Jean-Michel Blais, a Montreal-born-and-based pianist, knows first-hand the truth of the overused axiom “all good things must come to an end.” This spring, Blais was evicted from his Mile End apartment, as gentrification made the Bohemian neighbourhood too expensive for area artists to afford. However, instead of ending his time there on a sour note, Blais decided to make it bittersweet by recording a live record in his bedroom.
Called “eviction sessions,” the five-song EP is a unique live album. In the place of uproarious applause and frantic screaming, this live album picks up on creaking chairs, breathing bodies and the precise pattering of fingers on piano keys. Combining these elements with his compositions, Blais reminds listeners that there is always a little good in things ending.
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Tanner Bayne / News Editor