Spotlighting three new releases from New Brunswick artists. This week we look at new music from The Tortoise the Hare and the Millionaire, Slow Fight and Stellaleona.
Matt Carter
The Tortoise the Hare and the Millionaire – self-titled
The Tortoise the Hare and the Millionaire are not reinventing the wheel, but they have put some pretty fancy hubcaps on it. If you’re familiar with the band you already know they wear their love of blues tinged rock and roll directly on their sleeves for all to see and hear. On this release, their self-titled debut, the Fredericton-based trio embrace their chosen path and offer up five tracks, each a distinct interpretation of the genre they adore. The result? One hell of an introduction, made even more significant by the many collaborators present. With contributions from members of Kill Chicago, The Hypochondriacs, Dapper Dan and the Drive-in Classics, The Downtown Blues Band and others, The Tortoise the Hare and the Millionaire are well in their way to becoming the next Fredericton rock institution.
Slow Fight – Die Trying
Moncton has always been a hotbed for New Brunswick punk. I’d actually go as far as to say that these days, the good old Hub City may very well be ground zero for punk rock in Atlantic Canada (go ahead, prove me wrong!). But another thing Moncton has going for it when it comes to music is gender diversity. There are more women playing rock and roll in that city than any other major centre in the province. I’m thinking Chiller, Which Witch is Which, Les Hay Babies, Tampa, The Galpines, Klackers and Phone Jerks to name just a few. And now we can add Slow Fight to that this. Following 2017’s Down In The Basement Demo – a delightfully loose and frantic introduction to the group’s take on 90’s inspired punk rock, Slow Fight are back with Die Trying, a eight track rip that’s slightly more polished without sacrificing the edginess of their previous release. They even drop a cover of Fastball’s The Way. What’s not to love?
Stellaleona – Chokecherry Demos
With a debut album in the works and a recently released single, this four track EP by Saint John-based artist Stellaleona is a collection of demo recordings and ideas compiled through the creative process. It’s an eclectic mix blending vocal experimentation with various and oddly comforting instrumentation written and arranged by musician and lyric soprano Lindsay Hazen. A little rough around the edges as most demos are, this release hints toward a lot of big ideas. Really looking forward to seeing how Stellaleona’s sound takes shape.
If you have new music on the way and would like to be considered for a future edition of Midweek Music Mix, send us the details at gridcitymagazine(at)gmail.com
