Mononcle Jason’s newest release, La grosse piastre, is first and foremost an Acadian concept album. Coming three years after his full-length debut, Dans son prime, this new album outlines some of the realities of living the small-town lifestyle and why Menoncle Jason has chosen to leave it behind.
Having grown up in Memramcook, New Brunswick, Menoncle Jason (or as people on the street may call him, Jason LeBlanc) has taken to relating his music directly to his upbringing. His first album, Dans son prime, discusses life in his hometown and the drama of family relations with a 50s-style country sound. La grosse piastre, however, moves us forward by a decade to 60s-style country, running with that same idea and taking it even deeper. LeBlanc captures and displays glimpses into the small-town lifestyle he grew up living, but by adding a comedic touch to his lyrics, the listener is cleverly shown the reasons why he would want to distance himself from such a lifestyle and move to a bigger city.
The tracks of La grosse piastre are enjoyable for those within and without the lifestyle LeBlanc paints — provided the listener has a sense of humour and a grain of salt. Each song encapsulates an image of the larger-than-life small-town characters one might encounter in a community like the one LeBlanc was raised in.
But, most integrally, the album is Acadian. Sung entirely in Chiac, the tracks of La grosse piastre may not even be accessible to Francophones or French speakers outside the Maritime provinces. The language used in the songwriting is intrinsic to properly portraying the image Menoncle Jason is spinning; it’s a fundamental component of the culture this album stems from.
LeBlanc sings each track in the first-person, giving us a glimpse into the perspectives of each personality he is portraying. One track, however, is an outlier. “Halle ta marde” is sung in a storytelling format from the perspective of a construction site manager who is griping about his lazy new employee.
Overall, the view the album gives is not a flattering one. Combining all of these personalities and scenarios gives us a clear image of a community of people striving only to achieve the bare minimum in life and gladly taking free handouts wherever possible. This is clear in tracks “Bungalow” and “Haller l’E.I.,” among others. Where the voice in the former brags about how awesome his Bungalow is (with it’s working electricity), the latter wishes for a life of collecting employment insurance year-round.
But when playing the government isn’t enough, Menoncle Jason sings of playing the machines. He hammers home his theme in a strong way with “Poker machine,” the track from which the album takes its title. Concentrated around the idea of gambling, “Poker machine” romanticizes the concept of playing slot machines and winning big, or “te faire la grosse piastre.”
The album’s first single, “Florida,” carries a cheery, upbeat sound beneath lyrics of how much easier life would be in Florida, where all worries vanish — if only there was enough money to get there.
Also worth mentioning is the album’s front cover, with its artwork depicting a dapper looking LeBlanc in a grey suit with a bowtie and cowboy hat, and to tie off the look, he has a drink and cigarette in hand. The image and it’s back cover counterpart were painted by artist Noémie Desroches.
Despite the subject matter, La grosse piastre carries happy and upbeat sounds throughout. Menoncle Jason covers some hard truths by way of lightweight and even humorous social commentary. It’s honest, it’s funny, it’s unique and it’s purely Acadian.