First album of the Gars du Nord: the most beautiful trip in 20 years of career by Wilfred LeBouthillier

MISE À DAY

“We all put our solo careers aside to live this project”, says Wilfred LeBouthillier about the album Les fils du père of his group Les Gars du Nord. This opus is the band's first, in ten years, to consist of songs that are not Christmas tunes. Which doesn't mean it's not festive.

What was initially just a “show-excuse to walk around with friends and sing Christmas songs during the holiday season” has been transformed, over the last decade, into a project highlighting the musical strengths of each member of the Gars du Nord. 

This is explained by Maxime McGraw and Wilfred LeBouthillier, two of the founding members of the Acadian group known for its festive music with Celtic accents. 

Original pieces

“For three years, we wanted to do more than just make Christmas songs, they explain. The departure of Jean-Marc [Couture, who left the group to join that of La Chicane in 2022] “shake” us, we won't hide it, but it also seemed like a good time to get started. »

Questions about the future of the group have turned into a desire to continue this gang adventure with new friends all year round. To Danny Boudreau, Wilfred LeBouthillier and Maxime McGraw, present since the beginning of the group, four musician friends have been added. 

“It was the public that brought us there, says the 44-year-old former academician who signs the music for this third album of the group. People thought we were good and made us want to do more, to offer original pieces. Festival requests also made us want to offer our own material.”

Make people happy

Les Gars du Nord is a universe created with the stories told in their shows. It tends towards the 1920s, the sea stories of their grandfathers and is embellished with costumes and photos with a little “Irish” side. 

When he evokes the creation of the album The sons of the father, Wilfred LeBouthillier does not hesitate to declare that this is his best “trip in 20 years of career”. 

“We were all together in a cottage with a studio in Moncton, we felt we had something,” he said. We were in tune and we didn't count our hours.”

The result is “a big mix of country music with Celtic, Irish, Acadian and Breton influences,” explains Maxime McGraw, 35, the youngest of the group. Some songs are even the result of three or even four years of work.

“This album, made up of ten very energetic and traditional songs, is a tribute to the men of the sea, continues Wilfred. We adapt many metaphors to maritime vocabulary. Sailors at sea can thus represent artists on tour, far from those they love and who love them.” 

After seeing the strong reaction of people when his first extract – Les hardes cirées – the group is even more eager to bring this album to life for its audience. 

“We feel that people are eager and that they want to sing and dance with us, adds Maxime McGraw. We want to bring it to life as much as possible and we hope people will have as much fun listening to it as we had doing it. Because everything we do is to make people happy.” 

• The Album The Northern Guys' Father's Son can be found on all platforms.
• A launch-show will be presented this evening in Bathurst, New Brunswick.