Mes A?eux

by Evan C. GutierrezFolk-rock group Mes A?eux (My Ancestors) were founded in 1996 by six Quebec musicians. Drawing on traditional characters from Quebecois folklore, the French-language group performs material addressing modern concerns like globalization, over-medication, and local politics in a less-than-threatening grassroots package. Mes A?eux soon found themselves as the figurehead of the "neo-traditional" movement in French-speaking Canada. They released their debut record in 2000, entitled Ca Parle au Diable! (Speaks to the Devil!), which was followed a year later by Entre les Branches (Between the Branches). Over the course of a few years, both records went gold, paving the way for 2004's En Famille (Within the Family), which went platinum within a year. En Famille won the honored Felix Award in 2005 for Best Contemporary Folk album, and Mes A?eux were nominated for Group of the Year. In 2006, Tire-Toi une Buche (Pull Up a Chair) went gold after only three weeks on the market.