Sun structures. Temples

After all the clamour in the past few weeks over Sun structures, I had the fright of my life hearing the first minute of the album: Oh my God, all good riffs "Last train to Clarksville" style with an "Eight miles high" sound have run out! What a forced effort at playing and creating a chord that way. It nearly turned me totally off from Sun structures. I'm glad it didn't. All the clamour may well be made at the right time and at the right album.

Temples is a new U.K. band from Kettering and is around only since 2012. James Edward Bagshaw sings and plays lead guitar, Edison Warmsley plays bass and are the founders of the band. They started off as a duo recording songs at home, which led to its first single 'Shelter song' only six months after starting the band in November 2012. Not long after they recruited Sam Toms on drums (appropriate name for a drummer) and Adam Smith who plays keyboards and rhythm guitar. Together they are responsible for yet another psychedelic retro sixties rock band sound. What is that attracts so many kids to this specific and mainly old music? The cover is even a nod to 'Who's next', The Who's fantastic 1971 rock album. There are a few odd details missing though.

Temples strives for perfect pop songs. Once they are in place, it goes about estranging them from the primary source. Sounds come in, sounds are treated to make them sound warbled, phased and very unnatural. Just like bands like The 13th Floor Elevators, Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd and Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention set standards for in 1966. This music is distinct from better known bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Traffic, who also played with psychedelics for a short period of time before going back to what they were good at. They are names that come to mind though listening to Sun structures.

The hard part is to distinguish between the quality of the songs and the quality or better authenticity of the effects smeared out over the songs. The latter is perfectly allright. Many a psychedelic sound comes out of the keyboards, several songs have melodies reminding of the era and the style of singing is instantly recognisable as such. So let's take a closer look at the quality of the songs. The songs on Sun structures are alive. They are not an academic study into 1966-1967 songs like 'Cabinet of curiosities' of Jacco Gardner. Next to that different styles are used. More pop oriented songs and harder driven songs. 'Shelter song' and 'Sun structures' that open the album are a good example of this. The latter even has several changes of atmosphere within the song that give it a great quality impulse. 'Sand dance' at the end of Sun structures has some heavy guitar notes in there, that are also very attractive. From the 60s the band steps into the early 70s just as easy with typical T. Rex rhythms.

The number of references possible are too numerous to mention. (There is even a clear reference to Ekseption in 'The golden throne'.) Of course this says something about originality, which is totally lacking, but then it comes down to what Temples does with these influences in what it does. Sun structures is an enthusiastic album, several songs just splatter out of the boxes. Mind not all, but enough. Sun structures is a potent album, it has body and character. Which means it gets on my good side. Which is a feat as 1966 psych-music is not my most favourite.


I have to admit that my tolerance for yet another band in this segment of music is being tested. Temples managed to pass that by and found its way not only into my cd player and iPod, but also into rotation. Temples is a promise for the future. It may prove interesting to follow where the band will go from here, as this retro 60s style will not be it for ever.

Wo.

You can listen to 'Keep in the dark' here.

The Lone Bellow. The Lone Bellow

De meeste jaarlijstjes zijn weer gepubliceerd en dus is mijn zoektocht naar de verborgen parels van 2013 begonnen. Deze verborgen parels heb ik dit jaar vooral gevonden in de lijstjes van de Amerikaanse muzieksite PopMatters (http://www.popmatters.com) en dan met name in de meer genregerichte of thematische lijstjes. Dat leverde een week of twee geleden al de geweldige plaat van Waxahatchee op, maar de afgelopen dagen was de oogst nog veel indrukwekkender. Ik heb er op de krenten uit de pop (de website van Erwin) de komende drie dagen plezier van en begin bij de PopMatters lijst met de beste Americana platen. Op nummer 1 staat het debuut van het uit New York afkomstige trio The Lone Bellow. The Lone Bellow zette het afgelopen jaar de VS op zijn kop, maar in Nederland heb ik tot dusver niets van de band gehoord. Dat is gek, want de "Brooklyn Country Music" die The Lone Bellow maakt zou het ook in Nederland goed moeten kunnen doen. De muziek van The Lone Bellow sluit immers aan op die van bands als The Lumineers en Mumford & Sons, wat betekent dat ook The Lone Bellow grossiert in opzwepende songs die zich laten inspireren door traditionele muziek, maar hier vervolgens een geheel eigen draai aan geven. The Lone Bellow doet dat misschien nog wel wat beter dan de genoemde concurrenten, vooral omdat de emotie in de songs van The Lone Bellow wat dieper gaat. De songs op het debuut van The Lone Bellow werden geschreven nadat de vrouw van zanger en gitarist Zach Williams zwaar gewond raakte bij een ongeluk. Haar herstel was lange tijd onzeker, waardoor de songs op het titelloze debuut van The Lone Bellow worden gedomineerd door leven tussen hoop en vrees. Het geeft de plaat een diepe emotionele lading die wordt overgedragen op de luisteraar. Niet alleen in emotioneel opzicht vind ik de plaat van The Lone Bellow indrukwekkender dan die van de concurrentie. In muzikaal opzicht is The Lone Bellow veelzijdiger en is hun muziek indringender. Ook The Lone Bellow is niet vies van aanstekelijke en lichtvoetige deuntjes, maar over het algemeen genomen wordt er steviger en complexer gemusiceerd, wat de plaat van The Lone Bellow meer diepgang en dynamiek geeft. Zach Williams is een uitstekend zanger, maar net als de eerder genoemde concurrenten en zeker ook het nog niet genoemde The Civil Wars, is The Lone Bellow niet vies van stevig aangezette meerstemmige vocalen, wat de muziek van The Lone Bellow nog wat meer zeggingskracht geeft. Met name de harmonieën op het debuut van het trio uit New York zijn van een bijzonder hoog niveau en laten die van The Lumineers en Mumford & Sons ver achter zich. Het debuut van The Lone Bellow is direct een indrukwekkende plaat, maar bij beluistering met de koptelefoon hoor je pas echt hoe goed de plaat is. Dan valt op hoe mooi het allemaal klinkt, hoe knap het in elkaar steekt en met hoeveel passie en emotie The Lone Bellow muziek maakt. Het debuut van de band is dan om te janken zo mooi en wordt de komende tijd nog wel wat mooier en indrukwekkender vrees ik. Ik heb nu al spijt van mijn jaarlijstje (want daar moet deze plaat zeker in), maar ben aan de andere kant zielsgelukkig dat ik deze, al in januari verschenen plaat, toch nog heb ontdekt. Een van de betere Americana platen van 2013? Ja, absoluut.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt hier naar 'You never need nobody' luisteren.

Somos (2). Jarabe de Palo

Single 'Somos' came by a few weeks ago on this blog and here is the album. And boy oh boy is this a fine record. The high standard 'Somos' set for my expectations have been totally met. Somos swings, Somos rocks, Somos raps, Somos steps back and relaxes and Somos has its moments of Latin swing. All the ingredients that make a great Jarabe de Palo album have been put into the right blender and came out as Somos.

Jarabe de Palo and I go back 17 years this summer, a chance meeting in the disco's of Salamanca, the beautiful university town in mid-west Spain, where I wound up more or less by chance after the wedding of a friend in Guadalajara. Two midday nights dancing and drinking till more than late. A thousand times 'La macarena' came by, the Spice Girls and this Spanish song that was just so good. Thanks to the dj, high up against the wall, reachable only though a steep stairs, who wrote the title down for me, I bought the album. 'La flaca' is still one of my most favourite Spanish songs. 'Grita' I played for years with the cover band I used to play in, with Dutch lyrics attached, as 'Vaal licht'. I would never have heard of Jarabe de Palo, were it not for a more or less last minute trip to Spain.

So much for history, back to 2014. Pau Donés and I have clearly aged since. It doesn't seem to matter if I hear him rocking out and me enjoying it, a lot. After the fantastic 'Adelantando' (2007) I had the impression that Jarabe de Palo was a bit in a dip formwise. First a rehash album in 2009 ('Orquesta Reciclando' that I bough in the same store as 'La Flaca' 12 years later) and the little bit disappointing '?Y ahora que hacemos' in 2011. All doubts can be cast aside as Somos brings it all. The opener and title song swings, rocks and gets close to rap. A combi that is familiar if you know the band. Isabela Raygoza stars along Pau Donés in 'Somos', a collaboration of the kind that also defines Jarabe de Palo. The band does not mind sharing a star spot with someone else. Varying the songs on offer and usually making them better.

Listening to Jarabe de Palo is not always a pleasure. At times something is missing in the melody, a lacking of variation that doesn't allow singer Pau Donés to really go full out. In those songs, listening to his voice is not a pleasure. There is no such song on Somos. The band has come a long way since recording La flaca in 1996. It has simply become better at what it does. In writing songs, in arranging them and playing them. No matter how much I like 'La flaca', Jarabe de Palo is a better band since. Somos shows that the whole way. What has also clearly changed, is that Jarabe de Palo is world top act, touring in the Americas as well. Having won the Latin Rock Grammy award. I can only hope that the band will tour north-west Europe as well.

In general Somos rocks a little harder than ever before is my impression. A tough guitar sound is often brought to the front of the mix. It shows how hard Jarabe de Palo can rock and get away with it easily, adding blues rock rhythm elements for more swing. This edge makes Somos come alive just this little bit more. The rocking sound seems to have been won over keyboards, as they are less prominent on Somos. Not disappeared but less used. This comes as a bit of a surprise to me, as keyboards were an integral part of Jarabe de Palo's sound. The saxophone introduced on Orquesta Reciclando, is still there. It adds to the flavour, but does not really do something for me personally. The drole reggae 'A donde va?' for me is the odd track out on Somos, although Jarabe de Palo clearly gets away with a reggae song.

Do I have to say more? Somos is up there with 'La flaca', 'De vuelta y vuelta' and 'Adelantando', my most favourite albums of Jarabe de Palo to date. And this was clear to me while listening to the album for the first time. Where usually I have to get used to a new album by a very favourite band, I knew straight-away that it doesn't come better than Somos, believe me.

Wo.

You can listen to 'Somos' here.

If you wait. London Grammar

If You Wait van London Grammar verscheen in Engeland al een week of tien geleden en werd daar binnengehaald als één van de belangrijke debuten van 2013. Dat we in Nederland een aantal weken langer hebben moeten wachten op deze plaat is voor mij onbegrijpelijk, maar laat ik me niet druk maken over het ondoorgrondelijke beleid van de platenmaatschappijen (die nog wel eens lijken te denken dat we nog in de tijd van de postkoets leven). Feit is dat het debuut van London Grammar nu eindelijk ook in Nederland in de winkel ligt en dat is goed nieuws voor een ieder die de plaat niet via Amazon of een andere webwinkel in huis heeft gehaald. Heel goed nieuws zelfs. London Grammar is een trio uit Londen dat bestaat uit twee heren die mooie muziek maken, maar verder volledig in de schaduw staan van de fantastische zangeres Hannah Reid. De stem van Hannah Reid is de belangrijkste reden om naar de muziek van London Grammer te willen luisteren, wat overigens niet betekent dat er veel mis is met de muziek van London Grammar. Op If You Wait domineren stemmige en donkere klanken, die in een aantal gevallen zijn voorzien van  triphop-achtige accenten. The Xx, Portishead en Massive Attack vormen in muzikaal opzicht relevant vergelijkingsmateriaal, al heeft London Grammar toch ook een duidelijk eigen geluid dat tegen toegankelijke pop aan kan schuren, maar ook verstild kan navelstaren. Ook dit eigen geluid wordt overigens voor een belangrijk deel bepaald door de geweldige zang van Hannah Reid. De jonge Britse zangeres ziet het leven over het algemeen niet door een roze bril en maakt van haar hart zeker geen moordkuil. Ze zingt met zoveel passie en overtuiging, dat het bijna onmogelijk is om niet geraakt te worden door haar stem. Mij raakt het in elk geval diep. Mensen die graag willen vergelijken zullen nu namen willen horen, maar daar kom ik niet goed uit. De stem van Hannah Reid heeft meer kleuren dan ik kan benoemen en een bereik om bang van te worden. Het is een stem die mij volledig inpakt en me zelfs nog zou verleiden wanneer Hannah Reid een flinke selectie uit het telefoonboek zou zingen. De meeste namen die ik op het Internet tegen kom als vergelijkingsmateriaal vind ik niet heel treffend, maar met Jessie Ware kom je enigszins in de buurt, al is ook dit een vergelijking die slechts een deel van de tijd op gaat. Toch is London Grammar uiteindelijk meer dan alleen de stem van Hannah Reid. De instrumentatie past zich weliswaar keurig aan, maar valt zeker bij herhaalde beluistering wel op door het subtiele en intieme karakter en de mooie, warme en stemmige klankkleuren, wat de kracht van de stem van Hannah Reid alleen maar versterkt. Ook de songs van de band blijven op een of andere manier alleen maar aan diepgang en aan kleur winnen, wat If You Wait een bijna bezwerende kracht geeft. London Grammar klinkt op If You Wait als een gelouterde band, maar een jaar geleden had de band nog geen noot muziek gemaakt. Het geeft het debuut van de band alleen maar meer glans. Het debuut van London Grammar is door de Britse muziekpers zoals eerder gezegd al uitgeroepen tot één van de meest memorabele debuten van 2013. Daar valt eigenlijk helemaal niets op af te dingen.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt hier naar 'Strong' luisteren.

Primal rumble. Gretchen Lohse

Another tip from Erwin Zijleman. One that directed me directly to Gretchen Lohse's bandcamp site in this case. Within an hour I was a digital download richer. After having a listen to Primal Rumble there, I bought the album straight-away.

Primal rumble is a small album. In all sense a modest album, where everything is kept at low key and soft. The singing, the playing, the harmonies and the special effects around Gretchen Lohse's singing and playing. Everything is small and modest except for the quality of the songs. If songs are this good with a minimum of effects, it's time to shut up and listen.

Gretchen Lohse is an american singer-singwriter from Philadelphia. She used to play in a band called Yellow Humprey and several of her former bandmates can be heard on Primal Rumble. Playing softly in the background. Gretchen Lohse's voice is the primal instrument on Primal rumble. Up front in the mix, right in the middle. She plays the viola as well. It can be heard scratching in some of the songs. Primal rumble is her solo debut album and one she can be proud of. The style of choice is folk. The music on Primal rumble has one foot in an age old tradition of U.S. mountain music. The other is in almost other worldly territory. There's an ethereal quality in the songs that, paradoxically, makes them almost physical. The songs are so tender that I have the feeling that I'd break them if I don't watch out and handle them with extreme delicacy.

In the singing Gretchen Lohse reminds me of what Sandy Denny could have sounded like if she hadn't sung so formal and had allowed herself to sing from a more vulnerable perspective. 'Heart thief' by Stephanie Fagan is another reference here and I've recently mentioned him on this blog: St. Thomas, in the way of singing and the vulnerable presentation. But foremost Gretchen Lohse is herself. She exposes herself completely vocally and emotionally. In sharp contrast with the album cover. Musically there are references to the English folk of Fairport Convention, e.g. in 'The cuckoo', where other songs are more U.S. folk oriented. The piano in 'Spider at the gate' gives this very serious tune a great pop feel. Another song that proves the quality of Primal rumble. An element is let into the mix here, that looked at sec (from a folk purist's point of view) maybe doesn't belong there, but at the same time lifts up everything to another level.

Primal rumble allows its listener a moment of rest in a hectic day. A moment to totally get lost in, to immerse oneself in the music and voice of Gretchen Lohse. To be carried away to this other place, away from "the primal rumble inside" us and the one outside us. Gretchen Lohse is able to achieve that if you allow her to do so. Dream away with her in 'All around the river", in what could be (or not, really). A song that brings back a memory of Neil Young's 'Pocahontas' and 'Captain Kennedy'. This song is up with these songs. It's time I leave you to your own devices. The link is below. Start listening, it's worth it. More than.

Wo.

You can listen to and buy Primal rumble for a minimum of US $6,= here:

http://gretchenlohse.bandcamp.com/album/primal-rumble

Tin star. Lindi Ortega

De Canadese singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega werd een paar jaar geleden nog gezien als één van de 'rising stars' binnen de alt-country, maar tot dusver wil het, zeker in Europa, maar niet lukken met de muziek van Lindi Ortega. Nu moet ik eerlijk toegeven dat ik de platen die ik van haar ken, Little Red Boots uit 2011 en Cigarettes & Truckstops, wel leuk vond, maar uiteindelijk toch niet bijzonder genoeg voor een plekje op mijn BLOG, Krenten uit de pop. Het vorige week verschenen Tin Star is dat wel. Direct bij de eerste noten merk je al dat er iets is veranderd in de muziek van Lindi Ortega. Ze heeft nog altijd veel gevoel voor traditie, heeft nog altijd een stem die herinnert aan de groten uit de country (Lindi Ortega is tot dusver vooral vergeleken met Dolly Parton, maar ook de andere grote namen van weleer kunnen worden genoemd) en maakt nog altijd muziek die onmiddellijk een goed gevoel geeft maar vervolgens hard moet werken om echt te blijven hangen. Wat is veranderd is dat Tin Star op één of andere manier urgenter klinkt dan zijn voorgangers. De eerste tracks zetten direct de toon met lekker opzwepende alt-country met een vleugje rockabilly, maar als Lindi Ortega in de derde track en titelsong uitpakt met een heuse tranentrekker heeft ze je te pakken. Lindi Ortega is op Tin Star nog beter gaan zingen dan op haar vorige platen. Ze sluit hierbij nog steeds aan op de grote country zangeressen uit de jaren 70, maar klinkt, ondanks haar leeftijd (haar geboortedatum heb ik nergens kunnen vinden, maar heel ver boven de 20 zal ze niet zijn) rauwer en doorleefder. Het maakt van Tin Star een intense plaat, die met name in de meer ingetogen songs diepe indruk maakt. Ook in muzikaal opzicht is Tin Star een feest. Lindi Ortega heeft het koude Canada inmiddels al een tijdje verruild voor Nashville en heeft zich ondergedompeld in de muziek van het Zuiden van de Verenigde Staten. Op Tin Star omarmt Lindi Ortega natuurlijk de country, maar ze gaat ook aan de haal met invloeden uit de blues, rock ’n roll en rockabilly. Een aantal geweldige muzikanten (met name het gitaarwerk is fantastisch en varieert van zacht strelend tot rauw en hard) legt een basis neer waarop een goede zangeres alleen maar kan schitteren en dat doet Lindi Ortega met overtuiging. Met heel veel overtuiging zelfs. Lindi Ortega werd nog tot dusver nog te vaak gezien als een alt-country zangeres die met minstens één been in de traditionele country stond, maar op Tin Star is ze een kind van deze tijd. Tin Star rockt, ontroert, schopt en verleidt, dat laatste op behoorlijk meedogenloze wijze. Omdat Lindi Ortega op Tin Star haar songs ook nog eens vertolkt met hart en ziel is de impact van de plaat enorm. Tin Star is een grootse plaat die aandacht verdient van iedereen met een oud en een jong (alt-)country hart, maar moet ook worden beluisterd door liefhebbers van alternatieve muziek die normaal gesproken allergisch zijn voor een randje country. Lindi Ortega speelde de afgelopen jaren in het voorprogramma van een aantal punkbands en rockbands en bleef overeind. Het heeft haar sterker gemaakt, waardoor de 'rising star' van weleer wel eens heel snel zou kunnen uitgroeien tot een gevestigde naam, binnen en buiten de alt-country. Ik ben inmiddels al helemaal om.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt hier naar 'Tin star' luisteren.

The greatest show on earth. Airbag

Sometimes listening to music things get a bit weird. In the autumn of 1975 I discovered a band that sounded very interesting. Within one month I had two albums: 'Wish you were here' and 'Dark side of the moon'. Two albums that made a giant impression on me. Albums that I can hear every scratch on (and scratched they are), even when I play the cd. In 2014 along comes a band called Airbag. What is going on on The greatest show on earth is uncanny. There is not a sound I've not heard before, not a chord change that doesn't sound familiar. Solo notes on guitar and keyboard that sound so familiar. It's almost scary. Like my mind is playing tricks on me. You get the drift. The greatest show on earth could have been the new Pink Floyd album, with a few more modern tunes on the side.

The build up of The greatest show on earth even has a touch of 'Wish you were here' by splitting up 'Surveillance' into three parts and spread over the album in two. There are much more similarities, but lets leave that aside for a while and concentrate on the merits of The greatest show on earth. The first word that comes to mind is the word epic as the songs are long(ish) and dramatic. A lot is going on with layers of sound. Extensive layers of keyboards and synthesizers, played by Jörgen Grüner-Hagen, little bleeps, fill up the sound scape of the album. Underneath that layer is the rhythm section and lead guitars and singing are on top. Sounds come from everywhere. A guitar stroke, a few synthnotes, coming in and out of the mix.

Airbag is a five piece band from Norway. The voice is Asle Tostrup. There is a slight hint of an accent, that makes him clearly a non-native English speaker, but never in a hindering way. I would have preferred to have a slightly more gravelly voice to go with this music, but on the other hand it goes with the high level production sound. Very clean and neat. David Gilmour's little brother's name is Björn Riis. The way how Tostrup and Riis together re-create Gilmour's sound is very special.

If you give The greatest show on earth a second and third try you'll find that there is more going on than just doing a Pink Floyd. Large sections are just prog rock. The title track and the first part of 'Redemption' are mostly on their own. The guitar solo in the title song has a few great changes and the whole band shows that together they can create great dynamics in the song. This way it doesn't really matter that the songs are long. There's enough going on. There is even a hint of metal in ''Surveillance part 2-3'. The theme of the album has a lot to do with the present day world. 'Surveillance' is a dead give-away for you.

The greatest show on earth is not an original album. You got that, right? It surprised with me with the sound first, but when the surprised left me, I was left with an album that I liked and kept listening to. The songs are not the best I've ever heard either, but neither is any song on 'The final cut' or anything Pink Floyd solo or band after it. The greatest show on earth comes close to 'Animals' and 'Meddle' and that is a compliment.

And I like The greatest show on earth. You got that too, didn't you? What I found, and this came as a bit to my surprise, is that I have room for a new "Pink Floyd" album in my head. The greatest show on earth has come out my speakers and earphones a lot these past weeks. If your able to cast aside your doubts on the sounds, you may find that The greatest show on earth is a good album in its own right as well.

Wo.

You can listen to 'The greatest show on earth' here.

Blue rider. Zachary Cale

PopMatters grossiert dit jaar in mooie jaarlijstjes, maar mijn grootste ontdekking komt toch uit het lijstje met de 10 meest over het hoofd geziene platen van 2013. Uit deze top 10 heb ik er eerlijk gezegd negen over het hoofd gezien, terwijl nummer 10 (Emily Jane White) al een tijdje geduldig op de stapel ligt te wachten (maar daar nog wel een keer af komt). Het meest onder de indruk ben ik echter van de nummer 1 uit de lijst: Blue Rider van Zachary Cale. Zachary Cale (geen familie van John of J.J.) is een niet meer zo heel jonge Amerikaanse singer-songwriter (35+ in ieder geval) die tot dusver een aantal platen heeft gemaakt. Blue Rider verscheen eerder dit jaar en is echt een hele mooie. De openingstrack van Blue Rider begint met fraai akoestisch fingerpicking gitaarspel, waaraan wat donkere elektronische klanken zijn toegevoegd. Als Zachary Cale begint te zingen denk je even met een jonge Dylan te maken te hebben, maar dat is een associatie die bij mij net zo snel verdween als hij gekomen was. Zachary Cale maakt sobere muziek, maar door het volle gitaarspel en de subtiele accenten op de achtergrond (zowel akoestisch als elektronisch) klinkt het zeker niet kaal. De combinatie van het gitaarspel op de voorgrond en de donkere klanken op de achtergrond geven de muziek van Cale een bijzondere spanning, die mooi past bij zijn bijzondere stem. De gebruikte ingrediënten zijn in vrijwel alle tracks gelijk, maar toch is Blue Rider een hele spannende plaat, die steeds weer net wat andere dingen laat horen. Zachary Cale maakt geen singer-songwriter muziek die het goed doet op de achtergrond. Hiervoor zitten zijn songs te ingewikkeld in elkaar en gebeurt er teveel in de songs van de Amerikaan. Blue Rider doet hier en daar wel wat denken aan Kurt Vile en zeker aan Richard Buckner, maar persoonlijk hoor ik ook wel wat van Elliott Smith, al is het aantal verschillen tussen de drie genoemde muzikanten en Zachary Cale aanzienlijk groter dan het aantal overeenkomsten. Blue Rider lijkt een achteloos opgenomen akoestische plaat, maar bewust of onbewust is er veel aandacht besteed aan de productie van de plaat. Blue Rider klinkt opvallend ruimtelijk en heeft vaak een bijna bezwerend karakter, zeker wanneer de akoestische gitaar, de toegevoegde accenten en de stem van Zachary Cale elkaar versterken. Naarmate je de plaat vaker hoort zal je merken dat er steeds meer op zijn plaats valt, waardoor de plaat van Zachary Cale nog lang aan kracht en intensiteit blijft winnen. Blue Rider is zo’n plaat die je zonder een zetje in de goede richting nooit op zal pakken, want de plaat heeft dit jaar nauwelijks aandacht gekregen. Ik ben heel erg blij dat ik de plaat toch nog hen opgepikt, want Blue Rider van Zachary Cale behoort absoluut tot de meest bijzondere platen van het muziekjaar 2013 en is, zoals PopMatters terecht aangeeft, een jaarlijstjesplaat. Liefhebbers van singer-songwriters die ook geregeld een rondje buiten de gebaande paden maken en die muziek maken die is geïnspireerd door het verleden maar alleen maar uit het heden kan komen, zullen hopelijk net zo aangenaam verrast zijn als ik door het buitengewoon fascinerende Blue Rider van Zachary Cale.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt hier luisteren naar 'Hold fast'.

Ols songd. I Am Oak

The few times in a row that I have listened to Ols songd have endeared me to the album quite fast. On Ols songd, a title that's hard to type right I'm noticing, I Am Oak continues where it left of on 'Nowhere or Tammensaari', that was reviewed on this blog last year by Erwin Zijleman. The main difference is me. That I did not feel comfortable with the previous album. While I feel totally at home with Ols songd.

Ols songd is the total relaxation. In the universe of I Am Oak there is no hurry, the outside world is the outside world. The music seems to come from a deep state of rest and calmness if not serenity in the mind of Thijs Kuijken, the main man behind I Am Oak. Like an oak tree that can destroy many a thing that stands in the way of its growth, but grows slowly and stately into majesty, Ols songd settled into me. Ols songd is so quiet that the eruption in 'Islands more islands' comes as a shock. As if nature's laws have just been proven wrong.

The basis of an I Am Oak song is the acoustic guitar, softly strummed, in elusively simple sounding chord changes. It is what happens over and behind these chords that make Ols songd such a delight to listen to. Intricate harmonies, the softest of accompaniment. An organ almost hidden behind all the rest. At other moments the band kicks in. Drums, electric guitar, bass, but always soft, totally serving the song. 'Honeycomb' which starts out as a "regular" I Am Oak song, slowly spreads out and some more and again some more into a a power song I Am Oak style.

There are some simularities with Rogier Pelgrim, who recently featured here with his new album 'Roll the dice'. The same delicate atmosphere, but Rogier Pelgrim likes to rock some also. In the singing I Am Oak comes a long way when it is compared to CSN. When all is said and done, this album reminds me most of Norwegian band St. Thomas. The funny thing is that the song ending Ols songd, 'Birches' has some similarity to the song that ends 'I'm coming home' (2002), 'I'm coming home #2', the only St. Thomas album in my possession. (Googling to find out the name of the album, I found that Thomas Hensen is dead for over six years.) In structure as well as execution. 'I'm coming home #2' is just pumped up more, if you care to listen.

'I am sound' is the message Old songs, oops, did it again, starts off with. "Warmer than before", "it was not like I had a choice" sings Thijs Kuijken. I doubt it, although writing songs and releasing records may be compulsory. The warmth on Ols songd seems like a concious choice though. Without anything spectacular going on I Am Oak shows that it is possible to make a beautiful album with a minimum of effects. Ols songd is a totally modest masterpiece. Just listen to the way 'Kites in the canopy' plays out. The clear guitar, the multi tracked vocals, the beautiful guitar melody ("solo"), together it makes a song that Midlake hopes to write some day in its wildest dreams.

There are no small words here. And then to consider that I had nearly missed this album. So thank you for the tip, Cedric. In the past few days this album has grown very dear to me. It's time for you to undergo I Am Oak, dear reader. You can listen to and buy Ols songs here:

http://snowstar.bandcamp.com/album/ols-songd.

Wo.

My baby loves voodoo! My Baby

FANTASTISCH, BEZWEREND, BETOVEREND, IMPONEREND, WERELDPLAAT, JAARLIJSTJESPLAAT, MEESTERWERK. Zo kan ik nog wel even doorgaan, want ik ben compleet verslingerd aan deze plaat. Het debuut van de Amsterdamse band My Baby lag al een tijdje weg te kwijnen op de stapel met de nieuwe releases van de afgelopen weken, maar toen de plaat dan eindelijk uit de speakers kwam stond mijn wereld op zijn kop. My Baby Loves Voodoo! van My Baby is een plaat met een on-Nederlands broeierige mix van funk, soul, gospel, rock en blues. Het is een mix die doet denken aan de hoogtijdagen van Sly & The Family Stone, Funkadelic, Mother’s Finest en zeker ook Prince in zijn beste jaren. Het is dan ook niet verwonderlijk dat topbassist Larry Graham (die met alle funk grootheden speelde) diep onder de indruk was toen hij de band hoorde en My Baby vervolgens op sleeptouw nam. Dat heeft uiteindelijk geresulteerd in My Baby Loves Voodoo!, dat met afstand de beste plaat is die de afgelopen jaren in dit genre is verschenen. My Baby imponeert in muzikaal opzicht met heerlijke zware funky ritmes, aanstekelijk gitaarwerk met zo af en toe een psychedelisch randje en heerlijk stuwende orgel en keyboardpartijen. Alleen van de muziek op My Baby Loves Voodoo! zou ik al heel vrolijk worden, maar de band beschikt in de persoon van Cato van Dijck ook nog eens over een zangeres die in haar grote teen meer soul heeft dan al die hittepetitten die momenteel als soulzangeres worden aangemerkt in hun hele lijf. Het levert een plaat op die van de eerste tot de laatste noot volstrekt onweerstaanbaar is. Laat het debuut van My Baby uit de speakers komen en het is feest, maar de Amsterdamse band maakt ook muziek die de fantasie prikkelt en steeds weer net wat andere dingen laat horen. My Baby imponeert makkelijk met aanstekelijke funky klanken, maar als de band halverwege de plaat kiest voor een ingetogen soulballad, staat het kippenvel centimeters dik op je huid. My Baby maakt op haar debuut muziek die normaal gesproken alleen in het diepe Zuiden van de Verenigde Staten wordt gemaakt, maar funk met een vleugje voodoo past kennelijk net zo goed bij de Mississippi als bij het IJ. Ik ben inmiddels al een tijdje diep onder de indruk van deze plaat, maar My Baby Loves Voodoo! groeit gewoon door. De ene keer dankzij de geweldige uithalen van Cato van Dijck, de andere keer door de stuwende basloopjes, het funky drumwerk of het inventieve gitaarwerk op de plaat. My Baby Loves Voodoo! van My Baby is een plaat die Prince maar beter niet kan horen. Hij kan immers alleen maar strontsaggerijnig worden van een plaat die hij al jaren wil maken, maar nu wordt afgeleverd door een stel Amsterdammers. WERELDPLAAT, maar dat wist je al aan het begin van deze recensie.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt hier luisteren naar 'Out of gin'.

Debris. Roman Candle

Recently I reviewed Roman Candle's previous album Oh tall tree in the ear (click here), an album that I found on the Noisetrade.com website. Doing a little research into the band I found that there was a more recent album, released in October 2013. I left you with a promise to take a serious listen to Debris and here is the result: a new review.

In the four years that separate Oh tall tree in the ear and Debris a lot must have happened to Roman Candle. From the roots rock on Oh tall tree in the ear the band shifted to another sound, a mixture between synthpop and guitar oriented pop. It is certainly an interesting question to learn about the reason for this switch. The change is so drastic that I stopped listening during my first encounter with Debris. This is not my kind of music! As defeat is not always an option, I went back to the album and started noticing a few things.

The main stay, the anchor of Roman Candle is the voice of Skip Matheny. Matheny's voice suits this music as well. It remains a utterly pleasant voice. From there the step to the music was easier to make. The intricate guitar interplay on 'Small time' opened up my ears. The way the 'oohs' go around in the background. "It ain't no big deal. It's a matter of small time", is a lyric that says a lot on most relationships. Being able to put things in perspective and address the underlying problem saves most relationships, if people are able to do that in time and make the "small time" for each other. That's just what this album needed from me.

Soundwise Debris is a lot less organic than Oh tall tree in the ear. Drum beats are present, all sorts of electronic blurbs pass by in the background and synthsounds that go back to China Crisis' 'Working with fire and steel' and 'Wishing'. 1980s all over again. And these were the sort of bands that I have an album of, because I liked the singles, but never got passed side one. And it is these sort of songs that come by on Debris. On the other hand there is the fine guitar work in a song like 'Nowhere to start' and the vocals that slowly evolve into a punky attitude, where drums become hard hit drums. So my mood changes into another direction with Debris.

I find that it is very hard to form a real opinion about Debris. The spoken word title song? I really do not know what I should do with it. Some songs are just to synthy for me, some I think are truly beautiful. Debris just tosses me around into extremes, but not by tickling my senses, challenging me to make an effort. On the down side Debris pulls open all drawers in my mind where I file the pop and rock music I hate most: 80s synthpop, doomsynthpop, etc. And just when I've made up my mind 'Learned to forget' comes by. Again that mix of synthpop with a hint of punk vocals. A song which does tickle me in the right places.

In other words I cannot make chocolate of this album. It doesn't make sense to me. So, if you like 80s synthpop step right in, if you don't mind some good guitar work woven into the synths that is. If you like some intricate guitar playing, step right in, if you don't mind a lot of synths. However, if you do not like the combination, this may be a hard album to follow. But, never give up until you've given Debris a try. It has its moments and some are even very good. The combination works perfectly on ´The world awaits us all´. As a whole I have my doubts about where Debris and I are going though.

Wo.

You can listen to and buy Debris on the Bandcamp site of Roman Candle

http://romancandle.bandcamp.com/releases.

Too much information. Maxïmo Park

Torn in two

That's the title of this post, "Torn in two". Simply because that's what happening to me the whole time I'm listening to Too much information. I just don't know what to make of it. One moment I'm here, next there and liking it, hating it or just uninterested and coming back any way.

Maxïmo Park came into my life with 'Apply some pressure' in 2006. The first 8 songs on debut album 'A certain trigger' were so incredibly good, putting Maxïmo Park right in league with Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand. Where Arctic Monkeys became a league of their own, incomparable to nearly everyone and Franz Ferdinand developed itself further, Maxïmo Park was left behind more and more with each album. Too much information is its fifth and follows 'The national health'.

On Too much information Maxïmo Park is trying something new. The darker side of the 80s are let into the sound. Less guitars, more dark synthesizers. Yazoo, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell without the louder beats, with real drums. Paul Smith is even singing a bit like David Gahan in some songs. The thing is that in some songs it really works. 'Leave this island' is truly a beautiful song. But is it a song that I want to hear from Maxïmo Park? No, yes, yes, no; there's a reason why I (nearly) never listen to the bands mentioned just now. I just don't like this sort of music very much.

A few songs try to get the mid-00s vibe back and come close. Opener 'Give, get, take', 'Drinking martinis' and 'Her name was Audre' are up-tempo and (almost) exiting. From there on Too much information goes off into a lot of directions. 'Lydia. the ink will never dry' gives another emulation of Maxïmo Park. A laidback version that has a rocking drum, but soft acoustic and electric guitars, even something sounding like stealdrums from a keyboard. 'My bloody mind' is a sort of rocker, but has a great ending. Think The Doors, but great in its own right. In other parts we have A Flock of Seagulls like keyboards.

All together Too much information sounds like Maxïmo Park is adrift. I hope the band is trying for a new sound and a new form. The opposite means that we are listening to the dying rattles of the band. There are parts to Too much information that may give Maxïmo Park a new direction. The main problem is that audiences show up expecting excitement and to jump to the excitement of  a 'A certain trigger' and 'Our earthly pleasures' kind. And they will not be getting it I guess. So that is a bit of a spot Maxïmo Park is in. Let's see how this plays out. In the meantime you'll find me swinging to and fro with this album. I have not given up hope yet. There is enough to enjoy, but leave your preconseptions on Maxïmo Park behind. Perhaps the band needs more time to reinvent itself successfully, but it will have to hurry.

Wo.

You can listen to 'Leave this island' here.

Boston. Fleetwood Mac

For people my age, THE Fleetwood Mac line is the one that broke with 'Go your own way' in 1977, that classic rock staple song that will be played till the end of time. There were several line ups before that (and since), but the only one that matters in the post is the one that scored hits between 1968 and 1970, the classic line up of Peter Green, Danny Kierwan and Jeremy Spencer on guitar and John McVie and Mick Fleetwood in the rhythm section as they are right up to this day. The line up with the three guitarists, who all went AWOL one way or another, within a few years apart, did not last long. An immensely talented trio that never lived up to its full potential. Leaving a void that years later was filled by Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie.

A few of the hits of FM mach 1 I remember quite well from the time. 'Oh well, part 1' was one of the weirdest songs I'd ever heard late 1969 and 'The green manalishi' one of the most exiting. A few year later 'Need your love so bad' was one of the few songs that always came by when we were slow dances at high school parties'. Black magic woman' was a well known song by Santana from 1970 onwards. But no, Fleetwood Mac in 1970 was not one of the bands I knew more about nor heard other songs from. Nor for anyone in my environment. No one I knew had the band's records, nor did I see any need to change this. It was something of the past and remained that way for me. A pleasant but very distant memory. When Boston came to my attention a few weeks back, I was quite curious -what did Fleetwood Mac sound like live in 1970?- but not overly exited. Nor did I have high expectations. I was in for a surprise.

Fleetwood Mac in the late sixties was a blues band. It played a lot of covers. On Boston we even find Little Richard's 'Tutti frutti', but mainly blues covers. It also had a great songwriter in its midst: Peter Green. Unfortunately a songwriter who was losing his hold on life fast due to mental instability in combination with dropping acid. That Peter Green knew how to write a hit record was proven in 1969 and 1970. 'Oh well' went to number one in The Netherlands within weeks from its release. The dark, brooding song with its long silences and stop start moments is not exactly a standard number 1 hit. It is a very special song that is fairly unique where hit records are concerned. With songs like 'Black magic woman', made famous by Santana, the instrumental hit 'Albatross' and 'The green manalishi', Peter Green obviously could have grown much further, but never did, leaving Fleetwood Mac soon after playing in Boston and disappearing from music altogether for years on end.

This triple album captures Fleetwood Mac three nights in a row in Boston. The band plays very different songs. Originals, blues covers and some rock and roll. Especially the last cd gives a hotchpotch of styles. It gets me to doubt whether Fleetwood Mac at the core was one band or a selection of people that all wanted to do their thing. Some songs are spun out in long jams, most quite exciting, in which everybody gets to join in. These jams are not the main attraction of Boston. These are the potent versions of songs that made the band famous. 'Oh well' is played loud and tight. 'The green manalishi' gets the spooky treatment the song deserves. The second time 'Rattlesnake shake' features on Boston it incorporates a great jam. 'World in harmony' is a beautiful instrumental that may have been the start of a nice new song. Picturing myself in Boston that night, it may well be that I would have liked everything that night. From full out dancing to listening closely to what would happen next.

Listening to Boston it becomes clear that Fleetwood Mac mach 1 was a great (blues) band. In no way comparable to the later incarnations. That this Fleetwood Mac was this good was something I was totally unaware of. Not surprising considering my age (at the time), but also because the band was absent at a famous show like 'Woodstock'. Listening closer, it is possible to hear the influence they must have had on bands like The Allman Brothers Band or Motorpsycho, who love to jam hard and long, but also the way Fleetwood Mac's members were raised by John Mayall and through him the great electric blues artists, like Muddy Waters. Nothing is at good as Ten Years After's rock jam 'I'm going home', but then Ten Years After was on fire that time and never played it as well again either.

So that leaves the speculation where this Fleetwood Mac incarnation could have gone. We'll never know. (Would we ever have heard 'Go your own way' if it had?) The way Fleetwood Mac plays here would not have sustained a career. Blues was on the way out for a few years in 1970 already. The transition to something else, the else Peter Green may have been able to deliver, in combination with blues(rock) could have made the band great, not unlike Led Zeppelin. It is a loss that we'll never know, but got great things in return. We won by having five (in the U.S.) to seven years (in NL) of patience (or pure ignorance as in my case of course). It is the years in between that remain a total mystery to me. There's not much that invites me to listen so far. What do you think, is it worth it?

So I can only conclude that anyone who likes blues, is attracted to the famous oldest hits of Fleetwood Mac and likes to hear some good old sixties jamming can't go no wrong with Boston. This set holds it all and yes I was pleasantly surprised indeed.

At the same time I found out that this Fleetwood Mac's last album, 'Then play on', was released also in 2013 with the two famous singles as bonus tracks. Also very much worthwhile.

Wo.

You can listen to 'Black magic woman' here.

Tennessee. David Newbould

Ik was net de prachtige jaarlijst van de Euroamericana chart (http://www.euroamericanachart.eu) aan het uitpluizen, toen ik een mailtje ontving van ene David Newbould, die me zijn cd Tennessee aanbood. Tennessee was ik toevallig net tegen gekomen in de jaarlijst van de EAC, dus mijn interesse was direct gewekt. Een paar minuten later kwam de cd al uit de speakers (digitaal aangeleverde muziek heeft ook zijn voordelen) en al snel wist ik dat Tennessee van David Newbould een plaat naar mijn hart is. David Newbould komt oorspronkelijk uit het Canadese Toronto, maar na een verblijf in Austin, Texas, streek hij voor het maken van zijn laatste plaat neer in Nashville, Tennessee. Tennessee is David Newbould’s eerbetoon aan Nashville; de bakermat van heel veel goede rootsmuziek. David Newbould ging niet in zijn eentje naar Nashville, maar nam een flinke band mee. Tennessee is hierdoor een vol klinkende plaat geworden met vooral lekker in het gehoor liggende rootsmuziek. Countryrock staat centraal op Tennessee, maar deze wordt door David Newbould op knappe wijze vermengd met invloeden uit de radiovriendelijke rockmuziek die het zo goed doet op de Amerikaanse radiostations. De muziek van de Canadese singer-songwriter is tot dusver vooral vergeleken met die van Ryan Adams (die ook in 2013 helaas weer niets van zich heeft laten horen), maar ik hoor ook geregeld wat van Tom Petty of zelfs Springsteen, zeker wanneer de countryrock wat minder centraal staat en het tempo wat hoger ligt. Persoonlijk ben ik het meest gecharmeerd van de meer ingetogen songs met flink wat invloeden uit de countryrock, zeker wanneer hierin een geweldige zangeres (Kalisa Ewing) opduikt. In deze songs weet David Newbould diep te ontroeren en steekt hij Ryan Adams nadrukkelijk naar de kroon, terwijl de meer uptempo songs vooral een goed gevoel geven. Tennessee is in muzikaal en vocaal opzicht een hele sterke plaat. De instrumentatie is vol en gloedvol en David Newbould beschikt over een hele mooie en bijzondere stem (ik hoor af en toe de melancholie van Roy Orbison), die in het brede muzikale spectrum op Tennessee uitstekend uit de verf komt. De derde sterke troef van Tennessee is de serie uitstekende songs. David Newbould schrijft songs die niet onmiddellijk in de voetsporen treden van alles wat er al is, maar op hetzelfde moment blijven de songs van de Canadees heerlijk hangen en zijn heel veel songs op Tennessee na één keer horen al onmisbaar. Dat de plaat de jaarlijst van de Euroamericana chart heeft weten te halen verbaast me al lang niet meer. Tennessee van David Newbould is één van de smaakmakers van het rootsjaar 2013. Prachtplaat. Punt.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt de cd van David Newbould op zijn eigen site kopen:

http://www.davidnewbould.com/

Roll the dice. Rogier Pelgrim

Rogier Pelgrim featured twice before on this blog. First his gig as support of Handsome Poets was reviewed and not much later his EP 'Our dear lady of the plains'. My conclusion was that the show was more of a promise than I could hear on the EP, although the EP certainly has its moments and especially 'Mind's eye tramp'. And is this promise met on Roll the dice?

Rogier Pelgrim featured in the Dutch national tv program 'The best singer-songwriter' 2012 edition. He did not win. That was Douwe Bob, who's debut album was also reviewed on this blog. Pelgrim's name was made up to a certain extend, making it possible for him to tour extensively in 2013. I still haven't seen a single episode of the TV show. Monday evening I do other things.

Roll the dice is an album I'm surely appreciating. It is varied, has some good music on it and shows the progression that an artist should show in the period between the debut EP and now. Almost all songs are better. Before we proceed, one warning has to be given. Rogier Pelgrim's voice may not be there for everyone to appreciate. It is high and shoots up at times as if in heavy distress. Those moments are just within what I can stand. So beware reader and I hope soon listener, as this must not deter you from listening to Roll the dice. Give this album a chance and you'll find references to the best singer-songwriters of the past 20 years. Damian Rice's miniature songs, that can be deeply heart-felt, come to mind, but you'll also find a twist in the voice of Rogier Pelgrim that you'll recognise immediately if you're a Jeff Buckley fan (and a reference "That was so real"). There's even a hint of Eels in there.

This is all well, you may say, but does Pelgrim deliver himself? For what my opinion is worth, the answer is yes. He invites, if not demands, his listeners to listen in the first song 'Listen', a modest ballad with a clear message and advice. 'The weight of the world' is an uptempo song which contrasts sharply with 'Listen'. 'Roll the dice' is something in between. The stop start start of the song is different. The tempo change is a release that is embraced. 'Roll the dice' is the best song I've heard of Rogier Pelgrim till this date. The full band environment is perfect here. The handclaps a great addition. In these moments Pelgrim makes his voice roar, where singing as a whisper is more his trademark. Soft and delicate is his natural environment. The roar definitely extra curricular.

Rogier Pelgrim is more a singer-songwriter in his presentation than Douwe Bob. (I'm not familiar with the other participants, so can't compare here.) He dares to present himself singing with just playing his guitar as accompaniment. Further on in a song elements may be added, like a synthesizer and a distorted spoken word in 'Quiet girl', at heart these songs make up a man with guitar album. The additions are the work of producers René de Vries en Martijn Groeneveld, who gave the songs nice wrap arounds. In the background you'll hear the voice of Jannica Woudstra. Together they duet in 'How we fell from grace', a nice extra feature of Roll the dice. There is potential in both sides of Rogier Pelgrim and proves that seeing a show in a full band setting is something to look forward to.

Variation grows with the waltzy 'Misery man'. It reminds me of many a song of the past, yes, but it has its own quality and distinction. No, Rogier Pelgrim is not extremely original on Roll the dice, but he stands his own ground. More so than colleague Douwe Bob. Postuma made a pop album with old flavours of which I truly like several songs, but Rogier Pelgrim is trying to find his own voice and comes a long way on his first full album. His songs are not primarily aimed at pleasing, but managing to do so anyway. Roll the dice is not the easy road. Is it a gamble? No, there's too much quality and dedication on this album to make it so.

Roll the dice as a whole is not an easy to digest album. Give it time and you will find that it is a rich album, holding great moments, nice songs and an artist that is presenting his best and is totally comfortable with where he's at. Rogier Pelgrim has made the perfect next step in his career and deserves recognition for it. Roll the dice is a special and good singer-songwriter album, that proves again the level of musicians in present day The Netherlands: high.

Wo.

You can listen to 'Roll the dice' here.

Reckoning. Jen Chapin

Voor het minder bekende talent in het rootssegment ben ik deze week terecht gekomen in New York, de thuisbasis van de Amerikaanse singer-songwriter Jen Chapin (inderdaad, de dochter van componist Harry). Het is een singer-songwriter die niet heel goed in het hokje rootsmuziek past, al maken invloeden uit de rootsmuziek zeker deel uit van haar muziek. Jen Chapin is in meerdere opzichten een lastig geval. Haar muziek is niet goed in een hokje te duwen en het is bovendien muziek die niet heel makkelijk weet te landen. PopMatters wist het recentelijk prachtig te verwoorden: "Jen Chapin is never going to be a giant pop star. Not in this era anyway. She writes about love, sure, but the grown-up kind. Her songs have groove, no doubt, but it’s supplied by a band stocked with jazz players. Her voice is arresting and strong, you bet, but it’s laced with vinegar and personality, like the voice of someone you hear live in a bar, not mediated by a world of effects." Het zijn woorden die goed beschrijven wat je van Jen Chapin kunt verwachten, al vertelt het bovenstaande maar een deel van het verhaal. De muziek van Jen Chapin is immers van zeer hoog niveau en blijft na enige gewenning wel degelijk hangen. Sterker nog, wanneer je eenmaal gewend bent aan de muziek van Jen Chapin, blijft Reckoning terugkeren in de cd-speler. Reckoning is niet het debuut van Jen Chapin, want de Amerikaanse timmert al een aantal jaren aan de weg, wat haar tot dusver vooral lof van de critici heeft opgeleverd. Die heeft ze ook met Reckoning al weer binnen, maar de plaat verdient wat mij betreft veel meer.  Jen Chapin maakt op haar nieuwe plaat waarop invloeden uit de pop en rock worden vermengd met invloeden uit de blues, soul, folk, reggae (!) en vooral jazz. Het doet wel wat denken aan de jazzy platen van Joni Mitchell en zeker ook aan de vergeten meesterwerken van Laura Nyro, maar Jen Chapin heeft ook een duidelijk eigen geluid. Dat wordt in muzikaal opzicht bepaalt door de jazzy instrumentatie en de opvallende ritmes en in vocaal opzicht door haar bijzondere stem. Het is een stem waar zeker niet iedereen van zal houden, maar liefhebbers van de net wat minder aangenaam strelende stemmen in het algemeen, of de stem van Joni Mitchell in het bijzonder, zullen de stem van Jen Chapin, die overigens over meerdere kleuren beschikt, zeker kunnen waarderen. Reckoning is absoluut een plaat die je op je in moeten laten werken, zeker wanneer het de wat complexere songs op de plaat betreft, maar als het kwartje eenmaal is gevallen beschikt de muziek van Jen Chapin over ontzettend veel zeggingskracht en toverkracht, mede ook door het warme, directe en intieme geluid van de plaat. Het roemruchte PopMatters geeft Jen Chapin uiteindelijk een dikke acht en dat is zo ongeveer het minimum wat Reckoning verdient. Ik heb de plaat zelf weken of misschien wel maanden laten liggen omdat ik niet zo goed wist wat ik er mee aan moest, maar in deze periode ben ik intens van de plaat van Jen Chapin gaan houden. Iemand met de staat van dienst van Jen Chapin verdient het dat iedere muziekliefhebber minstens een paar keer naar Reckoning luistert. Ik weet bijna zeker dat het merendeel van deze muziekliefhebbers deze prachtplaat van Jen Chapin vervolgens zal koesteren tot in den treure. Haar andere platen zijn overigens bijna allemaal even mooi en indrukwekkend.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt de cd hier beluisteren en kopen:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jenchapin2

Corsica lemonade. White Denim

Oh yes, this is real good old time music. It even took me back to the only album of Les Dudek in my possession. But just as easily it brings me back to Flying Colors' debut album of 2012, that I reviewed in a very positive way on this blog. White Denim is a band that does not object to letting in some influences and make then sound loud and clear in its music; from symphonic rock or classic rock, some funk or blues. Double tracked, fast played solos play a role on Corsica lemonade. The sound in general is one of days gone by. I'm hearing songs in a style which I personally haven't heard since the 1970s. Climax Blues Band, Average White Band, Atlanta Rhythm Section? The few songs I know from these bands from the US with long names, come to mind straight away. Funky rock, that had its epitome on Wild Cherry's one hit 'Play that funky music'.

Is all days of future's past on Corsica lemonade? No, there are also songs here that put the album in the here and now. Next to that, as you'll have surmised, not all was well with me and the bands with the exorbitant names of the 70s. Is all well with me as far as White Denim is concerned? Having heard Corsica lemonade for several times now, it seems like I am. Corsica lemonade is a varied album, that, yes, is steeped in past sounds, very different ones even, but fits into 2014's music scene pretty well.

White Denim formed in 2006 out of the ashes of Parque Touch and is based in Austin, Texas. Starting more in punk, the band evolved more and more to jazz rock, southern rock, and symphonic rock. The band has a fierce output over the years. Corsica lemonade is its sixth album since 2008, with many EPs and singles as well. The direction the music takes seems to be made up per song, with some side stepping within a song as well. 'Come back' starts out as straight southern rock, but gets a few jazzy intermezzos along the side. Allman Brothers style? This makes Corsica lemonade a lot of fun, as I never know what is up next and all is done in good taste and played extremely well.

The solid foundation is laid by Joshua Block on drums, Steven Terebecki on bass, the overtones come from Austin Jenkins and James Petralli who both play guitar. Vocal duties are by Terebecki and Petralli. Jenkins joined in 2010. The interplay between the band is quite interesting and all band members mold themselves easily to the different styles on display. If one rule is clear, it is that there are no rules within White Denim, as I would not be surprised if opera would come by as well. (It doesn't, so maybe there is a rule or two.) A song is allowed to follow its course. Blues rock, Johnny Cash?, a song can start anywhere and develop in totally other directions. There is one constant though: the songs remain of high quality. It doesn't hinder me in any way when listen to White Denim. I just go with the flow and submerge myself in Corsica lemonade en enjoy myself tremendously. Where things go slightly wrong is when a Christopher Cross kind of song comes by, 'A place to start'. Not my cup of tea. Luckily 'A place to start' is more 'The place it ends' on Corsica lemonade. Should it be the start for the new album, then we'll cross that bridge when we get there. (That's English for "Who then lives, who then cares".)

Listening to Corsica lemonade I get more and more convinced that it doesn't make sense to try and push White Denim into a musical corner. The band just breaks free and heads off into another direction. Pursuing whatever muse it is hearing. As long as that brings me songs like 'Pretty green', rocking in a slightly lopsided way, I'm totally fine. It does beg the question who is White Denim really?, but who cares if so many songs are so pleasantly good. I may even have to get my Les Dudek record out of the stack and play for the first time since....????

Wo.

You can listen to 'Pretty green' here.

Wig out at jagbags. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks

What a title. No clue what it means. It sounds nice though. Stephen Malkmus is in the music business for over 20 years in 2014. First in Pavement and is now for 13 years following his path as a solo artist with his band The Jicks. Maybe you're surprised, but I haven't one single album of either in my collection. I just didn't like Pavement at all in the 90s. Despite all the rave reviews, it had nothing for me. Too unclear, too much "hidden" songs, too wobbly. Hence I never followed Malkmus when he went solo as well. So why now when The Jicks released their sixth album? I have no clue, it just means that I like Wig out at jagbags.

From what I remember of listening to Pavement a long time ago, is the slacker sort of attitude in the music. This is certainly discernible in Wig out at jagbags too. It does not hinder me in the least here. Most songs are firm, straight rhythms and played well. There may be some estranging elements in songs, the solo in 'Shibboleth' e.g. (and in the title?), but it's o.k. It is just part of a good song. There is hint in the music also that makes my liking of this album a lot more understandable. Several songs have The Kinks/Ray Davies signed all over them. It's in the way of singing mostly, as the music is to rock oriented to sound like The Kinks at first sight, but taking in mind albums like 'Low budget' we are getting closer. There is this soft form of irony over the whole album. 'We are making great music here, but all in good fun and taste, but see if you can spot which colleagues we play around with'. Something like that. And I like it.

Another thing that I noticed, is that there is a great diversity in songs on Wig out at jagbags. The slow song 'J smoov' has this wonderful accents from a keyboard and this trombone solo that sounds like it is played by someone who plays all the right notes; for the very first time. Where the trumpet in the background is so smoov. 'J smoov' has a beautiful tension arch. From slow, totally laidback to this full band playing is just very well done. Opener 'Planetary motion' has some light Zappa elements engrained into the song. 'Rumble at the rainbow' tries to be a punkrock song, but isn't, as it isn't a reggae tune either. 'Freak out' era Zappa returns in the final song 'Surreal teenagers'. Totally freaky and psychedelic. The somewhat weird melodies that make up a song any way. The full rock out finale is not 'Freak out' in any way, but fits the song and the nod to 1967. If you listen closely it is possible to sing "Hungry freaks, daddy" at two points in the song. Fun little element. What about this: "We lived on Tennyson and venison and the Greatful Dead". Well found this rhyme and lyric, in which 'You are want you is" is turned around as well.

Price tune is 'Chartjunk' as far as I'm concerned. Strangely enough it reminds me of Chicago's 'Feeling stronger every day'. It has nothing to do with it and still it does. It has elements that are similar. The rhythm, the guitar solo, the horns going full out. And this level is kept up in the ballad 'Independent street'. These elementary played songs is The Jicks down to its basis. Guitar, bass, drums and Malkmus' voice that has trouble to keep the melody, lending the song a certain edge. Beautiful none the same.

Who are The Jicks? In 2014 they are these three people: Joanna Boame is a member from the beginning on bass, Jake Morris is on drums since 2010 and Mike Clark who plays keyboard and guitar since 2001.

In short, Wig out at jagbags is a great indierock album. A lot of different things are going on, with enough levels to keep discovering new little things in the songs to keep listening to the album interesting. Yes, I'm surprised and I love surprises like these.

Wo.

You can listen to 'J smooth' here.

Sequel to the prequel. Babyshambles

The club of 27 has been proven to be totally random, since Peter Doherty is still around. Perhaps only because in the end he's a good boy and listened to his mum. O.k., enough of that. It's silly. Let's focus on the music on the latest Babyshambles album.

To be honest, I had lost a bit track of Doherty's doings after the split with Carl Barat and the other two guys that made up The Libertines, that bands that coupled brilliance with rehashing. All the news around him distracted me so much that I simply filed him away under been there done that. Until my ear fell on Sequel to the prequel that is. To be exact 'Nothing comes to nothing'. That same spunky slurring, that seeming to be too lazy, drunk or retarded to pronounce a sentence in a correct way and at the same time a hint of brilliance. The kind of singing that I recognized instantly and like so much about The Libertines. O.k., it's time to pay attention and that I did.

That I lost track isn't so strange, as Sequel to the prequel is the first album Babyshambles has released since 2007. Members came and went except for Doherty and bass player Drew McConnell. Together with present lead guitarist Mick Whitnall they sign for most songs.

The mood of the album is at times mellow. A country tainted 'Fall from grace' is an almost traditional kind of song with sweet guitars doing Johnny Cash notes and honeydripped oo-oo-oo harmonies in the background. There is also 'Farmers daughter'. This ballad has an epic chorus. Perhaps the best Doherty has ever come up with on record. There's nothing in the verse that announces what is coming up next. It's just a sort of average ballad, with the same solo notes as The White Stripes' 'I just don't know what to do with myself' cover version in the intro. And then it happens, at 1.44, the sky opens, sun pours through. The next 20 seconds are pure heaven. The touch of brilliance hasn't left Peter Doherty. Another song I really like is 'Penguins', a song that goes from sweetness to loud rock with a great melody. A lovely brook that flows through a ravine to another flatland. Great excitement.

The difference between these two songs is what makes Sequel to the prequel an as intriguing album as it is a hard album to appreciate. Not all songs make the mark like 'Farmers daughter' does, while some do not make a mark on my list at all. Where inspiration seems missing. That makes the luxury edition a long session to listen to. At the same time many songs have a pleasant pop feel. E.g. 'Maybeline' is certainly on the good side of the fence and 'Fireman' has this pleasant punky edge. The title song has a jazzy feel. Looking at it from a higher vantage point, Sequel to the prequel can be seen as an album in a long British tradition. The Kinks' 'Village green preservation society', Queen's 'A night at the opera' both had all these very different flavours to its songs. Vaudeville, hard rock, ballads, country. Anything was possible and this seems the route Peter Doherty has taken and no, he doesn't come close to these two classic albums, but then that's impossible, isn't it? They are too high up for too long. What can take them down? Probably nothing, a new generation listening to new albums.

If I look at it this way, my conclusion on Sequel to the prequel somewhat changes. Then I hear an artist who came back after a long time, daring to step into any direction he feels like. Referencing his first heroes, The Clash, in punky rock and reggae, (and The Velvet Underground with a cover of 'After hours' as bonus track) but also the music his grandparents' generation enjoyed. Renewing himself and extending his playing beyond what he became famous for. Sequel to the prequel is an album that caught me a bit of guard, having filed Peter Doherty away as has been. I was proven wrong, so welcome back, Peter. Long may you play.

Wo.

You can listen to 'Nothing comes to nothing' here.

I thought I was an alien. SoKo

Ik las pas een mooie column van iemand die zich vreselijk ergerde aan de aanbevelingen van Spotify (wat alleen maar erger werd toen hij Spotify op het verkeerde been probeerde te zetten). Zelf ervaar ik ook dat de aanbevelingen van Spotify de plank soms flink mis slaan, maar ik moet vooral lachen om de steeds terugkerende suggesties om Bob Dylan en Tom Waits eens te proberen. Ik heb Spotify echter alle fouten vergeven nadat de software op de proppen kwam met een gouden tip. Opeens stond het er: "Recommend for you: SoKo". Ik klikte door en kwam terecht bij haar plaat I Thought I Was An Alien; een plaat die begin 2012 al is verschenen, maar hier tot dusver geen aandacht heeft weten te trekken. SoKo is het alter ego van de Franse zangeres Stéphanie Sokolinski, in Frankrijk ook een behoorlijk bekende actrice (en naar verluid activiste). Als SoKo maakt ze muziek die geen moment Frans klinkt. I Thought I Was An Alien staat vol met vreemde geluiden, eenvoudige ritmes (vaak voortgebracht door een ritmebox) en zang die wel wat doet denken aan die van Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval (een van mijn persoonlijke favorieten). Ook in muzikaal opzicht doet de muziek van SoKo wel wat denken aan die van Mazzy Star (waardoor ik de aanbeveling van Spotify inmiddels wel begrijp), al is de muziek van de Française een stuk wereldvreemder en klinkt deze ook meer dan eens als een nog onderkoeldere versie van Cat Power oude stijl. SoKo maakt psychedelisch aandoende muziek en giet deze in folky songs. Haar intieme popliedjes worden ingekleurd met prachtige gitaarloopjes (soms eerder miniatuurtjes), een volgende overeenkomst met Mazzy Star, stemmige strijkers en hier en daar keyboards en blazers. De sobere instrumentatie wordt gecombineerd met lome en zwoele vocalen die in een aantal gevallen eerder gesproken dan gezongen worden, maar in tegenstelling tot Mazzy Star maakt SoKo geen muziek om bij weg te dromen. Hiervoor zijn haar popliedjes toch net wat te tegendraads en bieden ze te weinig houvast. Houvast of niet, de songs van SoKo hebben iets heel bijzonders, of zelfs iets magisch, en wisten mij in ieder geval volledig in te pakken. Ik heb I Thought I Was An Alien inmiddels meerdere keren gehoord, maar nog steeds hoor ik nieuwe dingen in de muziek van SoKo, en dan ben ik nog niets eens begonnen aan het doorgronden van haar Engelstalige teksten, die op het eerste gehoor een indringende, emotionele en poëtische indruk maken. Ik begrijp eigenlijk niet dat ik niet eerder op het spoor van SoKo ben gekomen, want haar zwoele, intieme en bezwerende muziek vormt een perfecte match met mijn muzieksmaak. Alle eer voor Spotify, maar vanaf nu hou ik deze eigenzinnige Franse dame zelf nauwlettend in de gaten. Ik heb immers het idee dat er nog meer meesterwerken van het kaliber I Thought I Was An Alien kunnen volgen. Of die er komen of niet, I Thought I Was An Alien blijf ik zeer waarschijnlijk voorgoed koesteren.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt hier naar 'Treat your woman right' luisteren.

Too true. Dum Dum Girls

Another new name for me: Dum Dum Girls. A group of ladies producing freshly sparkling pop punk rock songs that go back a long way and still sound totally fresh and 2014? You'd think so according to the band name. Too true is a bitter-sweet album that is bitter-sweet, full with jangly guitars, strong rhythms and singing, giving the nod to the more melancholy and the darker sides of life, without sounding desperate.

The sound on Too true is not unlike what I heard on 'Fade away' by Best Coast, the EP that I recently reviewed, around the same time I heard Too true for the first time. A lot that I wrote on Fade away, goes for Too true as well. There are dips into the Phil Spector girl vocal group sound of the early sixties. The Bangles and the Go-Go's are there. In 'Are you okay?', when the tempo goes down, it could be Susannah Hoffs and co singing and playing on a comeback record. Dum Dum Girls fit into the new girl pop punk rock music coming out of LA. Too true is much more polished, aimed at a larger audience than e.g. Bleached.

Dum Dum Girls' present sound is only a small shift from the sound I heard on 'Only in dreams', released in 2011. There is a fiery pop element in Dum Dum Girls' music. Aimed at pleasing, but not without some danger. There are some barbed wire fences to step around and under, some hidden holes and low passages. Every one who takes care finds the treasures hidden under the rougher film laid over the music. Pure gold here and there, with some diamonds on the side.

Another reference on Too true is what I call the dreamy side of The Stone Roses. Think 'This is the one'. Front lady Dee Dee has that quality in her voice too and sings a lot better than Ian Brown. The same goes for Blondie. To me it's not a surprise, hearing Dum Dum Girls' sound, that the band works with Richard Gottehrer as producer (together with The Raveonettes' Sune Rose Wagner). He always has worked on the edge of pop and things that "older" people did not prefer to hear, but found themselves to be doing anyway. Striving to find and finding the route to a perfect pop song. There are several on Too true for those who listen.

Dee Dee has a voice that is totally convincing in the music of Dum Dum Girls. She carriers all songs off easily, singing in a way that somehow reminds me of the witch in Hansl and Gretl. Sugar all over, but dangerous on the inside. The bitter-sweet just drips from her voice. The danger also hides in the contrast of her sweet sounding voice with the harsher parts in the sound of Too true. Like the sweet pop punk sound of a song that ends with the only one thing left: the low, completely distorted growl of a guitar that had been lurking in the background the whole time. As if it caught the whole song with one large bite and swallowed it whole. The mood change on Too true which is 'Lost boys and girls club', where Dee Dee's voice goes down, makes the song totally stand out and made it one of my favourites. The combination of distorted guitars, the lead riff and the slow, almost harsh rhythm, makes 'Lost boys and girls club' an instant classic. (And there is a hint deep down to Marc Almond and Soft Cell. Not only in the video. Depeche Mode as well.)

Looking closer, Dum Dum Girls is really a Dum Dum Girl: Dee Dee. She plays guitar and bass on Too true. Sune Rose Wagner plays all other instruments on Too true. Together with Gottehrer they have created an album that ranges in influence from Norwegian synthpop band Aha, to Madchester's finest The Stone Roses, 80s synth bands, the late seventies pop punk icons like Blondie, right up to the days that Gottehrer played in a band himself: The Strangeloves. Within the songs there are nods to a desert twang guitar, punk and surf guitars, The Ronettes, etc. Together it all makes Too true, a great album by Dum Dum Girls. Was Fade Away on top only last week, its position is seriously challenged by Too true. Another great release in 2014.

Wo.

You can listen to 'Lost boys and girls club' here.

Soldier on. Tim Knol

Dit maal voor de afwisseling eens geen aandacht voor onbekend of minder bekend talent in het rootssegment. In dit rootssegment is immers de nieuwe plaat van Tim Knol verschenen en deze vraagt om onmiddellijke aandacht. Na beluistering van de openingstrack en titeltrack Soldier On wist ik het eigenlijk al: Tim Knol heeft een volgende stap gezet in zijn carrière en is na de verovering van Nederland, die inmiddels wel voltooid lijkt, klaar voor verovering van de rest van de wereld. Dat kan met een track als Soldier On, die een sterk refrein combineert met gitaarwerk waarvoor Neil Young in zijn beste jaren zich niet geschaamd zou hebben. Tijd om onder de indruk te zijn van de geweldige openingstrack (die op een of andere manier ook wel wat heeft van de geweldige gitaarplaten van het Excelsiorlabel waarop Tim Knol zijn platen uitbrengt, wat ook niet zo gek is gezien de nadrukkelijke aanwezigheid van de van Daryll-Ann bekende Anne Soldaat) krijg je niet, want de tweede track maakt minstens net zoveel indruk met hemelse koortjes, die zo lijken weggelopen uit de jaren 70 en worden gecombineerd met een heerlijk psychedelisch aandoend sfeertje, inclusief oorstrelende strijkers. Tim Knol vervolgt zijn zegetocht met een prachtig popliedje dat ook uit vervlogen tijden zou kunnen stammen en wederom verrast met prachtig gitaarwerk, dit keer in combinatie met al even mooie stemmige blazers. Soldier On is op dat moment nog geen 12 minuten bezig, maar stuk kan het al niet meer. Sterker nog, het moet wel heel raar lopen als dit geen jaarlijstjesplaat is. Na de geweldige eerste drie tracks houdt Tim Knol het opvallend hoge niveau echter makkelijk vast. Aan de ene kant door het geweldige gitaarwerk (wat is Anne Soldaat toch goed) en de prima zang van Tim Knol (die alleen maar beter is gaan zingen), aan de andere kant door popliedjes waarvan je alleen maar heel blij kunt worden. Met “blij” doe je Soldier On nog flink tekort, want het gevoel van gelukzaligheid dat ik tot dusver ervaar bij beluistering van de geweldige derde plaat van Tim Knol is nauwelijks te beschrijven. Tim Knol laat zich, net als op zijn vorige twee platen, nadrukkelijk beïnvloeden door een aantal decennia Britse en vooral Amerikaanse popmuziek, waarbij hij een voorkeur heeft voor muziek uit de jaren 60 en 70, wat gezien zijn leeftijd (Tim Knol werd geboren in 1989) bijzonder is. Britse invloeden zijn dit keer duidelijk hoorbaar in een aantal bijna Beatlesque popliedjes, al zijn het wel The Beatles die zijn neergestreken aan de Amerikaanse Westcoast. In de meeste tracks laat Tim Knol zijn voorkeur voor de grote Amerikaanse singer-songwriters (een vleugje Townes van Zandt is altijd wel te ontdekken) horen, maar de Nederlandse singer-songwriter geeft altijd op knappe wijze een eigen draai aan zijn songs. Het in een prachtige, klassiek aandoende, hoes gestoken Soldier On is uiteindelijk weer net een stukje beter dan de vorige, ook al zo goede, platen van Tim Knol. Er zijn in dit genre dit jaar maar weinig platen verschenen die hier aan kunnen tippen en Tim Knol lijkt nog lang niet uitgegroeid. Hier mogen we in Nederland best flink trots op zijn.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt hier luisteren naar 'Motion of life'.