If you like Folk Rock music, you'll love Guillaume Arsenault! Promoted here in Montreal by COOP Les Faux-Monnayeurs, this artist is not a newcomer to the music scene.

From the COOP web site:

Originaire de Bonaventure en Gaspésie, Guillaume Arsenault n’a cessé de récolter les honneurs tant au Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée (Prix du jury, Prix du public et Prix Télé-Québec, édition 2001) qu’au Concours Ma première Place des Arts (finaliste auteur-compositeur-interprète, édition 2005). Il est également récipiendaire de la bourse du Fonds Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine pour les arts et les lettres 2005, et du Prix à la création artistique du CALQ en Gaspésie 2006.

If you, like me, have never heard this talented artist play before: You are in for a big treat! Of the various ways to enjoy his work, the best one seems to be the Flash radio player on his MySpace web page:

http://www.myspace.com/guillaumearsenault

You can also hear three great tunes on the COOP audio page, here:

http://www.coopfauxmonnayeurs.com/playlists/player/

The band's web site is here:

http://www.guillaumearsenault.com/

I tried to buy some albums through emusic.com but was not able at the time of this writing (June, 2008.) However, Jean-Francois Guindon of COOP Les Faux-Monnayeurs tells me that you should be able to do so - hopefully by the time you read this the problem will be corrected.

For now there are several outlets that sell Guillaume Arsenault CD's (try Archambault downtown,) and you can see him live at various events here in Montreal. Check the band's page on the COOP web site for a list of upcoming live appearances:

http://www.coopfauxmonnayeurs.com/artists/view/guillaume_arsenault

You can get a taste of what you'll be enjoying through YouTube. There's an introductory segment from Radio Canada here.

Enjoy!