Laura Sauvage

So there's a whole bunch of artists that I follow who've tantalisingly been promising to release new records... Which they are... Problem is, they're all being released at around the same time!

First up then is Vivianne Roy's alternative ego Laura Sauvage with her debut album "Extraordinormal" and a record that I've been eagerly awaiting... If only because everything else she's released - be it as a member of Les Hay Babies or in her own right - has been bloody fantastic...

So lets - as Julie Andrews would say - start at the very beginning. As I'm cranking-up "Rubberskin" I can't help that feel that Laura may have been listening to a bit of Courtney Barnett. There's that finger picking guitar sound, a touch of Slacker Rock, muffled percussion and wry, clever observational lyrics. Ostensibly the tale of teenage kids being - well - teenagers, picking on the crazy lady at the lady at the end of the street - "... Eleanor Rigby with the perfect mullet..." who puts up Christmas decorations in Autumn and is a bit of a 'cat collector.' It's quite humorous - in a cruel way - before Laura throws-in the kicker; "...Then I found out, She died..." And I won't even go into the details of what all those otherwise starving cats had to eat... It's an absolutely brilliant song that immediately grabs the attention and which also demonstrates the added maturity of Laura's compositions.

"Cyanide breath mint" is a cover of the Beck song from his 1994 album "One Foot in the Grave" but here Laura eschews the folkish vibe of the original, instead adding a grungy edge to both guitar and vocals, which - with their fatalistic, world-weary demeanour - ensures the listener gets the feeling that this is most definitely the wrong place to be. There's a middle-eight that threatens to veer into Psychedelia before guitar and drums get back on the groove and Laura's distinctively smokey seductive vocals reins everything in and back down to earth...

In fact if you were add a bit of distortion to a mix of 60's Psychedelia alongside contemporary rock and the chances are that it would sound something like "Have you heard the good news?" Deceptively simple yet utterly compelling, Mathieu Vezio's drums literally power the song forwards as Laura spits out lyrics - that are synchronised to the rhythm - that can't fail to hide her contempt at the hypocrisy of being doorstepped by someone spreading the word "...She swears isn't hate..." before almost spitting the proclamation back at her unwanted visitor - "Have you heard the good news?" - what 'good' news? Perhaps it could be the fact that "Jesus wants to be my buddy" and a song which once again highlights Laura keenly observed lyrical eye for detail and cutting prose. Over a gentle indie-pop melody - that in truth meanders at it's own gentle pace - this modern day saviour offers up cigs and invites you to parties where people tend to dress funny... However, you get the impression that Laura's not impressed as she becomes more and more exasperated by the shallowness of everything;  "...There's nothing more..." she repeatedly proclaims as the song dissolves into an effervescent coda and catchy chorus of "la-la-las..."

As BRBR points out "White trash theatre school" could easily form part of the soundtrack of a small-town Canadian version of those eighties' Hollywood high school movies - there are some cute cultural references that had me wilfing on Google (PEI Dirt Shirts, anyone?) - which once again highlights Laura's adept lyrical dexterity for making the extraordinary seem ordinary - this album's recurring theme - "...Here comes Debra, She's such a diva, In her new wheelchair..."

But one of the things that becomes quite noticeable as the album progresses is how there's more and more focus on Laura Sauvage as a vocalist. It's as if the band has nipped off for a cuppa leaving Laura to entertain us - armed only with her guitar - and with a single solitary spotlight shining overhead. Sure "Nothing to Something & vice versa" kind of ruins this narrative as a wave of tumbling guitars brings the song to a tumultuous close... But both this song and "No direction home" not only emphasise those whisky-soaked, honey-hued vocals but also demonstrate the attention to detail that apparent in Laura's increasingly confident song-writing.

"Fucker (stole my phone)" - a title which guarantees a 'Parental Advisory' sticker or an overdose of asterisks over at iTunes is a nightmare journey through the streets of New York. There's a notable shift in tone as Laura discovers that her Knight is just a thieving scumbag - her mood blackens and grungy distorted guitars sow discord and rains anguish. But listen to the song again and it's a bit like watching a repeat of The Sixth Sense - all those tell-tale clues are there - the people in the streets are looking at her but not him; there's a psychological fog that's blind-siding her... and then there's the denouement. Hell hath no scorn like a woman pissed-off... If only Laura could recognise him, but everyone looks the same; "...Black pants, Black jackets, Pat down money racket..."

Despite a coda that is sustained by the most melancholic of country guitars - and which I'd recommend this song for alone -  "I.D.W.Y.S" is anything but overtly-sentimental. There's world-weary resignation in Laura's voice as she bemoans that she doesn't want "none of your shit" but you get the impression that this girl has made her bed and is gonna lie-in it until something better comes along. There's also contemporary Country-Folk feel to the sublime "Dying alone" as Laura conveys her (ir)rational fear of dying toute seule despite having friends who'll always be there for her.

The album closes with an acoustic version of "You've changed" and whereas last year's version was an addictive of guitar-laden rock-goodness, here - stripped of all those pedal-to-the-metal effects the song takes on the air of a confessional and changes the focus from the melody to the song's lyrics - which I suspect is Laura's intention.

Once again the album is co-produced by the multi-talented Dany Placard and Laura has enlisted the help of the aforementioned Mathieu Vezio on drums and percussion alongside Ben Bouchard on keyboards and guitarist Olivier Langevin.

The end result is that "Extraordinormal" is an absolutely immense album. Frankly I'm blown away by the metamorphosis of Laura Sauvage - Vivianne Roy - from guitar-rocker to contemporary story-teller and song-writer. I've already touched on the detailed eye for the mundane that she shares with Courtney Barnett, but there's also the way in which she manages to capture the listener's interest in the day-to-day ordinariness of life, in much the same way as fellow Acadian Lisa LeBlanc - just listen to Lisa's debut album to hear what I mean - that's not bad company to be associated with...

"Extraordinormal." Bloody fantastic. You read it here... Yearlist.

Laura Sauvage (Website)
"Extraordinormal" (Bandcamp)