Othello Tunnels - White Roses
Othello Tunnels - Linus Heyes on guitar, Gab Payeur on bass, and Jophiel Paquet-Marsolais on drums - just released “White Roses,” a scorcher of a single, perfect for the extremely hot summer we are currently experiencing in 2024. This is the first release of the current lineup and it allows the band to demonstrate their ability to blend genres and fully embrace the modern pop uproar.
Upon first listen it immediately swept me up with it’s hook-filled charm and endearing lyrics. The intro comes right in, with a catchy surf-rock riff, complimented by a lush vocal melody, and dives straight into the verse effortlessly. Heyes’ voice floats effortlessly over the lush instrumental backdrop, and has an almost ethereal quality to it. The lyrics speak of longing and introspection, full of emotion and subtle nuances that further draws the listener in. At just over two and a half minutes long, “White Roses” scratches my itch for an cheerful, poppy indie rock tune with thoughtful and melodic lyrics.
The guitar lines float gently over the track, in a thick layer of reverb, reminiscent of 60’s surf and garage rock, and towards the end kicks into a fervour with a fuzz-laden guitar solo that perfectly matches the energy and finishes the song on a high note. All the while, Payeur’s bass thumps delightfully in the background, providing Heyes the perfect canvas on which to lay that reverb-laden guitar, and while understated, perfectly follows the guitar and is in lock step with the drums the whole time. Paquet-Marsolais’ drumming doesn’t skip a single beat, and really reaches its crescendo in the second half of the song. The playing, while energetic and upbeat, never steps out of place or overwhelms the song.
Having seen Othello Tunnels quite a few times over the last two years - formerly known as The Linus Haze, a solo-project of Heyes’, they recently rechristened themselves after adding the permanent rhythm section of Payeur and Paquet-Marsolais - the band has turned into a well oiled indie rock machine. With several Montreal dates coming up, you are going to want to make sure to make time to see Othello Tunnels this summer before the cold sets in. Trust me, you’re not gonna regret it!
Henry Girard The Wesleys / Petit Village Records
