Lana Winterhalt, Cedric Noel, Small Pleasures, and The Sylvia Platters
Lana Winterhalt - Act I
Lana Winterhalt’s latest EP Act I is a sparkling, densely produced, collection of suitably dramatic pop tunes. Opening track “Recovering Theatre Kid” centers Winterhalt’s incredible vocal harmonies and is the most overtly poppy of the collection, and there’s a good variety across the rest of the EP, from the super dead neo-soul influenced drum groove on “Static” to the more ambient vibe on “Rattling In My Head” and the more straightforward (but rather beautiful) piano waltz “Starstruck ft. Nic Dyson”. A very strong first step in what I’m told will be the first of several releases to come this year for Winterhalt.
Cedric Noel - “Sessions”
Cedric Noel’s new song “Sessions” is a gloriously performed and produced little gem, an understated art-folk number with a tenderness that’s a genuine rarity. Noel’s voice is a revelation, and the arrangement is a perfect match for the mellow melancholy that he brings to the song. The muted, lumbering percussion works together with the clarinet swells and tremolo picked guitar to create a landscape that always centers Noel’s soft, nearly whispered lyrics.
Small Pleasures - Small Pleasures
The debut EP from Victoria’s Small Pleasures is a 5 song slice of post-punk goodness. Written and performed by bass and drum duo Viny and Nevada, the EP is mostly an instrumental affair, focusing on drum groove, buzzsaw bass tones, and swirling synthesizers. When the vocals do finally come in on track 3, they’re a highlight of the EP; something about the doubletracking gives them a very 60’s psychedelic quality, and it elevates the songs that feature them.
The Sylvia Platters - “Kool Aid Blue”
The latest single from Vancouver’s The Sylvia Platters is about as classic a four piece rock band sound as you can get, taking cues from a style of alt-rock influence jangley power pop that brings the Fruit Bats or The Thrills to mind. The whole song is dialed in, from the production to the performance, and what you get is a vividly drawn recording that you can’t help but get stuck in your head.
- Sean Davis Newton