The Muscadettes hatched from the minds of Chantal and Kathleen Ambridge, Montreal twins who announced their sun-kissed Girls in the Garage sound with Side A EP earlier this year.
Side B, culled from the same sessions, finds the group taking on a host of '60s girl group-inspired rockers. Opener "Earthquake" benefits from the keyboard work of Malajube's Thomas Augustin, adding an swirling orchestral sound to the band's beefy retro sound, while the dark "Stray Cats" revels in moody darkness.
There's no doubt that the Ambridges are capable songwriters — like its predecessor, Side B is a strong entry in a crowded musical field. Yet, even as these songs hit all the right notes, it's hard to differentiate the Muscadettes from Bleached or any of the current day surf-rock groups.
As it stands, the young quintet — rounded out by Les Breastfeeders' Jocelyn Gagné and Jonathan Lafrance — offer a catchy version of a popular sound, but lack a unique voice. Still, lesser bands have built bigger careers with far less going for them.
(Costume)Side B, culled from the same sessions, finds the group taking on a host of '60s girl group-inspired rockers. Opener "Earthquake" benefits from the keyboard work of Malajube's Thomas Augustin, adding an swirling orchestral sound to the band's beefy retro sound, while the dark "Stray Cats" revels in moody darkness.
There's no doubt that the Ambridges are capable songwriters — like its predecessor, Side B is a strong entry in a crowded musical field. Yet, even as these songs hit all the right notes, it's hard to differentiate the Muscadettes from Bleached or any of the current day surf-rock groups.
As it stands, the young quintet — rounded out by Les Breastfeeders' Jocelyn Gagné and Jonathan Lafrance — offer a catchy version of a popular sound, but lack a unique voice. Still, lesser bands have built bigger careers with far less going for them.
