I noticed that a band that’s been getting heavy rotation on my playlist recently, Montreal’s Malajube, hasn’t been written about on rock nyc, so I thought I’d spread some love for this talented quartet. Though most often classified as indie rock, Malajube is one of those bands that somehow seems to elude categorization- just when you think you have them figured out, they surprise you with a heavy hitter like their song “Casse-cou,” or a song that sounds even a little goth-rock like “Cristobald.” Did I mention they sing in French?
Which really doesn’t matter. The music speaks for itself, and lead singer Julien Mineau’s breathy voice provides the perfect compliment to the instrumentals and acts as a carte-blanche for all non-Francophones. You will be moved by Malajube’s music, especially when it comes to songs like “Etienne d’août,” or “Ursuline.”
When I tried to think of bands that Malajube sounds like, I came up with quite a list: Radiohead, Chiodos, The Strokes, The Bravery, and occasionally even The Moody Blues. Blasphemy! You say. If you don’t believe me, I highly recommend that you check them out for yourself. The songs Ursuline, 333, Montreal -40C, and Etienne d’août are good songs to start with. Their music videos are also very creative, and the video for Etienne d’août, funded by an arts organization within the Canadian government, is one of my favorite videos of all time. Give our neighbors to the north a few minutes of your time and give them a listen, it will be well worth it.