Rating: NNN
Billy the Kid is Billy Pettinger, a former teenage runaway from Surrey, BC, who describes herself as “lost” due to her continuous lack of a fixed address. (For the moment, she resides in L.A.) Usually she fronts Billy and the Lost Boys, a melodic punk outfit that puts her blazing guitar riffs front and centre. Her new solo EP, The Lost Cause, reveals a softer side. Riffs are replaced by acoustic strumming, lap steel and harmonica, with Garth Hudson (yes, that Garth Hudson) on piano.
Produced by Raine Maida, the five-song EP’s strength is Pettinger’s voice, which has a Dallas Green quality, all hushed and confessional yet never wispy. Fittingly, her lyrics are heart-on-her-sleeve persuasive and sometimes get uncomfortably earnest. While fans of her earlier material might be reluctant to trade in Jawbreaker for the Band, her DIY ethic’s still intact the EP’s out on her own Lost Records label. Now, if only she hadn’t let a bunch of L.A. session pros usurp her guitar duties.
Top track: These City Lights
