Spotlighting new releases from New Brunswick artists. This week we look at new music from Diner Drugs, Minions of Dread and Pretty Bombs.
Matt Carter
Diner Drugs – Rotten Eggs
Diner Drugs have shared the first single from their upcoming full-length debut, As Is, which is set for release in September. The track Rotten Eggs, released last week (along with a hilarious video well worth a watch), is a logical progression from the band’s 2017 debut EP. To my ears, the playing is tighter, and arrangement is on point and the mix finds everything neatly in its place. While you can’t predict much of what an album will sound like based on one song – one thing is for sure, Diner Drugs are on track to be Moncton’s newest hard rock ambassadors. Look the fuck out.
Minions of Dread – Vision Beyond the Flesh
I almost always associate instrumental music with film soundtracks and I know that’s not right. I think it is because without lyrics to guide me through a track, I’m left to conjure up images in my head – like a film! But the last thing I want to do with any review is sell short an album that deserves a fair shake like this one does.
Minions of Dread is a Moncton-based project and their latest release Visions Beyond the Flesh is a dark collection of instrumentals for solo guitar. Or maybe that’s layers of guitar. Layers of solo guitar?
With its eerie cover art, cryptic fonts and song titles like Live By The Sword, Vacant Soul Desolation and Coven, Minions of Dread are definitely going for an unmistakable dark vibe. That said, between the frantic strumming and a heavy wash of reverb, cleverly hidden moments of optimism reveal themselves through much of this ten track album. There’s some fun stuff happening here with many subtle moments that would be lost if bass and drums were involved. It’s not often I can listen to track upon track of solo electric guitar and not get bored quickly. Visions Beyond the Flesh held my attention, front to back.
Pretty Bombs – Trails
More instrumental music from Moncton. Pretty Bomb’s debut EP, Trails presents three tracks self-described as basement noise and sound-images. Bookended by a pair of loose, ambient melodies, Morning High is the standout here. It’s a down-tempo, slow burner that builds in intensity as synth washes and waves of feedback surround a simple four-on-the-floor. Lots of great tones happening on this release. Simple and beautiful.
Send us your Music!
If you are a New Brunswick artist or group, have new music on the way and would like to be considered for a future edition of Midweek Music Mix, send us the details at gridcitymagazine(at)gmail.com
