. So a slight cross breeding may occur which will eventually over time mesh and create something special like Malajube.

We go back to the beginning and I enquire about the reasoning behind singing solely in French, which for many a band could be a handicap to future success. “People are making it an issue that we sing in French” Francis tells me. “For us it’s natural. People aren’t making much of an argument about it really. All the places we go don’t really mind. At first we started in English and Julien our singer wasn’t really comfortable with it and we thought ‘well if everyone sings in English, why not French?’” So it’s because people are now more open to the idea of listening to music in another language like French? “I think so,” Francis continues. “We never thought they (the people) would take it and think we’re stuck up”. “I think the people now who need to be convinced are the people in radio and so on,” Mathieu adds. “People who are really into music get our music. We are not too much open or fussed about major radio play here and in the States. Some people are not ready for that.” So there will be no chance of this band selling out any time soon.

So what does the future hold for Malajube? A long tour through France and Britain, with a brief stop off in Japan, before heading back into the studio to continue the good fortune of quality from Canada. This is a band to look out for in the future. You may not understand what they are singing but don’t let that mask what are ultimately Canada’s next big musical export.

Conor O'Neill is a winetaster and former Buenos Airen, studying History and Politics in Trinity.
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