When Daniel Bélanger released his first album in 1992, he was virtually unknown outside the Montréal club scene. The advance word on the album sounded like pure hype. "The next great singer-song writer," they said. A huge success was predicted. I doubt the people making those predictions had any idea just what a success Bélanger would achieve.

The first single from Les insomniaques s'amusent, «Opium» spent seven weeks as the number one song in Québec. The second single, «Quand le jour se lève» also reached the number one spot. Indeed, six major radio hits came from that debut album. And so did many awards. Awards for singing for song writing and of course for commercial success.

Opium.avi, 2215k

The video clip for «Opium» won a Felix award for best video in 1992. It also won the best foreign video award from MPVA in Los Angeles. In 1993, Les insomniaques s'amusent won best pop-rock album in Québec, the Prix SACEM in France and went Platinum (100,000 copies sold).

The 1994 Felix awards show should have been called the Daniel Bélanger Awards Show. He took home four trophies: male singer of the year, best concert by a singer-songwriter, best selling album of the year and video of the year (for «Ensorcelée»). Earlier that year, Bélanger performed with Michel Jonasz and Patricia Kaas in Cannes for the opening celebration of the MIDEM, the music industries equivalent of the Cannes Film Festival.

The reason we're telling you all this is that Daniel Bélanger has a new album out, Quatre saisions dans le désordre. If you are not familiar with this talented young man, it's time you found out. The first single from the album, «Les deux printemps» has been on the charts in Québec for 25 weeks! It's a love song, and the two springs of the title are his lover's eyes. "Ses yeux sont deux printemps / Qui me font sourire et ça me fait rire / Ses joues sont des torrents / Les miennes s'y baignent mais encore pire / Son coeur est une fête / Le mien ne veut plus en sortir / Elle est la plus belle saison de ma vie / La plus belle saison de ma vie(84k)." It's a beautiful ballad and an obvious radio hit.

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The second track to be released as a single is «Les temps fous». On the charts for three weeks, it is heading for top ten territory. Another love song, it celebrates a love that will hopefully endure long after les temps fous. "Sentir ta main sur ma joue / Ne pas la perdre comme on perd tout / Les temps sont fous / Aide moi / Pour que demain s'empare de nous / Souffle, souffle dans mon cou / Les temps sont fous / Aide moi / Sentir ta main sur ma joue / Souffle, souffle dans mon cou / Que vents emportent les temps fous(159k)."

Don't get the idea that Bélanger writes formulaic tunes aimed at pop radio. These are carefully crafted songs that mix styles to achieve specific effects. In many ways, Bélanger reminds me of Sting. Not that they have all that much in common musically, but they are both very unique recording artists who are able to take pop staples and turn them into something new and unexpected.

Quatre saisions dans le désordre acheived gold record status the week it was released and is well on its way to being his second platinum recording. Les insomniaques s'amusent should hit double platinum before Christmas. In Québec, the home of Céline Dion and Roch Voisine, this is superstar status. Here's your chance to buy these two award winning recordings.

Details:

Quatre saisons dans le desordre (1996)

Item 03947: CD $21.95 / K7 $16.95

Quatre saisons dans le désordre, Je fais de moi un homme, Sortez-moi de moi, Parapluie, Voie lactée, Projection dans le bleu, Libre, L'égotiste, Les temps fou, Imparfait, Cruelle, Nos corps amphibies, Inconnue. Duration 52:57. Lyrics included.

Les insomniaques s'amusent (1992)

Item 02925: CD $21.95 / K7 $16.95

Opium, C'est la loi, Sèche tes pleurs, Ce qu'il faut d'amour, Le bonheur, La folie en quatre, Ma dépendance, Mon retour, Le bal des heures, Désespéré, Ensorcelée, L'autruche, Quand le jour se lève. Duration 43:02. Lyrics included.