Some Quebec bands are content to make their mark within the province’s borders, with perhaps a few forays into France. A good French-speaking band can carve out a more-than-decent career on that premise. But electro-pop quintet Misteur Valaire wants more.

Its latest record, Golden Bombay, has already brought the band next-big-thing status in this province’s music scene. It is nominated for a Juno award for new group of the year (never mind the fact that the guys have been playing music together for nearly 10 years and have released three albums). And the band played two recent shows at Metropolis. The members plan to ride this wave of hype into what they hope will turn out to be a lasting career.

“We really want as many people to hear us as possible, because we want the freedom and the security to be able to continue making the kind of music we want to make,” said Misteur Valaire percussionist Luis Clavis.

Though the band has not yet played a show in the States, Misteur Valaire’s commercial viability there may be enhanced by the fact that several songs on its latest album are sung (or rapped) in English. That was not a conscious choice, Clavis insists – it’s just that the group let its collaborators sing in the language of their choice, and some of those collaborators (James Di Salvio of Bran Van 3000, Ladies of the Canyon’s Senja Sargeant and others) happened to choose English. Many of Misteur Valaire’s other songs are purely instrumental.

However, one of the challenges Misteur Valaire is bound to face at SXSW is simply cultural: Will Americans “get” their music?

“Honestly, I think some people there might have trouble understanding our cheesy side, more so than Europeans,” Clavis said. “There’s a strong element of self-mockery in our music. Not everyone gets our costumes and boy-band moves – they think we’re being completely serious, when we’re not.”

SXSW is just one step on the band’s quest for world domination, though: it has a tour lined up in Europe, is releasing its record in Germany soon, and may find itself with a statuette when the Junos are awarded March 27. ”