There truly is no better feeling when encountering music from an artist for the first time, and experiencing that buzz or heightened euphoric state when hearing their music. Overwhelmed with the amount of new music in my inbox this past week, I really did not know where to start first. So, with a ‘Russian Roulette’ spin through the contents of my inbox, a band named ‘Venus Furs’ were my lottery win for the week, and after a quick listen to their music, was I ever happy with the choice.
Hailing from Montreal, QC, I found an immediate connection with “Chaos and Confusion,” thanks in part to the great (and with a duration of 46 seconds, wonderfully lengthy) ringing guitar riffs leading into this song. As the follow up to “Friendly Fire,” their previous release from an album currently in the works, this new single from the self-described ‘alternative to psychedelic surf punk band’ is an impressive indie tune that demands to be heard. Venus Furs drew immediate comparisons to the popular alt-indie rock sounds from the 1990s for me, with those opening guitar riffs alone offering parallels to Suede’s Bernard Butler, and the overall band sound very reminiscent of Belly, Toad The Wet Sprocket, and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Indeed, a quick online search led me to discover that the band cite the latter as one of their primary influences, along with other artists such as Cat Power, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and TV On The Radio.
The dominant guitar above the vocals yields this alt-indie vibe that is wonderfully fresh, yet simultaneously ‘retro’ enough for those of us that followed that original 90s music scene. And while the band delivers their psychedelic sounds in abundance, there is also a dreaminess woven into the seams that lures you into their carefree environment, temporarily relieving you of any “Chaos” or “Confusion” that may have been on your mind prior to hearing this one. Go ahead and spin this one a few times if you are craving some momentary escapism from the harsh realities around you, but be warned; if you were easily swayed by the alt-indie scene from over twenty years ago, hearing this one may have you pulling some of those old CDs from your collection and reliving similar sounds from their musical peers. Highly recommended listening, and I am eager to see what Venus Furs have in store with their future full-length release.
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
