Hit the Ground Running

Scarlet

Too Late

Bastard Child

Listeners who stumble upon Quebec-based band Whisky Legs’ debut EP, Have A Shot, will have more than a few good things to say about this release. Smooth, sensuous vocals, killer musicianship, and lots of fun will no doubt be among the high notes praised here. But, unfortunately for listeners worldwide, there’s one glaring flaw in this debut and that is that it’s only four songs long, leaving listeners on the edge of their seat for more.

Whisky Legs came to fruition in the St. Roch quarter of Quebec City, originally formed as the duo of lead vocalist Maude Brochu and multi-faceted instrumentalist and vocalist Pascal Denis. More recent days have seen guitarist Guillaume Méthot and bassist Louis Fernandez added to the fold, helping to round out the group’s center and bring the full sound they’ve been in pursuit of. That sound is one that draws from a mentality that culls the best from the 60s while connecting to the best of today as the band cites influences as diverse as Amy Winehouse, Led Zeppelin, Ray Charles, and many more.

Have A Shot is a quick four-beat of fun and flavor, the band showcasing multiple elements throughout each track that show their diversity and their talent along the way. Things literally “Hit the Ground Runnin’” with the opening track, Fernandez’s bass laying down thick lines of funk with tight guitar runs and kicking percussion. Add to that Brochu’s amazing vocals, rich and smoky, and you’re ready for more.

The next track, “Scarlet,” doesn’t fail to deliver, a killer blues groove opening the track up as Brochu seductively weaves her vocals in and out through the arrangement, singing of classic blues themes like love, cheating, and loss, poignantly offering, “I thought I knew you better/Till I saw that scarlet letter/Loved above all the others/Till I found out truths uncovered.” Further guitar licks simply accentuate the pain and passion in the lyric, pressing it forward with a powerful emotion.

If there’s any lull here on Have A Shot, it’s with the acoustic driven “Too Late.” Boasting a rather positive lyric that encourages listeners to live in the day, not constantly looking to tomorrow in life and relationships, the track is a warm acoustic romp that is solidly played and performed but that feels something of a letdown, particularly after the bright energy of the opening tracks. 

Yet, album closer “Bastard Child” rights any of those wrongs with a whole new set of acoustic blues licks and Brochu’s vocal at its most sensuous. The arrangement is dark and swampy, and listeners can virtually feel the humidity of the Mississippi Delta crowding in as the artist sings, “Mama said, never play with handsome devils/Little girl I’ve been there myself /Mama said, never lay with handsome devils/Little girl I’ve been there myself/Might keep you warm at night/But it’ll only be for a little while.” It’s a perfect ending to this quick, four-shot run of funk and blues.

Whisky Legs Have A Shot is more than just a promising debut from an up and coming band. Rather, it’s a shout to listeners everywhere that there’s a new game in town and it is taking place here and now. This powerful quartet is poised to make a big splash and if the Fates will have it, we’ll be hearing a lot more from Whisky Legs in the very near future.
 
Whisky Legs
 Have a Shot
 Reviewed by Andrew Greenhalgh 
Rating: 4.0