EP – Limited Loser Edition (First pressing only) on Red Vinyl. As its name suggested, the intimate and sultry Cuntry Covers Vol. 1 was always going to have a follow-up. Led by the brooding vocals of Bria Salmena, Cuntry Covers Vol. 2 is every bit as potent as its predecessor whose noir-inflected alternative country-rock stood in sharp contrast to the singer\’s commanding delivery as leader of post-punk revivalists FRIGS. Debuting the project in 2021, the languid, reverb-drenched Cuntry Covers Vol. 1 saw her artfully collaborating with multi-instrumentalist Duncan Hay Jennings and reimagining a carefully picked collection of Americana anthems. Vol. 2 pushes the envelope further and harder. Encompassing feverish takes on tracks by Gillian Welch, Paula Cole, Mary Margaret OHara, Robert Lester Folsom, Glenn Campbell by way of Nick Cave and the late, great Loretta Lynn, Brias deliciously dark approach shimmers through these six startling songs. Created during a break from Salmena and Jennings work in Orville Pecks world-conquering backing band, Vol. 2 was recorded directly after Pecks second album and Brias US tour supporting Wolf Alice. Embracing contrast, the sunny circumstances in which Vol. 1 was made were flipped on their head. Instead of a bucolic barn in the Canadian countryside, they recorded the new tracks in chilly Toronto, huddled together in their tiny makeshift home studio, with Jennings at the controls. They enlisted the help of local Toronto musicians Lucas Savatti (FRIGS), Simone Baril (US Girls, The Highest Order, Darlene Shrugg, Partner), Andrew Manktelow, and frequent collaborator Jaime Rae McCuaig. While Vol. 1 was Brias attempt at subverting country musics conservative roots and primarily white and heterosexual agenda, here the emphasis was on experimentation. While Vol. 2 might be less personal, its just as idiosyncratic, with half of the reversions staying true to the originals and others taken to a different universe entirely. Building on the tried-and-true/bold-and-new duality of Cuntry Covers first offering, Vol. 2 delivers a deeper dive into the duos brilliant alchemy of traditional and contemporary reinterpretations. The added experimental flourishes, from dizzying electronica and pulsing bass to sax-driven soul, take Brias new EP into previously uncharted territory, signalling a thrilling new step in Brias adventurous evolution. Tracklist: 1. Where Have All The Cowboys Gone? 2. When You Know Why Youre Happy 3. Dont Come Home A-Drinkin (With Lovin on Your Mind) 4. By The Time I Get To Phoenix 5. I Dream A Highway 6. See You Later, Im Gone