Watching fans go wild for a cover of an ‘80s era one-hit-wonder is always a fun experience — perhaps not the most rewarding for a musician, though.
While he’s having a blast playing events like weddings and bar shows with the boys of Toe Jam Tequila, Dayv Poulin said there’s a certain reward that comes from getting on stage with his own music.
“If people enjoy the songs and songwriting, it’s a different sort of pride,” the hometown artist said.
Poulin is officially launching Le Paysagiste Sept. 14 at a “mega show” during Collège Boréal’s Froche Week Celebrations.
The 12-track album is full of surprises — unexpected trumpets, an upbeat dance-track nestled between the more romantic rhythms, a few lyrics en Anglais for those who don’t parle Francais and plenty of awe-inspiring vocals.
Poulin said the album was a two-year process — a bit of a passion project he pursued while playing with the band and living life as a family man. The generous time span he had to create meant he was able to go back and tidy up the earlier tracks before neatly packaging the finished project.
I let the music breathe more.
Dayv Poulin,
musician
He has created original music before, but this time was different — experience, time and maturity were on his side.
“I let the music breathe more,” he said. The former punk rocker said it’s a far cry from the music he made when he played with Konflit Dramatik.
“There was the impulsion to crank the guitar amp and rock out,” Poulin said with a laugh.
It’s not a bad thing, but its not the direction Poulin is currently interested in pursuing.
The Azilda native is pushing the single Je T’aime (En Couleurs) to Quebec radio, with hopes of scoring some air time.
“It’s bizarre to be living here and working out there,” he said.
Given his real-life commitments, Poulin said its not feasible to move to a Francophone market — it’s not something he really wants to do either.
There are enough French-speaking “pockets” in Northern Ontario that he can stay here, and the Francophone music community, particularly the one that exists in Sudbury, is a supportive one.
There are enough resources here to make it happen, too. Recorded mostly in the north, the album features a number of locally recognized names, as well as some notable Francophone artists.
Poulin, who works in radio, said the album is quite comparable to what’s tracking on the Francophone scene in terms of both quality and sound.
“I’m extremely proud of it,” Poulin said. “I have no shame in showing it. I want everybody to hear it.”
To catch Poulin playing songs from Le Paysagiste with 12 other artists who helped record it, check out the Froche Week show. The concert gets underway at 8 p.m. at the new concert hall at Collège Boréal.
Tickets cost $15. For more information, visit lepaysagiste.ca.
