Earlier this year, Jean-Michel Blais was evicted from the Montreal apartment pictured on the cover of his debut LP Il. Now, the space will be further immortalized with a new EP.
Titled eviction sessions, the five-track EP was recorded live inside Blais' former apartment. Arriving November 30 through Arts & Crafts, the mini-release brings together piano-only recordings of three songs from this year's Dans ma main LP, in addition to a pair of new songs.
Blais explained, "In the spring of 2018, I was asked to leave the beloved apartment where lived for 7 years, and where I recorded my first album, Il. Before signing with Arts & Crafts, I would host one show a year in the intimacy of my bedroom."
He continued: "eviction sessions is a recording of my final pop-up concert in that apartment, and my way to say goodbye to that room. Friends and family, side by side on the floor, on my bed, sharing the silence of their breathing, I wanted to record a live album in a unique way that would capture the presence of them being."
Ahead of the EP's arrival, you can hear "sans titre (andante)" below. Blais has also mapped out dates in the United States and Europe early next year ahead of a lengthy tour of Quebec and Eastern Canada. You can find his itinerary below.
eviction sessions EP:
1. blind (acoustique)
2. igloo (acoustique)
3. sans titre (andante)
4. hutchison (improvisation)
5. chanson (instrumental)
Tour dates:
11/25 New York, NY - National Sawdust
11/28 Boston, MA - The Red Room
12/04 Seattle, WA - Triple Door
12/05 Portland, OR - The Old Church
12/07 Los Angeles, CA - Lodge Room
12/13 Verdun, ON - Quai 5160 - Maison de la culture de Verdun
01/19 Toronto, ON - The Royal Cinema
02/19 Quebec City, QC - Grand Théâtre
02/23 Copenhagen, DNK - Musikcaféen
02/25 Bochum, DE - Jahrhunderthalle
02/27 Mainz, DE - KUF
02/28 Esslingen, DE - Dieselstraße
03/01 Munich, DE - Heppel & Ettlich
03/02 London, UK - Purcell Room Southbank Centre
03/03 Amsterdam, NL - Zonnehuis
03/06 Bernay, FR - Pole Theatre
03/23 Knowlton, QC - Théâtre du Lac Brome
03/24 Sainte-Marie, QC - Salle Méchatigan
03/29 Lasalle, QC - Centre culturel Henri-Lemieux
03/30 Rimouski, QC - Salle Desjardins-Telus
04/02 Sept-îles, QC - Salle Jean-Marc Dion
04/04 Carleton-sur-Mer, QC - Studio Hydro Qc du quai des arts
04/05 Moncton, NB - Central United Church
04/06 Halifax, NS - St.Matthews United Church
04/11 Sainte-Thérèse, QC - Cabaret BMO
04/13 Granby, QC - St-George Church
04/26 Saint-Eustache QC - Le centre d'art La Petite Église
05/02 Montreal, QC - Monument National
05/03 Baie-du-Febvre, QC - Théâtre Belcourt
10/05 Saint-Jerome, QC - Théâtre Gilles-Vigneault
10/11 Sherbrooke, QC - Theatre Granada
Titled eviction sessions, the five-track EP was recorded live inside Blais' former apartment. Arriving November 30 through Arts & Crafts, the mini-release brings together piano-only recordings of three songs from this year's Dans ma main LP, in addition to a pair of new songs.
Blais explained, "In the spring of 2018, I was asked to leave the beloved apartment where lived for 7 years, and where I recorded my first album, Il. Before signing with Arts & Crafts, I would host one show a year in the intimacy of my bedroom."
He continued: "eviction sessions is a recording of my final pop-up concert in that apartment, and my way to say goodbye to that room. Friends and family, side by side on the floor, on my bed, sharing the silence of their breathing, I wanted to record a live album in a unique way that would capture the presence of them being."
Ahead of the EP's arrival, you can hear "sans titre (andante)" below. Blais has also mapped out dates in the United States and Europe early next year ahead of a lengthy tour of Quebec and Eastern Canada. You can find his itinerary below.
eviction sessions EP:
1. blind (acoustique)
2. igloo (acoustique)
3. sans titre (andante)
4. hutchison (improvisation)
5. chanson (instrumental)
Tour dates:
11/25 New York, NY - National Sawdust
11/28 Boston, MA - The Red Room
12/04 Seattle, WA - Triple Door
12/05 Portland, OR - The Old Church
12/07 Los Angeles, CA - Lodge Room
12/13 Verdun, ON - Quai 5160 - Maison de la culture de Verdun
01/19 Toronto, ON - The Royal Cinema
02/19 Quebec City, QC - Grand Théâtre
02/23 Copenhagen, DNK - Musikcaféen
02/25 Bochum, DE - Jahrhunderthalle
02/27 Mainz, DE - KUF
02/28 Esslingen, DE - Dieselstraße
03/01 Munich, DE - Heppel & Ettlich
03/02 London, UK - Purcell Room Southbank Centre
03/03 Amsterdam, NL - Zonnehuis
03/06 Bernay, FR - Pole Theatre
03/23 Knowlton, QC - Théâtre du Lac Brome
03/24 Sainte-Marie, QC - Salle Méchatigan
03/29 Lasalle, QC - Centre culturel Henri-Lemieux
03/30 Rimouski, QC - Salle Desjardins-Telus
04/02 Sept-îles, QC - Salle Jean-Marc Dion
04/04 Carleton-sur-Mer, QC - Studio Hydro Qc du quai des arts
04/05 Moncton, NB - Central United Church
04/06 Halifax, NS - St.Matthews United Church
04/11 Sainte-Thérèse, QC - Cabaret BMO
04/13 Granby, QC - St-George Church
04/26 Saint-Eustache QC - Le centre d'art La Petite Église
05/02 Montreal, QC - Monument National
05/03 Baie-du-Febvre, QC - Théâtre Belcourt
10/05 Saint-Jerome, QC - Théâtre Gilles-Vigneault
10/11 Sherbrooke, QC - Theatre Granada