Kaïn

Blending a lush, upbeat rock sound with elements of French-Canadian folk and roots music, Kaïn became darlings of their home country’s francophone music scene. After forming in Quebec in 1999, the band established their vibe with their first two records, 2004’s Pop culture and 2005’s Nulle part ailleurs (Nowhere Else)—sentimental and sweet on songs like “Parle-moi d’toi,” ramshackle and folky on “Adam et Ève,” and bold and bright on the acoustic strums of “Embarque ma belle.” In 2007, they found a heavier sound on Les saisons s’tassent, which nodded to the jammy folk rock of the ‘90s on tracks like “La maison est grande.” Later albums—2011’s Le vrai monde, 2013’s Pleurer pour rire, and 2017’s Welcome bonheur—continued the trend, striking a balance between that down-home rowdiness (“La bonne franquette”) and explosive pop-rock (“Comme un bum”).