Featuring members of Montréal-based indie rock outfit Foreign Diplomats — Élie Raymond (guitar, vocals), Antoine Lévesque-Roy (bass), Thomas Bruneau Faubert (trombone, synths), Charles Primeau (guitar) and Antoine Gallois (drums) — Frais Dispo is a radical new direction for the musicians: The project sees the Canadian outfit writing and singing lyrics completely in French. Rooted in a much more collaborative songwriting approach, the band has gone through a decided change in sonic direction, with their new material drawing from alt country, folk and indie rock.
Frais Dispo’s full-length debut, Teinte is slated for an April 14, 2023 release through Audiogram. The album will feature “Julliet,” a song melancholy yet accessible bit of pop rooted in the sort of thoughtful and deliberate craftsmanship that gives the song a sweetly anachronistic air, while subtly bringing Fleetwood Mac to mind. As the band explained in press note notes., the song is a reflection on the languorousness of every day life and the passing of time in a small town. Everything is the same, including the simultaneous longing for a past you can’t get back — and for something, hell anything, to be different. The album will also feature “Chiens habillés,” which was released earlier this year.
The album’s third and latest single “Engraisser” sees the Canadian outfit fully embracing an alt-country take on indie rock, featuring twangy and reverb-drenched guitars, twinkling Rhodes and a chugging and propulsive rhythm section paired with big hooks. While subtly bringing Corridor to mind — at least to my ears — the song as the band explains touches upon night terrors, alcohol consumption that makes you fat and dull and being firmly rooted in the comfort of every day life.
As the band explains “Engraisser” came together quickly and naturally. It was one of the first songs they wrote and recorded as a quartet. With Élie taking up drum duties, the album started to take on its shape and identity.
“Fattening up came together very quickly and naturally. It’s one of the first songs we did as a quartet after our former drummer left. With Élie on drums, that’s when the album started to take on its stronger identity,” explain the band members.
To celebrate the album’s release, the band will be playing at Québec’s Santa Teresa Festival on May 14, and Petit Campus in Montréal on May 18.
