Anet / Annette Ducharme

Country of origin:

Canada

Type of music generally:

Pop/Rock

Status:

Most recent album, Wreck⋅Age (as Annette Ducharme, 2019)

See also:

Anet's site

Comparisons:

Janice Durham; maybe a touch of slightly more mainstream Dalbello or Sara Craig

Covers/own material:

Mostly own

General comments:

This is basically straightahead pop/rock but her albums have some wonderfully quirky moments that give this a wonderful sense of life, and she's got a powerful voice, knows how to use it, and can write songs with killer hooks. Her more recent work has gotten more and more fierce. (Neile)

she's great. i had a few songs of hers on a mix from someone, her voice and music is great to listen to. very pop at times, but more intelligent than mariah carey-esque songs. great cd! (enzo1@idt.net)

I discovered Annette way back in the mid-'80s. Really great, powerful pop-rock with a unique vocal style. I'm a fan. Her first alum , Blue Girl, was basic '80s pop/rock, but great lyrics. Her next, called Don't Argue With Her in the States, while still retaining pop sensibilities, is a little more sophisticated. Annette is melody-driven pop-rock, on the melancholy side on "Don't Argue With Her") with a nice way with lyrics. I find her stuff extremely catchy, and if you're not afraid of pop melodies (actually her stuff is more complex than your basic pop song) then you should definitely check her out. (colford@chlotrudis.org,)

In my opinion Annette is a much better writer than she is a performer. I prefer Tom Cochrane's performances of Annette's songs to those of Annette herself. She does write some great stuff though. (c. 1995, carnivore@bigfoot.com)

Recommended first album:

Don't Argue With Her/Bloom, Tortured or Toilet Trained

Recordings:

• Real Life ep (1981)
• Blue Girl (1989)
• Sanctuary (1994)
• Don't Argue With Her (also released as Bloom, 1995)
• Tortured (1997/2000)
• Toilet Trained / Talented Girl (2002)
• Wreck⋅Age (as Annette Ducharme, 2019)

sanctuary

Release info:

1994—Beggar's Bliss Records/Page Publications Inc., 800 Steeles Avenue West, suite B210-138, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada L4J 7L2—BB 1000-2

Availability:

Available in Canada and by email to anet@shaw.ca

Ecto priority:

Recommended for pop/rock fans

Group members:

Annette Ducharme—vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards, bass

Guest artists:

Tom Cochrane, David "Boots" Gogo, Jordai Birch, Todd Simko, Russ Klyne

Produced by:

John Webster

Comments:

This didn't do that much for me—basic pop/rock. Would be fine for fans of more mainstream music than I tend to like. I far prefer Don't Argue With Her (which I have as Bloom), Tortured and Toilet Trained. (Neile)

Don't Argue With Her

Release info:

1995—Beggar's Bliss/Sony (Canada)—2244-29595-2

Availability:

Wide in Canada on release and by email to anet@shaw.ca

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended for pop/rock fans

Group members:

Annette Ducharme—guitar, keyboards, vocals, backing vocals

Guest artists:

Randy Black—drums
Tad Olson—bass
Al Vermue—guitars
Niko Quintal—drums
Rob "Looch" Lulich—chugs, solo thing
Steve Crane—additional guitar
Tara MacLean, Saffron Henderson—additional backing vocals
Jerry Wong—10 second solo
John Webster—keyboards, percussion

Produced by:

John Webster

Comments:

I got this free from a local used disc shop after I bought some other stuff, and it's the best freebie I've ever picked up like that. Great, quirky rock, interesting lyrics, and the songs are put together in intriguing ways. I'm surprised she's as obscure as she is. I think this album is full of delights. Each song has a different flavour but plays off the songs near it. Some rock out and some are more contemplative, but overall the disc is lively and fun. I highly recommend this one—definitely worth real money! (Neile)

A terrific pop-rock album. Really wonderful songs, like the exquisite "Best Waste of Time." (colford@chlotrudis.org,)

Tortured

Release info:

1997 originally as Annette Ducharme; 2000 re-released as by Anet

Availability:

CD Baby and by email to anet@shaw.ca

Ecto priority:

High recommended for pop/rock fans

Group members:

Anet (Annette Ducharme)—vocals, guitars, keyboards
Stewart Fazekas—drums
Beau Cook—bass

Guest artists:

Shannon Saunders—violin on 2 tracks
Hans Araki—aeolian pipes on 1 track
Troy Samson—bass on 1 track
John Webster—mellotron on 1 track, backing vocals on 1 track
Danielle French—backing vocals on 1 track

Produced by:

John Webster and Anet

Comments:

I gather this was originally released in Canada as by Annette Ducharme, and has a re-issue as by Anet.
     After belatedly discovering that this was still available by mailing the sales address at Anet's website, I ordered and got a copy quickly. This is a strong follow-up to Bloom/Don't Argue With Her and is very much in the same vein: Anet's strong vocals, hooky songwriting, energetic rock sound. I highly recommend this disc to anyone who likes lively, interesting pop/rock. (Neile)

Toilet Trained / Talented Girl

First released as Toilet Trained; now entitled Talented Girl

Release info:

2002—Anet

Availability:

Currently only available by email to anet@shaw.ca

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended for fans of fierce rock

Comments:

This is intense tough and uncompromising pop/rock, here with an emphasis on the rock. I find her work compelling, and this is a particularly strong hard-rocking album. (Neile)

Highly melodic rock; neurotic, funny, heartfelt lyrics; heavy guitars.
     The melodies are so immediate and catchy, these are songs you can sing along with second listen. I'm not sure yet if that means one eventually gets saturated—I haven't reached that stage, though I do with Tanya Donelly albums, after similar instant infatuation. Maybe Anet's lyrics will hold this off—they are a charming mixture of confused and honest, reveling in neurosis and screwy acquaintances and funny situations, but not in a "feel my pain" way, more "Ha! Aren't I a mess?! Ha! Aren't you a mess?!." The characters and colourful words and passionate delivery keep me involved even when sometimes the lyrics border on clichés.
     The final delicate "Everything", almost country-tinged, is really moving in its vulnerability—her lover has seen in her poetry what she wanted hidden ("the things you just don't need to know, you'll probably just turn and leave"), and yet she can't say what she needs to. "Electric chair" is a gorgeous over-the-top power ballad with lyrics like "Cinderella's drunk and difficult to deal with, from your intoxicating kiss" and "quickly hit the switch and see the pretty colours from the pyrotechnics of my heart exploding." The listener probably needs a specific sensibility to adore this as much as I do.
     The sound sometimes borders on heavy metal, not the ornate fast kind, but a heavy sound using guitars and drums to thundering affect. This lp is louder than her previous crunchy guitar stuff. Among the louder songs I love the churning "Nicotine" ("shove it down the drain before you have to explain it") with its chanting impassioned politics, the rumbling bass and flailing guitars of sexy "Abductee" ("I want to get inside your mind") and the disturbing "I explode" with a monster struggling inside, apparently about suicide, but it works too if the monster is taken literally. The mid-tempo numbers like "Liar" and "Talented girl" are more clever and cute (too cute?) and unique, but I need loud guitars at the moment.
     Unfortunately there are only 9 songs and I want more. (k_hester_k@yahoo.co.nz)

Further info:

Email anet@shaw.ca