Ten singles 2021/16

Having arrived in week 16 I have to admit that I have let a single jump the fence to the top of the line. When my biggest musical hero throughout the decades releases a surprise single I am not letting it lie on the shelf for a few weeks. So here comes Eazy Sleazy, Mick Jagger's new, grand rocker. Coming with the new Jagger solo song, you also find some country (rock), singer-songwriter, pop-rock and some alternative songs. Yes, by now you know, it is once again quite diverse. There's a link below should you want to follow it all.

Eazy Sleazy. Mick Jagger with Dave Grohl
Surprise, surprise. While the world is waiting for the new The Rolling Stones album, in vain, perhaps forever, Mick Jagger releases a solo single. Most likely because it is impossible to get the "old men" (I started to call them that in 1990. I'm much older than them then now) out of their homes. I finished watching the video, seeing the sly smile on Mick Jagger's face and spontaneously started clapping to my screen, while saying out loud "well done, Mick". Is that because Eazy Sleazy is a Jagger top 10 song. No, of course not, but certainly because it is dashing, it's vibrant, its rocking, it's convincing and so much alive. Part of the secret is Dave Grohl playing guitar, bass and drums behind Jagger. That said, the lyrics are a nice sign of the times, just like The Rolling Stones' 'Living In A Ghost Town' was last year. The way Jagger takes on QAnon in one of the verses is spot on. It all results into the best Jagger and Stones song since 1997, 'Saint Of Me', I mean. Eazy Sleazy will never become a hit but it should. This song rocks. It reminds me of 'Respectable' and many other songs on 'Some Girls' (1978). The Rolling Stones were washed up and hung out to dry by all the punks. The band did what it was good at, come up with a loud, rough, sleazy album. Where are those punks now? Where Mick Jagger is, is quite clear. This single is as punk as punk comes and kicking a lot of people who need a big kick in the somewheres with a very big Dr. Martens boot. Yeah!!!!!!

Trans-Lunar Injection. The Yummy Mouths

A second single of The Yummy Mouths on WoNoBlog. Following 'White Noise', Trans-Lunar Injection announces the band's debut EP 'Ugh', to be released soon. The new single is a nice alternative pop rock single with a few twists thrown in, totally changing the pace and mood for a while. A part of the song seems pretty straight forward, allowing the listener to settle in to the poppy atmosphere. Just listen to the way the intro, the fairly long intro, is played. I loved it immediately. The verse is barer but still pleasant leading up to a repeat of the intro, which turns out to be a work up to the short chorus. Next, as if the plug is pulled from the bath, the band drops away from the song, only leaving atmospherics and the bass. Emptiness, where did my warm water go? The band kicks in with double energy to work towards the end. Several ideas went into one song, showing the ambition of The Yummy Mouths. Nice song, again.

World Of Convenience. The Mistons

Alright, Ritalin ready, as this is an ADHD song if I've ever heard one. In second 1 The Mistons kick in the pedal to the metal and don't take it off before the song finishes at 2"38 minutes leaving me out of breath, totally exhausted. Of course World Of Convenience is a great modern rock and roll song with a breath of punk in there that simply does not relent for a second. The Mistons is working towards the release of its album called World Of Convenience. If the title track and single is anything to go on, it will be a devastating affair of balled energy enough to blast a medium sized planet to smithereens. The duo from Portland, Oregon on its first single wanted to make an impression and did. World Of Convenience is a rocker like they used to make and now they do once again.

Antihero. Jaguar Jonze

Following her album 'Diamonds & Liquid Gold, reviewed on these pages only a year ago, Jaguar Jonze returns with a five song EP that is as intriguing as her debut album was. In many ways Ms. Jonze is as modern as a whole host of female singers in this century, with one major difference: I like her music, because it blends modern sounds and beats with some rock. The result is a song like the opening track 'Tessalations'. A rock guitar keeps invading the song with long notes, while the rhythm section provides the song with a very sound, tight and loud foundation. It is a mix that simply works for me. Moving into the EP 'Deadalive' and 'Murder' keep that same balance between  pop and rock. I really like the way 'Murder' keeps that pace going, without ever overdoing anything. The music does not need large tricks to keep the flow of Jaguar Jonze's singing going. It is a song that works all by itself. Melody, vocals, modern instrumentation and that rock vibe, it all gels effortlessly. The surf vibe of 'Curled In' tops it all of. This EP does not go wrong any more. Did I forget to say that Jaguar Jonze is a good singer? Oh, she is alright.

Duzend Keer. Tijs Vanneste feat. Kate Ryan

'Hier Is 't Goed' heet Tijs Vannestes LP. Net als The Yummy Mouths komt Vanneste uit de Belgische Kempen. De muziek kan niet anders zijn. Als hele LP was het een beetje teveel voor mij om te verwerken. Zoveel sferen, zoveel songs. Toch wil ik wel even een spotlight op Vanneste zetten. Luister naar de country song van het album Duzend Keer, samen met Kate Ryan. Het nummer is country, maar heeft ook een soort sfeer dat geen Amerikaan op de plaat kan krijgen en dat komt niet alleen door het Kempense dialect waarin wordt gezongen. Er ligt een deken over het geluid heen, wat de muziek iets smerigs geeft. Een dreiging die niet in traditionele C&W thuishoort. Vanneste maakt er iets van zichzelf van, niettegenstaande het mooie geluid van de lead gitaar. Hoe mooi traditioneel dat ook klinkt, het is hooguit een toefje slagroom. Dat alles daar gelaten, is Duzend Keer gewoon een verdomd aardig liedje.

All My Wounds. Pentral

Hard rock from Belem in Brazil. Pentral is a trio, releasing its second single, working toward the debut album 'What Lies Ahead Of Us'', scheduled for May. Fans of loud, melodic rock should perk up their ears, as this song brings together a few great elements of classic rock and metal. A Van Halen type solo is mixed with strong, tight metal playing, while the vocal melody is not afraid to contain a pop element that allows for singing along. All three members are such good players. The drums are so tight and wide in sound. A great bass sound supports both drums and guitars. The guitarist shows a multitude of techniques in just one song. If I could play this for 50% I would be quite content. Alas, this sort of rock is not for me as a guitarist. All My Wounds contains many things I like to hear in a good rock song.

Hey. Ben Reddell Band

Next up is some country again (and notice the difference with Tijs Vanneste). Hey is an extremely sympathetic song that mixes traditional country with a rocking element that makes it so much nicer for me. That starts with the dark twangy sound of the lead guitar, that picks all these darker notes and ends with a warm Hammond organ. Textually Ben Reddell, a Texan living in L.A., is not singing about every day's life for me. There's many a day that I do not have cocaine and a gun in the dashboard of my car while stopped by police. When was the last time I was stopped by police at all? That aside. Hey is a nice song that combines a dark and a light side with an upbeat sound and a melancholy mood. As such the single works truly well. Together with his band Ben Reddell has found his own niche in a well-trodden genre where a good song extra is always welcome. And I can relate to having an old car that always comes around.

Hurt A Fly. Squirrel Flower

I can't help feeling that I've only just gotten to know Squirrel Flower and already a new album is underway. Planet is scheduled for June. Hurt A Fly is the lead single, as they call it nowadays. If it's anything to go by, it's an alternative, darkish rocking album. Where 'I Was Born Swimming' contained quite some innocence, in Hurt A Fly all that is lost to a singer that has wisened up to the world. Together with producer Ali Chant, Ella O'Connor Williams recorded her new record, layer for layer and bringing in English musicians like drummer Matt Brown and guitarist Adrian Utley of Portishead fame. It results in a multilayered track called Hurt A Fly. The song is dark, because of the way the singing was recorded and the sound in general. The piano that keeps repeating that dark chord over and over is a part of the explanation where the sound is concerned. On 'I Was Born Swimming' Squirrel Flower only hinted at being able to create this kind of music. Now it's here, I can only say I like this direction, with of course no idea yet what Planet as a whole will bring me.

Gala At TheUniverse City. Possum

Possum, a Canadian band, is compared with everything and everybody ranging from Frank Zappa to Can. On the basis of just this song, I'm not familiar with any other, I can't help thinking of The Doors. The way Possum blends blues, rock and psychedelia in only a little more than two minutes is uncannily like The Doors were capable of doing. (Apart from the fact that in the final notes I have the impression the band is about to start a Jimi Hendrix Experience cover. Tell me which one you think it is.) Even the singing is dark, just like Jim Morrison often did. There's one difference though. Gala At The Universe City is not as good as a The Doors song was. How can it, as The Doors are like one of my absolute favourites for decades on end. In this single the wah-wah solo guitar works really well, as do the estranging elements through the short song. I like it alright.

Normal / One Man Guy. David Ramirez

At a time when it was the most normal thing in the world to do, I saw David Ramirez play in the Q-Bus in Leiden. Today I have no clue when seeing a show will become normal once again. I do know one thing, that the shows in the Q-Bus are over. If they return, they will be elsewhere but closer to the train station. An era of nearly two decades of shows there has ended.

David Ramirez recently released two songs as a single. The songs show me how little a singer sometimes needs to make a song work. I like One Man Guy the best. It is a song that is bare. At heart it is Ramirez' voice with a drum and a bass behind him. The rest is accents. His nice voice carries the whole song as if it's the most normal thing in the world. Just like live on his own with a guitar in the Q-Bus it is enough to keep me enraptured. And, yes, there's a nice piano and slide solo in the song as well. Normal is just as beautiful in its approach and, and this is very well meant, simplicity.

Wout de Natris

 

Listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g