Audrey and the Agents

Audrey and the Agents’ sound was a mix of old school punk like the clash and bad brains with contemporary dance rock like the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and the Gossip. Lead singer Chantal Caissie has loads of charisma, a strong singing voice and a scream that will shatter your earholes. The band chugs along with hard-hitting, precise and danceable beats, guitar hooks that infest your head like a brain-slug and bass that dares to not blend in the background. Bass is one of the most important elements for any rock band, especially one whose feet are planted so firmly on the dance floor, and Ben Manuel (also the bassist for the Scoop Outs) adds the right amount of melody and movement to the music. The bass is funky but undeniably punky, perfectly complimenting the aggressive guitars and those dancy drums. These guys rocked my artwork. - Noisography

Growing up in Moncton, Chantal Caissie spent a lot of time listening to classic female rock singers— Joan Jett, Siouxie and the Banshees — but never envisioned herself in the same role. “I always wanted to start a band — I just never thought I could,” she says. Instead, Caissie spent years playing solo acoustic sets at open mics. While attending school in Halifax, she met up with Shawn Mackenzie and Jordan Murphy, who asked her to start a band with them. Caissie’s friend (and Scoop Outs/Deadly Hearts bassist) Ben Manuel joined the fold, and Caissie, a Twin Peaks fan, suggested the name Audrey and the Agents. Their sound recalls a naughty dream I sometimes have featuring Brody Dalle, Juliette Lewis and all three members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in athletic and compromising positions. After winning the second round of Battle to Warped II last week, the band is working on new music, planning a New Brunswick mini-tour with the Bad Bad Bad in March and crossing their fingers for the finals next Tuesday. - The Coast