Rob Duguay - The Call

One thing about punk rock that people might not immediately recognize is that it doesn’t need to have this abundant amount of amplification or a certain kind of attitude to exist. Yes, individualism, being anti-establishment and going against the grain will always be the main characteristics of the style but there are an abundance of ways to get those across. Sometimes a raw sound with a bit of weirdness can do the trick and that’s what The Adjuncts from Providence have going on. The power trio’s latest release is an EP titled French Follies that came out on November 29 and it’s a stellar evolution of this approach. The band also has a connection to Woonsocket due to guitarist & vocalist Adam Hogue, drummer Jason Dolbec and bassist James Berthiaume each being raised in The City On The Move.

Dolbec wrote the entire EP while out on the road and being fed up with the way things are these days. The story goes that he wrote the entire album, note for note, in one fever dream of a night. The record was also made so the band could be together during a time when a lot of things were shut down because of COVID-19.

“French Follies was made as a way to continue creating music during a time where it was hard to be together,” Hogue says on the making of the album. “We kind of took a similar approach to the band The Postal Service where I'd send a track to Jason [Dolbec] and he'd add whatever he saw fit. We made it a point to not give direction to each other. James and I met one day and just had a marathon recording session where we tried to go with as many first takes as possible. The songs kind of span a year or so and have been accumulating into our shared folders, but as with most of the subjects of the songs, there remains a constant thread of the existential meanderings on aging, place and purpose.”

“There’s also a dose of wanderlust,” he adds. “Everything is the constant practice of refining, redefining and attempting to discover what can never be discovered. We try to make songs that reflect that.”

Entrancing harmonies start off “Howling at the Moon” while proceeding into a rhythmic structure that embraces downbeats and steady riffs. There’s also literal howling from Hogue and Berthiaume during the chorus, adding a quirk that is part of the band’s artistic identity. “Bleeds or Leads” has more of a folky vibe with a ukulele being present and the electric guitar counteracting it in a sonic way. There’s an harmonica being blown in “Posthorn” along with Dolbec’s drumming sounding excellent, it’s definitely the best produced track on the EP. There’s a lot to offer in “Wait for Dinner” with acoustic tones being adorned with electronic elements while the entire song becomes an emotional personal anthem.

Hogue, Dolbec and Berthiaume unite their talents to create honest and unbridled energy in the new record. At the same time, it’s nothing bigger than the sum of its parts but that isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it makes the music more real than a lot of the overproduced garbage that’s out there today. It’s also cool that you can buy the EP for whatever price you choose via The Adjuncts’ Bandcamp page at adjuncts.bandcamp.com. Make sure to buy it and give it a listen to experience a different take on punk that’s as genuine as it gets.