Musical Wednesday with La Patente

La Patente is a party that’s been going strong for nearly five years — and it shows no signs of slowing down. After releasing their debut album L’illusion de la perfection (2021) and their EP Le paradis des infidèles (2023), the quartet is back in September 2024 with Le cirque des mal-aimés — a gritty folk-rock album, soaked in sawdust and tinged with the scent of the bottom of a barrel.

Emerging from the shadows of New Brunswick, this diesel-fueled band spits out the smoke of everyday life with fierce energy. With this new record, they further assert their unique place on the musical landscape.

Since their debut in 2020, La Patente has played close to 200 shows across five countries on both sides of the Atlantic. Their raw and authentic performances have earned them multiple nominations and awards from the ECMAs, GAMIQ, Music NB, FrancoFête en Acadie, and Harvest Festival, along with appearances at many major events and TV shows.

Wherever they go, their gravelly voices and late-night anthems leave a trail of sore muscles and joyful hangovers. Their latest release, Le cirque des mal-aimés, is a series of odes to nights that never end, powered by the tireless festive energy of Marc Colecchio (lyrics, vocals, guitar), Mathieu Émond (banjo, vocals), Marc-André Godin (upright bass, vocals), and Jean-Denis Migneault (drums, vocals).

Don’t be surprised if you catch a whiff of two-stroke engine, mixed with hints of backwoods grit and a lakeside breeze — that’s just one of the side effects of repeated exposure to this band’s gritty backyard poetry and rough-edged charm.

La Patente delivers a relentless, high-octane celebration. Their sound is a raw and edgy fusion of punk-rock and country-folk, sprinkled with a one-of-a-kind contemporary twist that’s all their own.