Projet Orange

The name of Projet Orange’s latest release, Megaphobe, is an ironic illusion. This album is anything but the work of a band that’s afraid to make it big. From a sheltered community, they were about to launch themselves into a much bigger pond. The brothers Boies needn’t fear, the material on this record is not proof of their ability to switch from their mother tongue to English, it’s a big, bold, border-breaking artistic statement.
Breezy hooks meet muscular guitars; raw atmospherics confront conscientious poetics. This is smart, moving rock – one of those rare records that gets your body moving and lets your mind wander. The soaring falsetto, gritty pop and immaculate harmonies of the album lures the ear with a hint of musically ancestral sentimentality. The fresh vitality of the band’s charisma is what brands them a place all their own. From the bratty “Yeah! Yeah!”, to the trippy “A.R.S.E.”, to the smooth subtle anthemesque first single, “Tell All Your Friends”, Megaphobe is an album that resists being pigeonholed into the ‘singles’ era we’re surviving right now. The Boies brothers romp through styles with astonishing ease, keeping you hoping there’s no end to the album. But this momentum is not without precedent. Projet Orange had a huge debut.
Projet Orange’s self titled debut released on March 7th 2001 became one of the most reactive French Canadian debuts in recent history. Combine 4 singles at Francophone radio (De Héros à Zéro .1, S’étend l’Amer .3, Mystère Aérosol .5, La Pomme .15, ) one MuchMusic Video award (La Pomme-Best French Video Award 2001), constant touring with a blow away stage presence, and a strong sales base in La Belle Province and you get an amazing set-up for sophomore release.
Don’t be misled by the final product, it wasn’t a walk in the park to get Megaphobe. You see, Jean-Christophe and Jean-Sebastien had originally gone to Ile d’Orleans to record their follow up French album. But a funny thing happened between takes. With time on their hands, the brothers, being brothers, started to write more. “We already had 20-25 songs,” Jean-Sebastien says. “We were writing and it just kept going. We had been lucky enough to be given the freedom of being off on our own. It allowed us to explore.” Away from the pressures and tick tock of a big studio and a big producer, the duo felt at ease to work on their craft and write new songs.
“My brother and I had rented the house on Ile d’Orleans in order to concentrate.” says Jean-Christophe. “It had an amazing view of the river. With nature as our only distraction, it was a place to make music 24 /7. It was also far from – and I mean no disrespect– the clique of Montreal. We needed to remove ourselves from that in order to find out what we truly were musically.”
Something else happened. The brothers faced some pretty serious personal challenges. On February 7, 2002, Jean-Sebastien was diagnosed with a blood poisoning disease affecting the immune system. In mid-creative process, the Boies brothers took a forced six-month break to deal with reality. “It changes your life,” says Jean-Sebastien. He began going for treatments three times a week, four hours per visit. His brother was right there beside him.” Jean-Sebastien beat the odds and made a full recovery. Needless to say, when the boys went back to the house by the lake, things were different.
“It’s obvious (that the ordeal) gave us wings,” says Jean-Sebastien. “This was all realized after the fact. At the time, I/we just went to work. Now I listen. Jean-Christophe’s lyrics are more direct and questioning. I can see now that it was very good for us.” He reflects.
Perhaps it was the intensity of what they had just been through. Or perhaps it was the six months off. Perhaps it was something in the air at the house by the river. Whatever it was, it filtered into the music. Jean-Christophe toyed with lyrics on a few new songs. English lyrics. Those tracks were thrown in with a demo of the nearly completed French album for BMG Canada Inc., and STOP EVERYTHING, again. The label loved the new material, and the boys were sent back to the studio to pick up where they left off, strike while the iron was hot, and make a (primarily) English rock album. Manager Sebastien Nasra shot off a couple of songs to Toronto singer-songwriter Simon Wilcox (Three Days Grace, Jorane) for linguistic assistance. The move launched a symbiotic lyrical partnership and friendship. Wilcox co-wrote much of Megaphobe and became Jean-Christophe’s go-to gal for all things English.
“She really respected my way of working,” Jean-Christophe says. “She found my universe, patched holes, helped with phonetics, words and gave everything a global poetry. Her words moved me.”
Enter Juno-winning producer Gavin Brown (who produced two songs, “Hell to Pay” and the first single “Tell All Your Friends”) and mixmaster Brian Malouf (Foo Fighers, Everclear, Pearl Jam and Verve Pipe) for the single “Cities”, and Megaphobe’s promise took on an imposing form.
Megaphobe – a record that breathes, heaves, sets you adrift and reels you in. Pay attention. It’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll get those fluttery butterfly feelings and a chill up your spine that comes from hearing a great band take flight.