Jonathan Personne announces the release of a new album and unveils two singles

Jonathan Personne, also known as the singer, guitarist and lyricist from the indie rock band Corridor, returns today with Zoé sur la montagne, a single that gives new meaning to the term “dad rock”. The song is complemented by Deuxième vie, another new cut from Jonathan Personne, exploring the inexplicable encounters that make the human experience so unique.

Both songs are off of Nouveau Monde, Jonathan Personne's fourth solo album, to be released on March 14th, 2025 via Bonsound. The launch concert will take place at La Sala Rossa on March 13th, followed by a show at Le Pantoum in Québec City on April 10th. Tickets are on sale here.

Based on a tune that Jonathan Personne made-up to sing to his baby daughter, Zoé sur la montagne is a slacker folk gem whose restrained arrangements highlight an irresistible melody, a nod to the theme songs of the shows Personne watched as a child. Evoking the particular way children perceive the world - a sort of naïve, dreamlike vision that erodes over time - the song also serves as a reminder to nurture one's imagination. 

Zoé sur la montagne is accompanied by an animated music video which Jonathan Personne created himself. I wanted the video to reflect what the song is about, explains the artist. Misty and hazy, like a childhood memory. I liked the idea of playing with tangible images, blending them to create rather abstract moments. I liked the idea of playing with tangible images, blending them to create rather abstract moments.

Deuxième vie was first recorded during the studio sessions that led to Jonathan Personne’s previous effort. He gave the song a new spin, reworking the vocals and arrangements into a delightful, bemusing outcome. Deuxième vie's folk-rock feel takes an unexpected turn; into the mix he throws a humble piano straight out of a '70s Sesame Street episode, the noise of an effects pedal, and vocal harmonies worthy of a '60s Turtles' hit.

About Nouveau Monde

Bringing together previously unreleased songs from different eras, Nouveau Monde is by no means an album of outtakes. Having just recorded Mimi with Corridor, a demanding process, he wanted an opposite experience with this project, and ultimately ended up with an easy, spontaneous and naïve album. Personne’s ingeniously casual approach in the studio gave his older songs a new twist, creating a laid-back record with no pressure or expectations, other than to rediscover the simple pleasure of making music.

Jonathan Personne opted for a “bedroom” style production, embracing the mismatched quality of his compositions. His set-up was just polished enough to create a cohesive bond between tracks, making this melodic jumble a real tour de force. This “mixtape” structure echoes that of '90s classics such as Check Your Head by the Beastie Boys or early Beck records, which shaped Jonathan Personne's youth.

His new album kicks off with the organized chaos of La vie, la mort, an infectious rock tune that sounds like a chance encounter between the catchy guitar riffs of Thin Lizzy, the impeccable harmonies of Brian Wilson and the sheer urgency of The Wipers. Nouveau Monde's nine songs draw from a wide range of influences from the 60s to the 2000s, combining sunshine pop and yacht rock (Les jours heureux), slacker folk (Zoé sur la montagne) and shoegaze (Nuage noir), with proto-punk and stoner-psychedelic layers (Le cerf), as well as a few sweet moments reminiscent of cartoon theme songs from another era, notably on the title track.

While some of Jonathan Personne's melodies seem ingenuous or candid, this can also be heard in his lyrics, in which he eschews his usual cynicism in favour of universal lessons about life, perceptions, and hope. Characterized by organ- and piano-driven arrangements, and various guitar textures (electric and noisy, or acoustic and melancholic), Nouveau Monde will be released on March 14 via Bonsound.

About Jonathan Personne

Jonathan Personne is the solo project of Jonathan Robert, singer and guitarist of the Montreal band Corridor (Bonsound/Sub Pop). His penchant for building lo-fi soundscapes and complicating simple elements to suit his style has opened up uncharted territory, putting him at the crossroads of dream pop, psychedelic rock and krautrock. The singer and multi-instrumentalist made a name for himself as a solo artist with the albums Histoire naturelle (2019) and Disparitions (2020), both of which received praise from La Presse, NPR, Exclaim! and many others. In 2022, Jonathan Personne ventured into a new realm with his self-titled third album, revealing a more polished, smoother sound, orchestrated alongside talented producer Emmanuel Éthier. Still driven by a desire to make simple things more complex, without asking himself too many questions, the singer and multi-instrumentalist is now gearing up to unveil his fourth album.

Follow Jonathan Personne on: Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / YouTube

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