Shedding his black-clad cowboy persona, the artist formerly known as Maxos Le Gervoïde returns with a new collection of great tunes, some earnest, some funny (and some both). Recorded aptly by David Dugas Dion and featuring fellow “Campivalentienne” Ariane Grenier on vocals and piano, this is another sparkling example of why Valleyfield must have something in the water that produces great musicians and songwriters by the bucketload. Refer to my former review of Maxime’s work to get a sense of his deep ability to weave humor and a deep sense of perception into his imminently catchy tunes.

Montreal electro-noise-thrash duo BP Black Piranha have slung a new batch of gnarly noise bombs, released in tandem with a second, free release of great covers, available on their bandcamp page, gratis. The collection of originals, however is a gloriously shredded stab in the ears for fans of NIN , Atari Teenage Riot and anything generally electro and face-stabby. Short, intense and to the point, these songs pass through your brain like bullets, never overstaying and leaving you salivating for more.

This Boston band is yet another in a seemingly endless parade of crunchy, fuzzy radness out of that city and it’s environs. Alongside Creaturos, New Highway Hymnal , Earthquake Party! , Fedavees and Hands & Knees they are one of my faves in the resurgence of fuzzy and/or psych punk oozing out of the Boston/Cambridge area. On Tour now, you should catch em if you can!

From Toronto, The Greys have nasty riffs that are just this side of too mathy. Complex and driving while never losing the hook, with some bloody screaming, a real little treasure of a 7” inch I grabbed at their show.

Eclectic local Montreal DIY label Jeunesse Cosmique knocks one out of the park with this beautifully handmade CDR comp featuring fuzz-laden tracks from all over da world. Explores the concept of fuzz and tasty tasty distortion in every context from dreampop psych garage to nasty noise. Really really rad smorgasbord of muffy crunch!

This duo plays outside the metro, even in the winter, offering some hypercharged guitar and drums to the passersby. When they aren’t doing that, they are OWNING cover songs like Aphex Twin ‘s “Come To Daddy”.

New kids on the Montreal scene, Varger packs a sloppy punch. Math-punky with a kitchen sink approach to the riffs and songwriting. Stoked to see what comes next!

Awesome and wild “basement stoners” Nice Guys are from Allston and put out this snappy, shredded tune a few months ago and I now hear it in my head every time I see a fat cop.

Spooky space rockers from beyond, Corona Ferox have the subtle and hard earned ability to make shit-fi sound work for them adding layers of obscure mystery to their warped punk acumen instead of the other side of the coin, which is shit musicianship covered by reverb and bad recording. This shit is fo real and the Ferox duo are masters in the chimeric and dark arts of spaced out rawk.

Unabashedly sweet and poppy slice of sunshine from Worcester Mass’ Huge Face . Guaranteed to make ya smile, a throwback to the 90s, when rock was a tad more earnest and catchy. Some of the best guitar shredding I’ve heard in a long time, to boot!