Selective listening | Steve Hill, Vulgar Machins, Stevie Nicks… – our playlist

Every month, our music journalists add about 20 songs to the playlist of The Press on Spotify. These recent titles can be found in our selection.

Steve Hill, Everything You Got

The Trois-Rivières Steve Hill still has the sacred fire, 25 years after the start of his illustrious career. The six-string maestro launches Everything You Gotfirst extract from his 12^e album, Dear Illusion, which will be released on November 11. The clip that accompanies the song sets the tone, a sequence shot full of spontaneity directed and performed by Jean Pellerin, alias Johnny Pilgrim, who has already worked with Kiss, Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard and Metallica.

Pierre-Marc Durivage, The Press

Vulgar Things, Asylum

One sentence would suffice to dispel all our fears: no, Vulgaires Machins has lost none of its acute sense of the formula that does good, even if the contradictions it encapsulates hurt. “I complain in the line-up to Tim / that the world is made sad”, sing Guillaume Beauregard and Marie-Eve Roy in this sort of sequel, twenty years later, at like a brick. Recognized for their protest refrains, the punks are however never as poignant as when they describe the consequences on our small hearts of the ugliness – social, political, urbanistic – which surrounds us.

Dominic Tardif, The Press

Tropical Fuck Storm, moonburn

As always, the Australian group Tropical Fuck Storm does not take it easy on the title track of the hot maxi moonburn. Addition of sonic layers, construction of a psycho-punk-metallic wall of sound erected with blows of distorted chords, two major tempo changes and a crescendo rise. This controlled musical chaos accompanies the voice of Gareth Liddiard, who implores us to stop living for the public image and bet on the truth.

Philippe Beauchemin, The Press

Steve Nicks, For What It’s Worth

In 1966 Stephen Stills was recording with Buffalo Springfield For What It’s Worth in order to denounce a curfew imposed on Hollywood in an effort to chase hippies off the Sunset Strip. Propelled by an unforgettable proto hip-hop rhythm, the protest song was to become one of the quintessential anthems of the Vietnam War generation. With her hoarse voice, smoldering all the storms of the world, the singer of Fleetwood Mac reminds us in this pretty cover that if the reasons for being indignant are no longer the same, they are no less numerous.

Dominic Tardif, The Press

Maude Audet, Always a sun

After a few original covers – from Nirvana to Marjo – Maude Audet offers this pop piece reminiscent of the 1960s – we think of Aline, by Christophe, for the first chords heard. The songwriter adds thoughtful classical elements, courtesy of Quatuor Esca. We listen while whistling to the chorus of this ballad of possible loves – “Warm me up stronger, Love me as I adore you, It takes almost nothing, Only a sun always” –, all accompanied by chords of flute, violin, harp and timpani.

Philippe Beauchemin, The Press

wednesday, Bull Believer

This eight-minute piece is divided into two pieces. The opening is easy to approach – pop rock, catchy chorus, agreed refrain – and reminds us of the good years of grunge (think of Hole). It is in the second part that our ears quiver with happiness! We then move towards a heavy rock, even gothic and metallic, shouted by the guttural and unrestrained voice of Karly Hartzman, in great shape. This portion is monstrously scary.

Philippe Beauchemin, The Press

Weyes Blood, It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody

Piano. Felted battery. Discreet harp. And a warm voice. Weyes Blood – Natalie Mering – does not seek to dazzle with added instruments. Rather, she achieves this by focusing on what makes her one of the best authors and composers: the search for simplicity and musical harmony. It’s still a success here. A perfect balance between an adult pop sound and contemporary and mature lyrics, where loneliness rubs shoulders with social incomprehension.

Philippe Beauchemin, The Press

Ingrid St-Pierre, mothers

It is impossible to remain unmoved while listening to this new song by Ingrid St-Pierre who, with her concern for the right word and her images that speak volumes, recounts the total and unfailing love of mothers for their children, and celebrates its strength as much as the fragility. Interpreted simply piano-voice with extreme sensitivity by the singer-songwriter, mothers announces an album for 2023. If the rest is in order, we are already preparing our box of tissues.

Josee Lapointe, The Press

Fiction, Less Evil

Lesser Evil, a “dark pop” duo formed by Ariane M. and Christophe Lamarche-Ledoux (Chocolat, Organ Mood), unveiled Fictionfrom his album Subterranean, which comes out October 14. We are seduced by the hushed voice of the singer and lyricist, as well as by the nocturnal and heady sound quality. Twisting electro sounds are next to a rock that tries to sneak into the depths of our soul as the music of Beach House can do.

Emilie Cote, The Press