Like Toronto and Montreal, Vancouver has a world-class music scene, but unlike either city, Vancouver has never had the front page or the fame recognition. Which means that bragging about bands from that scene gives you cred, so let us begin by ranking one of the best Vancouver (Hell, CANADIAN) bands of the 2010s. “White Lung” was defined by the soulful howl of lead singer Mish Barber-Way, the expansive, dazzling guitar work of future six-string legend Kenny William, the robust, consistent drumming of Anne Marie Vassiliou, and the steady, legendary bass sound of a Yorkville Amp operated by a rotating door of bassists. White Lung made futuristic, forward-sounding, and incredibly technical post-punk that was wholly theirs.
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen life circumstances (a pandemic, parenthood, geography and sobriety, aka the killing blow to any band), their run came to a grinding halt. But what was left will never stop chugging on, lest we all stop chugging ourselves. So wait in your homes and drown with us here at the Hard Times as we give you the definitive White Lung ranking.
5. It’s the Evil (2010)
White Lung’s debut album is a noisy, grungy and scummy affair, and contains glimpses of future glories, but never quite hits a home run in terms of songwriting or performance. Not to say that there’s anything wrong with that, like ol Squirrely Dan from Letterkenny would say, since this album can be fun to kill a mickey of Canadian Crown in the woods with your friends, providing the soundtrack to the party, and all the chaos that would ensue on that rip.
Play it Again: “Sleep Creep”
Skip It: “Viva la Rat”
4. Sorry (2012)
White Lung’s second album pushed the band out of their comfort zone while still retaining the rawness of their first album, even earning them a Guiness World Record for most Canadian album title. Just like a rare steak, it satisfies your primal lust for blood and stimulates the sophisticated palette with its aggressive but melodic sound that would not sound out of place at a squat house, with the added technical flair courtesy of Kenny William. This album is where the legend was born, or something like that.
Play it Again: “Bad Way”
Skip it: “Glue”
3. Paradise (2016)
The closest thing to a major label debut for a punk band in the 2010s, due to its pristine, sometimes too sterile production and poppier direction. But even with their sound clean and pristine, White Lung continued to sound bellowing and mean, with deceptively nihilistic tales spun atop all the pretty colours conjured by Kenny William (pairs fantastically with BC’s other best export if you know what I mean). As they say in Canada, Oh bah’d that’s givin’er.
Play it Again: “Below”
Skip It: “Sister”
2. Deep Fantasy (2014)
White Lung’s first album in three piece configuration, before Kenny decided that rather than be killed, he was going to do the killing, murdering the need for anyone else to play bass for this band (in the studio anyways). This iteration of White Lung would prove punishing and emotive, with a refined, but still cutting edge take on post-punk providing propulsion to their burgeoning career. But with such perfection, how could this album be topped? Which brings us straight to the top of the list in the next entry.
Play it Again: “Down It Goes”
Skip It: “Face Down”
1. Premonition (2022)
White Lung may have split in 2022, but Holy Hell did they go out with a bang. Written and recorded pre-pandemic, this combines all the tech punky goodness with Mish’s newfound motherhood and sobriety, leading her and the band to give the performance of a lifetime. This album is the crowning achievement of a Canuck band unsung by the masses. So let’s do better and sing their praises to God from the rooftop, but tell him we’re out of darts when he needs a smoke, because, you know, blasphemy.
Play it Again: Always
Skip It: We wouldn’t for the world