Best known as one third of acclaimed New Brunswick folk trio Les Hay Babies, Vivianne Roy doesn't entirely shed that group's emphasis on country and folk sounds on her first release as Laura Sauvage, but Americana Submarine mostly showcases a very different side of the singer's musical personality.
Despite its brief runtime, the EP covers a lot of ground. On the pleasantly conversational "The Avalanche," Roy displays an unexpected predilection for '90s guitar jangle. If "Subway Station" seems at first to be cut from a similar cloth, things quickly take a left turn with a skronky horn before dissolving in a heap of distortion that recalls Wilco's noisier experiments on A Ghost Is Born. "You Think I'm Cruel" finds Roy returning to familiar, folkier territory, but that's short-lived, as Americana Submarine closes with its two most contemporary numbers: "You've Changed," a catchy mid-tempo rocker with an indelible chorus, and "Dirty Ways to Make Your Money," which packs a ton of punch in under two minutes thanks to ringing guitars, rattling drums and a thick, fuzzed-out bass line.
It's still unclear whether Laura Sauvage will be an ongoing concern for Roy, but hopefully a full-length will soon follow this very promising debut EP.
(Simone)Despite its brief runtime, the EP covers a lot of ground. On the pleasantly conversational "The Avalanche," Roy displays an unexpected predilection for '90s guitar jangle. If "Subway Station" seems at first to be cut from a similar cloth, things quickly take a left turn with a skronky horn before dissolving in a heap of distortion that recalls Wilco's noisier experiments on A Ghost Is Born. "You Think I'm Cruel" finds Roy returning to familiar, folkier territory, but that's short-lived, as Americana Submarine closes with its two most contemporary numbers: "You've Changed," a catchy mid-tempo rocker with an indelible chorus, and "Dirty Ways to Make Your Money," which packs a ton of punch in under two minutes thanks to ringing guitars, rattling drums and a thick, fuzzed-out bass line.
It's still unclear whether Laura Sauvage will be an ongoing concern for Roy, but hopefully a full-length will soon follow this very promising debut EP.