Wait For Me. Meadowlake

"Dreamy sounds envelope my ears, so I might be listening to dreampop", this is how I started my review of Meadowlake's first album in May 2018. I could have started my review in December of 2020 of Meadowlake's second album with the same words, so I decided to do so anyway. Again dreamy sounds envelope my ears, accompanied by firm hits on the snare drum, keeping me wide awake. Meadowlake may dream on but not in a lazy Sunday kind of way. The band is clearly present in its music.

A force can enter the music like it does in 'Clocks', one of Coldplay's early big hits (when I still liked the band). Coldplay is only one name that enters my mind, but mostly I am of the impression that Meadowlake has its own mind. The Groningen based band is not afraid to put a stamp on its music. In fact I notice that I like the album a lot better when I play it a bit louder. Oddly enough because of the dreamy way of singing by Jarno Olijve, my first inclination is to put the album on at a low level. It is only when played louder that the details come forward. That is the moment that it becomes clear how wild some of the playing and sounds are.

Once again, because of the way of singing, I am reminded of Marcel Hulst, the singer of Maggie Brown. Musically the two bands are not even that far apart. Meadowlake on average is louder, erupts more. There's a volcano hidden underneath that lake alright, and it's active.

Promo photo

What I like also on Wait For Me is that the band regularly surprises. Take the fierce rhythm the drummer lays down underneath 'Blood Crawls'. The harmony singing, female (Gertine Veenstra) and male, takes on such a light quality that it totally detonates with the drumming and yet totally fits as well. The two voices dance around each other being guided by the rhythm. It makes 'Blood Crawls' an exciting track.

What tracks like 'Blood Crawls' and 'Dirty Habit' do, is effortlessly show the two sides of Meadowlake. This band is not afraid of injecting an extra bite into its dreamy music. Dream too hard as listener and a slap on the eardrums is your reward. As already mentioned, it's also the rhythm that keeps you awake as well. What is it exactly what the drummer does in 'Lights Out'? I am 100% certain that I can't reproduce it.

Yes, I can imagine there being people who will complain about Jarno Olijve's veiled way of singing. All who can stand it, let alone those who are totally with it, will enjoy a record that does not go for the obvious in pop and rock. Meadowlake explores the options a song offers until it can present an outcome that is most to its liking; and most likely mine as well.

Wo.

You can listen to and buy Wait For Me here:

https://meadowlake.bandcamp.com/

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

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