Let the good times roll - A review of Les Cowboys Fringants's Les nuits de Repentigny

Quebec's cult quartet Les Cowboys Fringants has just released a surprise record in form of Les nuits de Repentigny, honouring the group's musical, geographical and cultural origins. The generous album includes twenty-three songs with a total running time of fifty-six minutes. These songs have been written during the past twenty-five years but hadn't made it onto any official release so far. The band decided to finally record them for fun last autumn and bring some joy to their fans this spring while concerts and festivals are still on hold due to the ongoing pandemic. The record has been released digitally so far but will also be released on CD on March 26th 2021 and on vinyl on April 23rd 2021. The record is available with four different cover artworks, presenting the four current band members.

The album is a pleasant surprise since it goes back to the group's origins. ''En business' recalls western soundtracks in the key of Ennio Morricone, ''Épique Éric'' sounds like a psychedelic rock tune from the seventies with some warm folk sounds and title song ''Les nuits de Repentigny'' combines country melodies with rock 'n' roll spirit and a vibrant brass section. The imaginative French lyrics are just as diversified as they deal with serious topics such as animal cruelty and homelessness but also with tongue-in-cheek themes such as wild parties and strange pizza styles. With its warm retro sound, the album manages to sound coherent despite its creativity and invites for multiple spins to let the different tunes grow on you.

Les Cowboys Fringants' Les nuits de Repentigny should please fans of the group's early records like 12 Grandes Chansons, Sur mon canapé and Motel Capri. However, the album doesn't sound too old-fashioned and has a harmoniously timeless sound instead. The record includes no stinkers and is easily the band's greatest record since La Grand-Messe seventeen years ago. The major difference between those two records is that the latter included profound environmental, political and social messages while the new record is an unapologetic party album. In difficult times like these, it's actually an appropriate idea to slow down the philosophical content and increase the uplifting components. Les Cowboys Fringants' Les nuits de Repentigny is the party album of the year that you didn't know you needed until it was released out of the blue. Give it a try, practise your French and let the good times roll!

Final rating: 80%