Toronto art-pop duo Darcys have been releasing a steady stream of standalone singles in the years since their 2016 album Centerfold, and the latest of those is "Better Days" — a hopeful slab of funked-up, '80s-leaning pop rock.
The band recently breathed new life into the tune in the form of "Better Days (version française)," which finds vocalist Jason Couse delivering the song's uplifting messages in la belle langue. Now, in celebration of the song's success on Québécois music charts, they've treated it to a new lyric video.
The video is simple enough, with Couse and bandmate Wes Marskell mugging to the camera in matching tracksuits and roaming around a road in a slick yellow motorcycle. Adding to the throwback aesthetic is a filtered film look and plenty of oscillating shapes. Most crucially, the lyric video can assist those who could use help in either language, which furthers the recording's mission of unifying others.
Says Couse to Exclaim!, "As artists, we feel it's our job to bring people together. With that goal in mind, we thought 'Better Days' had an optimism and a universalism that made it the perfect first step for us to cross the language divide. Of course we would love to hear more French versions of songs, but other artists need to find what works for them to bridge the gap."
It seems to be working — the track was named "Succès de la semaine" by ADISQ, the Québécois radio charts, and the track charted at No. 37.
Says Couse, "We've been absolutely been blown away by the support of Quebec radio stations and listeners. Charting as well as we have has been exciting, and it feels incredible to have our music embraced and supported by the Francophone community. Now that the song has been released, we realized we should have started creating French versions of our songs a long time ago. We're looking into spending a lot more time in Quebec by putting together more shows to support this journey and show our appreciation to the community for having us."
The original version of the song is also enjoying radio success — it currently sits atop CBC Music's Top 20, where its been for three straight weeks — but the duo are focused on how the French version has opened new doors for them, sending a particular form of love to an often-ignored segment of Canadian music listeners.
"This was a huge challenge for us as artists, but it was the perfect opportunity to further engage with our Francophone fans," says Couse. "We've always loved playing in Quebec, and this allowed us to offer something new and special while honouring a part of Canadian culture that can sometimes be overlooked by the mainstream."
Watch the "Better Days (version française)" video below.
The band recently breathed new life into the tune in the form of "Better Days (version française)," which finds vocalist Jason Couse delivering the song's uplifting messages in la belle langue. Now, in celebration of the song's success on Québécois music charts, they've treated it to a new lyric video.
The video is simple enough, with Couse and bandmate Wes Marskell mugging to the camera in matching tracksuits and roaming around a road in a slick yellow motorcycle. Adding to the throwback aesthetic is a filtered film look and plenty of oscillating shapes. Most crucially, the lyric video can assist those who could use help in either language, which furthers the recording's mission of unifying others.
Says Couse to Exclaim!, "As artists, we feel it's our job to bring people together. With that goal in mind, we thought 'Better Days' had an optimism and a universalism that made it the perfect first step for us to cross the language divide. Of course we would love to hear more French versions of songs, but other artists need to find what works for them to bridge the gap."
It seems to be working — the track was named "Succès de la semaine" by ADISQ, the Québécois radio charts, and the track charted at No. 37.
Says Couse, "We've been absolutely been blown away by the support of Quebec radio stations and listeners. Charting as well as we have has been exciting, and it feels incredible to have our music embraced and supported by the Francophone community. Now that the song has been released, we realized we should have started creating French versions of our songs a long time ago. We're looking into spending a lot more time in Quebec by putting together more shows to support this journey and show our appreciation to the community for having us."
The original version of the song is also enjoying radio success — it currently sits atop CBC Music's Top 20, where its been for three straight weeks — but the duo are focused on how the French version has opened new doors for them, sending a particular form of love to an often-ignored segment of Canadian music listeners.
"This was a huge challenge for us as artists, but it was the perfect opportunity to further engage with our Francophone fans," says Couse. "We've always loved playing in Quebec, and this allowed us to offer something new and special while honouring a part of Canadian culture that can sometimes be overlooked by the mainstream."
Watch the "Better Days (version française)" video below.
