Tough topics can't stop the party on their blistering debut

With their rollicking 1993 debut, Les Colocs ushered in a new era in Quebec rock. Opener "Dédé" is a hoot, barreling along with gypsy-jazz gusto while its namesake, singer André Fortin, recounts the struggles of a poor kid. That's but a taste of things to come: Check out the unhinged beatboxing on homelessness commentary "Passe-moé la puck," or the slinky groove of AIDS-addressing jam "Séropositif Boogie." Les Colocs prove that hard truths and good times are not mutually exclusive.