Tunes for Tuesdays: Marie-Pierre Arthur

Mon dieu -- how did I manage to stagger through the past two months without once sharing a gorgeous, melodic singer-songwriter with the readers of Cute, Queer, Canadian? Shocking how the summer ruins one's attention span. As per the expression, absence does make the heart grow fonder and, in this case, causes simple flesh to ignite.

And so, I cast the Tunes for Tuesdays spotlight on the transcendent tracks of Canada's own Marie-Pierre Arthur, an utter sweetheart to the senses and une chanteuse né dans un beau rêve.

Mlle. Arthur hails from the fertile music scene of Montreal, QC and started her career as a bass player for the absolute royalty of the stage. From Ariane Moffatt and Stefie Shock, to Mara Tremblay and the Polaris-prize nominated Karkwa, Arthur has proven herself among the new generation of French-language artists and is now expanding her unique, addictive sound to Anglo-Canada, France, and beyond.

Mlle. Arthur's self-titled debut album offers an impressionistic and intimate ambient-folk sound, one that navigates the lines between blues, pop, and alt rock with ease. It is the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon spent daydreaming and sipping tea, especially now that the golden autumn light is creeping in. Anglo listeners need not be intimidated over les paroles français -- her sound floods past the language barrier and offers a gorgeous space for everyone to rest in.

As I am notoriously indecisive, I offer two tracks this Tuesday for readers to explore. "Pourqoi" was my own introduction to the cute quirk of Marie-Pierre Arthur and I imagine more than one reader will find themselves drawn into this girl's world as well. It is upbeat, nostalgic, and the video is filled to the brim with helpful sketches for the non-French among us:

The second track for this Tuesday is appropriate to this blog: "Elle" offers a gorgeous, rhythmic intro that no doubt stems from Arthur's experience with the bass. And, you know, it never hurts the eyes to gaze upon a bevy of ladies lip-synching to Marie-Pierre Arthur's dreamy vocals:

Life, she is beautiful -- even when it is the Tuesday after a long weekend. With a voice like Marie-Pierre Arthur's to carry us through, I think it's safe to say the week will be a blessedly relaxed one. Vive Arthur!