Vancouver-based songwriter C.C. Voltage has just announced the release of his newest single Berliner Pilsner b/w Bummer Party out February 6th on Ausländer Music and on 7-inch vinyl via Spain’s Snap Records. The band skates the line between 80’s hair metal bands like Motley Crue and a little bit of late 80’s radio rock like Tom Petty but at other moments they have a little bit of a Bad Religion sound. It’s a very interesting mix of influences. On the single “Berliner Pilsner” it’s got a little bit of a Replacements vibe but is very polished.  The band states their influences as Sweet, Cheap Trick, The MC5, Bad Nerves and Wine Lips, which is kind of a diverse batch of bands so it’s no wonder the band comes off as eclectic.

CC Voltage explained about their newest single, “While I was living in Berlin my favorite beer company, Berliner Pilsner, had a song writing competition. I wrote the tune in full 80’s beer commercial style, thinking that it’d be a shoo-in with the judges. I’m not sure if it was the crappy demo I submitted, or the fact that they were looking for German lyrics, but I didn’t even get a response on my submission. Rich Jones and I revamped the song, made it rock a little harder and enlisted some pals to make it more interesting. We still love Berliner Pilsner beer, even if they don’t like the song.” For my tastes the second track “Bummer Party” has a little bit of a harder edge and is more punk tinged. I suppose it’s a good pairing to give listeners

The iteration of the band on these tracks contains the bands “international cast of friends” Jason Solyom (La Chinga, Nasty On), Jay Millette (The Black Halos, Darlings of Chelsea), Rich Jones (Michael Monroe, The Black Halos, The Dogs D'Amour, The Loyalties, The Yo-Yo's), Graham Tuson (The Spitfires) Marcel Lafleur (Arson, Smashed Gladys) and James Sullivan (More Kicks, Suspect Parts).The band used their pandemic time wisely as they revisited tracks from their time in Berlin to cull together this newest single.

C.C. Voltage is a veteran of the music industry best known for working with Vancouver bands Spitfires and the Black Halos. I think anyone checking these songs out can hear from the production to the songwriting that this is a band who has mastered their craft. Fun tracks that will go over well with the nostalgia crowd but might peak the interest of anyone looking to just hear good old rock n roll.