Betty Kracker

Vancouver’s Betty Kracker play crunchy, delirious punk infused with hectic melodies and sludgy downbeats. "Driven” delivers the pompous raunchiness that brings to mind the best of defunct cult heroes Betty Ford, while "Cool” has the glitter punk sweetness that could have rivalled the B Girls. The alternating vocals of guitarist Nevada Santiago and drummer Shannon Hallett create a contrast that sums up Betty Kracker perfectly: gravel and spit combined with spunky sweetness. When singing solo, Hallett’s vocals exude a tenacity that brings to mind the shadowy lushness of Siouxsie Sioux and Johnette Napolitano, an attribute that becomes increasingly clear on "Incognito.” Working with layers of riveting guitar that slices through the plodding bass lines, which reach dangerously high speeds throughout, Easy Bay Coven is a flourishing EP that is full of the contorted contradictions and turbulent risks that Betty Kracker pull of flawlessly.