Strange Life. Howling Bells

It was 20 years ago that Howling Bells released its debut album, 'Howling Bells'. Three albums followed but after 2014 things went quiet for the originally Australian band. Recently, vocalist/guitarist Juanita Stein, her brother and guitarist Joel Stein and drummer Glenn Moule reformed and started on a path that resulted in the release of Strange Life on 13 February 2026.

Strange Life is an album that shows different facets of the band. From the indie rocking opening song and the first Howling Bells song ever on WoNoBlog, 'Unbroken', to a dreamy song providing the album's title, 'The Looking Glass', Howling Bells delivers interesting songs that are somewhere in between the two.

Vocally, Juanita Stein cam measure herself to the likes of Blood Red Shoes' Laura-May Carter and Wolf Alice's Ellie Rowsell. She has that same quality to remain tranquil in the middle of an (alternative) rock storm. She is the eye of the hurricane around which it all evolves. I notice being attracted to her voice the whole of the time. Not that I do not hear the rest, far from. The music is very present. Stein's voice is mixed right in the middle of my ears. That makes her ultra present.

As an aside, singer Juanita Stein can be found on this blog, as in 2017 and 2018 Erwin Zijleman reviewed two solo albums. The hiatus of twelve years were not a step back from music for her. I can't recall taking a listen. If an album doesn't reach me, it is near impossible to catch up later (for artists I do not know).

Photo: Rob Loud

On Strange Life Howling Bells can rock. Even in a dirty way. 'Sweet Relief', is the tenth song on the album. Although Juanita Stein sounds like her sweet self, for most of the time as she has different timbres to her voice, the band rocks out, with distorted guitars and all. The final song is like cat, nails clawing into your skin. Just three songs before the band is purring like a happy cat, in a smooth sounding ballad, 'Dreamer'.

It shows the different sides to Howling Bells that together make for a very strong album. It took the band 12 years to make a new album. The wait was worth it. I'm a lucky one, as I did not have to wait that long, being new to the band. It does give me the opportunity to start listening to the output of the past. Strange Life is one of the albums that make the musical year 2026 worthwhile already.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

 

2025, week 7. 10 singles

No, I have no extra words this week, so just enjoy the selection!

Fall Out Of Bed. Mountaineer

Those who followed this blog over the past years know that a new single by Mountaineer will very likely fall on fertile ears. Marcel Hulst in both his Maggie Brown and Mountaineer guises has produced four magnificent albums. With Fall Out Of Bed his fifth album is announced. The single is extremely small. Two acoustic guitars, some atmospherics and a few sparse piano notes. This is all it takes to give me goosebumps. And of course, his soft, almost whispering voice. News has it that Excelsior Recordings has, finally I might add, signed the band. What my ears tell me, is that the mix is wider and the multitracked vocals come as a surprise. Fall Out Of Bed is a song of extreme beauty, another one in a long row of beautiful songs. Album 'Country Dragon' will be released on 3 April.

Kiss or Kill Me. Michael Des Barres

When did I hear music like this coming out of Hollywood? More decades ago than I care to remember. There are still musicians out there who haven't heard that the musical genre went out of fashion a long time ago. And the world should be glad that they haven't heard the news. Michael des Barres' voice may sound like he drank the whole Jack Daniels shack all by himself over the past decades, he is rocking like there is no tomorrow. His band is supertight and the riffs are flying. His drummer manages to add all these little extras into his drum patterns, The electric solo guitar is simply on fire. Kiss Or Kill Me is one heck of an introduction to this artist.

Bumble Bee. Ruby James featuring Rosie Flores

"I’ve always loved ‘Bumble Bee’, and I’m still surprised by how many people have never heard it", Ruby James writes in the accompanying bio to the song. Well, I have to admit I'm not able to mention a single song by LaVern Baker and do not really know who she is. What I do know, is that Ruby James is on fire in the song. This is a reimagined rock and roll song alright for the second quarter of the 21st century. Rosie Flores infuses the song with a some solos that are bordering on metal and are far removed from traditional rock and roll. This combination works really well. I'm amazed that a song like Bumble Bee can be released in the U.S. and not be on Malibu Lou's Rum Bar Records. Album 'Call It Rock And Roll' will be released later in the year.

Who Loves You. Detroit Illharmonic Symphony

Residing in Los Angeles and calling yourself Detroit is a bit confusing, I have to admit. But okay, I can live with it, when the band presents such a dose of dirty garage rock that makes me smile from ear to ear. Detroit Illharmonic Symphony is a serious version of the Toy Dolls. With a singer that is just about able to not use the helium canister by his side. Fans of a host of punk bands from the past, starting with bands like The Clash and The Ramones and slowly working their way up from there, will dig Who Loves You. With a vocal melody that in my ears spells a huge U.K. influence, with even a few famous sixties acts in mind. Who Loves You is totally charged and gives it its all from the get go to the very end. There is an album out already and it's called 'Everything Is Shattered'. 

NY UAP. Mark Valentine

Not so long ago UAPs were everywhere and then they were not (and then they were in El Paso, after I wrote this). When Mark Valentine was touring the East Coast in 2024, there were repeated sightings and that led to this song. "I was imagining them looking down on us scurrying around New York with our guitars — and wondering if anything like rock ’n’ roll existed in their own dimension". Let's hope that was what drove them away, if they had bad intentions. It led to a nice rock song like they are coming out of the U.S. for decades with recent favourites like Brad Marino and Geoff Palmer. Mark Valentine comes in with this infectious Farfisa organ that is all over the song, playing its main riff. It makes for very interesting listening and in comes that guitar solo, yeah! Album 'Uncommon Side Effects' is there on 10 April.

Fanny Again Or. Motorpsycho

Motorpsycho is on this blog from the very beginning. Many of its albums have made the end of year lists over the years, but a single? The answer is yes, in 2024 with 'All Is Life (I Love You)'. With Fanny Again Or, a blistering track is added to this single section. Bass player Bent is singing and is pouring his heart and vocal chords out. As always there are a bunch of great guitar solos and riffs by Hans flying around. What is super catching, is that the band is really not holding back. Well into their fifties and they rock like it is 1970. And that is just Motorpsycho's intention. Motorpsycho is going all out on this one. They wanted to make a record like it was that year, as nobody is making them any more. You will find more on 'The Gaia ll Space Corps'. The album will be released on 27 March.

I Like You. Cardinals

Cardinals is a band from Ireland, Cork, and it has no trouble pointing that out in its music. I Like You is a rock song, but all through it is an accordeon giving the sound of Cardinals a distinct sound. In the softer parts the accordeon even gives I Like You a French chanson flavour as well. And then the band lets it rip once more and becomes an alternative rock monster anyway. These two faces makes I Like You very intriguing to listen to, as it sets the band apart. Had they just rocked, Cardinals would have sounded like many alternative rock acts. Here it certainly doesn't. The nucleus of the band are the brothers Manning, singer guitarist Euan and accordeonist Finn. Most likely they thought up this concept and brought three others in to make this, at times, monster of a band. Album 'Masquerade' is out since Friday last.

Cannonball. Bleech 9:3

More Ireland, albeit living in London these days. Bleech 9:3 is a band around Baz Quinlan (vocals/guitar) and Sam Duffy (guitar). Put Cannonball on and you will be brought back to the post-grunge era of bands like Creed and Staind. Quinlan is trying to sing as low as Staind's Aaron Lewis and getting there. In other words, Cannonball is not a happy song. It is convincing enough though. Cannonball slowly fleshes out from the wobbly guitar riff, with a second guitar behind it, it starts out with. Quinlan sings over it, slowly but convincingly. For the second verse bass and drums, nice and deep, join and then the song takes off. I'm not familiar with the three previous singles of Bleech 9:3, but Cannonball seems like a mission statement to me. One question remains though, how should I pronounce the band name? Bleech 3, Bleech 9 divided by three, something else entirely?

Hold Me Close. Jaguero

In week 2 Jaguero made its debut on this blog and here is Hold Me Close already in week 7. Again punkrock with an emo side to it from Italy. Just listen to how the song blasts to life. The distorted guitar really nails it where grabbing attention is concerned. Drummer Andrea Campesato Segnini is pounding away, providing the song with so much power and a very solid bottom end. Andrea Cichellero has the exact voice for this music, making it sound familiar but also simply spot on. Jaguero really rocks on Hold Me Close and that is all you need to know. Album 'Make Me Feel Alive Again' is due on April 10.

 

Love & Heartbreak In High School. Plastic Family

Plastic Family is a brand new band from The Netherlands that released its first single in December of last year. It reached me a bit later, but there's enough enthusiasm in the song to prevent me from writing about it. It appears to me, Plastic Family started off by plundering the record collection of the members' parents, perhaps even grandparents. The sixties vibe is well spread out over Love & Heartbreak In High School, with a U.S. connotation because of the title. The video does the rest, although that is more 70s. The Big Star association accounts for that perhaps. The five members play in a host of other bands as well, that would take up too much space here to mention. Together they present a strong rock song with a pop vibe that makes it quite irresistible to listen to. Hopefully there will be more soon.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

LUX. ROSALÍA

De Spaanse muzikante ROSALÍA slaat op haar nieuwe album LUX totaal andere wegen in dan op de vorige albums, maar maakt nog altijd diepe indruk met haar muziek, stem en songs, die ook dit keer volkomen uniek klinken.

De critici waren er gisteren heel snel uit en probeerden elkaar te overtreffen met superlatieven. Daar valt niet zo veel op af te dingen, want LUX is een adembenemend mooi album. Het is ook een bijzonder album, dat je wel even op je in moet laten werken. Het is een album dat flink afstand neemt van de elektronische popmuziek die op haar vorige twee albums was te horen. Dankzij impulsen van de London Symphony Orchestra neemt ROSALÍA de afslag richting klassieke muziek, met hier en daar invloeden uit de flamenco, precies de twee richtingen waarin ze ooit afstudeerde. Het is bij vlagen behoorlijk heftig en af en toe pompeus en pretentieus, maar wat is het ook indrukwekkend mooi. De verwachtingen waren hooggespannen, maar ROSALÍA overtreft ze met speels gemak.

In november verscheen LUX, het vierde album van ROSALÍA, de naam waaronder de Spaanse muzikante Rosalía Vila Tobella inmiddels een aantal jaren muziek maakt. De vorige twee albums van ROSALÍA , El Mal Querer uit 2018 en MOTOMAMI uit 2022 konden rekenen op zeer lovende recensies, maar wat gisteren gebeurde na de release van LUX heb ik niet vaak gezien. 

Het nieuwe album van ROSALÍA werd binnen enkele uren bedolven onder de 5-sterren recensies, waarin het aantal superlatieven steeds verder toenam. LUX is al meerdere malen uitgeroepen tot album van het jaar en dat enkele uren na de release. Het lijkt een hype van ongekende proporties, maar LUX is echt een sensationeel goed album. 

ROSALÍA debuteerde in 2017 met het album Los Ángeles, waarop ze vooral Spaanse flamenco maakte. Op de twee albums die volgden schoof ze op richting popmuziek, al was het wel popmuziek die bol stond van de bijzondere invloeden. LUX is een totaal ander album dan El Mal Querer en MOTOMAMI en de vraag of het nog wel een popalbum is lijkt me een legitieme vraag. 

Na de songs op het album meerdere keren te hebben beluisterd beantwoord ik de vraag of LUX een popalbum is met ja, maar het is wel een popalbum dat totaal anders klinkt dan alle andere popalbums die je de afgelopen jaren hebt gehoord. Dat zit hem in eerste instantie in de muziek op het album, waarvoor ROSALÍA onder andere een beroep deed op de London Symphony Orchestra. 

Zeker wanneer het orkest uitpakt met heel veel strijkers schuift LUX op richting bij vlagen behoorlijk bombastische klassieke muziek, maar de Spaanse muzikante grijpt ook terug op de flamenco muziek waarmee ze opgroeide. Het betekent niet dat ROSALÍA de popmuziek volledig achter zich heeft gelaten, want in een aantal songs hoor je ook duidelijke ingrediënten waarmee LUX weer wat dichter tegen de vorige twee albums kruipt, tot de strijkers toch weer losbarsten. \

Op LUX kruipt de Spaanse muzikante in de huid van een aantal vrouwen die een belangrijke rol speelden in de wereldgeschiedenis en dit doet ze in veertien talen, wat het bijzondere karakter van LUX nog wat verder versterkt. Zeker bij eerste beluistering is LUX een fascinerende maar ook wat overweldigende luistertrip van 15 (streaming media) of zelfs 18 (cd en LP) tracks. 

In muzikaal opzicht word je heen en weer geslingerd tussen klassieke muziek, Spaanse flamenco of toch weer pop en ook de stem van ROSALÍA schiet alle kanten op. Van fraai ingetogen tot verleidelijk zwoel tot imponerende orkaankracht. De Spaanse muzikante redde het ooit niet in een Spaanse talentenjacht omdat ze vals zong, maar op LUX is haar zang bijzonder mooi. 

Het is razendknap hoe LUX in een paar noten kan schakelen van klassieke muziek naar Flamenco of pop en weer terug. Er gebeurt op het nieuwe album van ROSALÍA zoveel dat het je bijna continu duizelt en hoewel de Spaanse muzikante op haar nieuwe album heel vaak buiten mijn muzikale comfort zone kleurt kan ik alleen maar ademloos luisteren naar het bijzondere LUX. 

Dat lukte ROSALÍA overigens ook al met haar vorige twee albums, die ik heel hoog heb zitten, maar ik vind LUX nog wat indrukwekkender. Of het nieuwe album van ROSALÍA inderdaad het album van 2025 gaat worden zal de tijd leren, maar dat het een van de meest bijzondere albums van het moment is, is voor mij zeker.

Erwin Zijleman

Sivert Høyem live. Monday 9 February 2026, Paradiso Amsterdam with King Hüsky

Photo: WdN-vdB

The man with the arguably best voice in rock music this side of any Alps in the world, is on tour and one stop was in the Paradiso, Amsterdam. With his album, 'Exiles' out for 20 years and 'Lioness' for 10 and celebrating his 50th birthday on this tour, there was a lot to commemorate. Enough to release a best of album in 2026.

For my wife, seeing Høyem live was a first. (For me it was as a solo artist.) Her question was, does he really have such a beautiful voice? Having seen Madrugada live for the first time on tour supporting the 'The Nightly Disease' album, I knew the answer of course. Believe, me she was convinced. I was looking at an adoring face for most of the concert.

Høyem played a good cross section of his oeuvre. I had to admit that I am far less familiar with it as with his band's. Madrugada's albums have simply been played far more often. There is also another thing. When younger, lyrics are memorised far easier. In the Madrugada encore singing along was far easier for me.

Photo: WdN-vdB

Høyem's solo work is more varied, in the sense that the arrangements will go in far more different directions. In general he rocks a little less loud and that is o.k. I already have a 'Blood Shot Adult Commitment'. The blues infused atmospherics are regularly there. His voice is his voice and that pulls me so smoothly into his songs.

This is exactly what happened during the show. Song by song Høyem and band pulled me in further and further. Looking around me and over the venue's hall, I wasn't the only one. Even in the very quiet songs, people were totally quiet. No Dutch disease here this evening. The audience was very well mixed in age and gender. From 20 to 70 somethings, they were all there. And, if Paradiso wasn't sold out, then it may have been able to have a few dozen persons extra before it would have become uncomfortable.

Majesty, WdN-vdB

To have a legacy like the one Sivert Høyem has to tag along, is no sinecure. His band Madrugada made a musical difference to a lot of people and with Kaizers Orchestra and Motorpsycho is the best band to have come out of Norway, in my opinion. With his solo oeuvre he has come, by comparison, a very long way. But when 'Majesty' and especially 'The Kids Are On High Street' are played, I noticed the whole audience going one step further. But wasn't Sivert Høyem as well? It looked like it.

It all ended with the big ballad of his last album, 'Dancing Headlights', 'Hollow'. To leave us with a ballad does show how certain he is of the power of his ballads. and rightly so, 'Hollow' is a beautiful song. Conclusion, a near perfect show was played, near, as the guitarist made a few noticeable mistakes and a few times was mixed too loud. It was all forgiven, as it was a memorable show.

Then the support act. King Hüsky is a totally new name to me and will be forgotten quite soon. I am not sure I ever saw a less inspired and inspiring artist then King Hüsky. I realise it is not easy to stand alone on a stage with a slowly filling room in front of you, where most people will not be there for you. And being only one man, his voice and an acoustic guitar. But, he had a whole room to win. People were sympathetic, but not for a second I had the idea that the man wanted to conquer anyone. There's nothing more I can tell you, as not a single thing made a lasting impression on me, except the listlessness of the man. There's just nothing more to tell, I'm afraid.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

Inexorable Opposites. Jack Harlon and the Dead Crows

Thanks to Jack Harlon and the Dead Crows my English vocabulary grew with one word, inexorable. Opposites do  not always attract it seems. At least not in the world of this Australian band. With this album the band is four albums into its career, but apart from the two singles that preceded it, it makes its debut on this blog as an album artist.

With Inexorable Opposites a very loud album is given attention. Jack Harlon and the Dead Crows play anything between stoner, psychedelic rock and nuts and bolts of metal. I can live with the comparisons the bio makes: All Them Witches, The Black Angels and King Buffalo. On a good day, there's room for these bands in my life.

To my surprise, there is no Jack Harlon in the band. It's a fictional character, from whose vantage point the lyrics are written. The singer is called Tim Couts - Smith. Behind him are Jordan Richardson, guitar, Brayden Becher, drums and Liam Barry, bass. Becher joined the band after the previous album and that even led to recording the drums differently, as in separately. The singer always has an effect on his voice, making him sound like singing through a 1930s microphone, the band is able to range between a meandering brook in a forest on a lush summer's day, to a raging, all consuming sea and back.

Promo photo

The element that astonishes me more or less, is that none of the genres mentioned above totally dominates. Of course, most of the album is more than just loud. This band rocks in capitols after all. But this is not a psychedelic band, not a metal band and not a stoner band. It is a little bit of each and tends to move more towards one side, to move to another in the next song. The only constant is the psychedelic way the vocals were recorded. Couts-Smith always hides behind effects, to create the effect he craves.

Inexorable Opposites is not for lovers of folk and delicate singer-songwriter music. But, everyone who loves their rock served up in strong doses, should definitely try this album out.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

You can listen to and order Inexorable Opposites here:

https://jackharlon-dawsonthedeadcrows.bandcamp.com/album/inexorable-opposites