This week we look at the latest releases from Billy Viral, Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire and a split cassette from FAXES/Women of the Pore.
Matt Carter
Billy Viral – Nothin Special
More punk from Moncton, and thank goodness for that. I was starting to get worried. It has been a few months since anything new surfaced from our provincial punk rock capital – possibly the longest dry spell in recent memory. This time around we have Billy Viral, drummer for The Virals and Chiller to thank for breaking the momentary downturn.
With the release of What Now and Alleway, we get a quick taste of Viral’s upcoming debut EP (due out June 27) and a solid introduction to his voice and songwriting. Both tracks, recorded with producer Kyle McDons, are catchy as hell and prove Viral to be a powerful songwriter with a keen ear for the subtle nuances that add distinction and variety to pop punk’s well-trodden path.
Women of the Pore/FAXES – Women of the Pore/FAXES Split Release
Here’s a match made in heaven. Women of the Pore and FAXES have teamed up to release a split cassette that brings together their two distinct composition styles in almost harmonious form. Across six tracks, each an unsettling listen in their own way, composers Dave D (FAXES) and Mink (WOTP) establish simple, minor-leading moods to build upon through layers of noise, reoccuring rhythms and repetitive melodic phrasing. A surface level listen may conjure up images of 80s horror flicks or a particular recent sci-fi mini-series that will remain unnamed, but if you listen with a bit more intent and a bit more curiosity, the stories told on this release go a lot deeper.
Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire – Viens avec moi – Live
Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire treat their 2018 rock opera Viens avec moi to a live album release with the appropriately Viens avec moi – Live. As expected, the album showcases the band’s incredible strength as a musical collective and a live act, rolling almost track for track with the studio album, complete with all the sonic chaos, effects, layers and masterful musicianship Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire have become known for. Their ability to deliver this stuff live is nothing short of remarkable. Give the studio album a few listens and then throw this on. Your jaw will drop. Is there a better live band than Les Hôtesses?
Send us your Music!
If you are a New Brunswick artist or group, 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
