Deanna Petcoff

★★★ To Hell With You, I Love You ROYAL MOUNTAIN. CD/DL/LP

Auspicious debut from bolshy, literate Canadian. When she gets revved up, Toronto-based Petcoff could be the lovechild of Liz Phair, Alanis Morissette and Ric Ocasek. “Sorry I’m a trash bag, I really wanna see you/But I got lotsa shit that’s going on,” notes her laconic vocal, fizzing against ringing Rickenbacker. “I’m acting kinda stupid/Get. Used. To. It.” Complete with blazing mid-point rock out, Trash Bag is exactly the kind of cathartic, heart-on-sleeve takedown we need right now. Devastatingly Mediocre kicks off speedy as the Buzzcocks; Failing Upwards has a smooth and synthy Cars-style beat, undercut by Petcoff’s joyously serrated tenor: “I’m a little uptight sometimes/But I don’t like feeling like a trophy wife.” The more earnest tracks occasionally dull down, though Sing With Me is affectingly resigned – but the ferocious, faux-sarcastic stuff (“Hope you still like me when I finally put my clothes on”) shows her vulnerability even better.