Mythologies. Historian

Historian? Since 1990 I am allowed to call myself one, so the bandname certainly triggered the desire to listen to Mythologies, the debut album of the Groningen based band. From the very first notes, I heard that the band is aptly named. The four members are ardent visitors of musical libraries and must have graduated cum laude in classic rock from around 1970 with minors in circa 2000 duo rock bands like The White Stripes and The Black Keys.

Historian is Joris Boerma (vocals, guitar), Lissie Van De Laar (keys, vocals), Niek de Vries (drums) and Ravi Pakker (bass). Together they have a great love for music that came before. My first association was not so much from abroad but Dutch: DeWolff and the debut mini album of the former The Silverfaces. The combination of distorted guitars, a warm Hammond and fierce drumming fits the bill.

A second thought came fast. Historian is much better than DeWolff was when it started. This level of songwriting came much later to the latter band. The inspiration is obvious though. From there it's easy to step back into history, all the way back to the likes of Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. Historian rocks and no little.

Photo: Niek de Vries

Led Zeppelin comes through loud and clear when in 'Lady Of Fire' and '...Friends Are Off To War' the acoustic instruments come in, including a violin or two. Joris Boersma, who has already shown to be a competent singer, now takes centre stage and cooks up a storm when the band finally comes in for the final part. The next song, 'Sunset Blues', is just that. Only Boersma and his acoustic guitar in the style of old bluesmen from before electrified blues. It may only be an interlude to cut in two the two LP sides, it shows Historian is good when reduced to the smallest part.

Jack White/The White Stripes is present abundantly as well. Not as a duo but in the full band sound version. 'Hell Over Holy Water' is a good example. The guitar and drums are supported by Pakker's bass and the organ spreads the warmth of hell over the holy water past the boiling point. Somewhere in that noise Lissie van de Laar's voice adds that extra to the harmonies.

Mythologies is an album that fills me with nostalgia for the things from the past. Music that I have come to know (better) while growing up and that came by later because I kept following new music and bands. But nostalgia is only half of the story. Historian has recorded an album that is a tower of strength all by its self. There's no need to be original in order to write and play great songs. Enter Mythologies. A great album

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