Devil On My Shoulder EP. Nienke Dingemans
17 Years old and singing the blues as if singing from an age old experience. Nienke Dingemans is a Dutch singer-songwriter who released a six song EP in November of 2021 that she recorded with a host of musicians from the NL blues scene. The lead song is 'Why Do Caged Birds Sing', a five minute plus blast of a song. Do not expect a traditional 12 bar blues. No, expect an electrically charged, slide guitar driven, above all extremely powerful song, where Dingemans gives it all she's got. The song has a great sound, where the guitars are mixed in exactly the right way to have a maximum effect on the song. 'Why Do Caged Birds Sing' may stand on the shoulder of giants, it is certainly a building block for the next level. The song is simply that good. Would Anouk sound like this/this good if she ever makes a blues-tinged album? The question does come to mind. There are five more songs on the EP and all worth the while. Do check it out.
Cowpunk? Is that a word/genre? Probably it is. If it isn't, I'm listening to it right now and feel free to use the term, if you like. Miss Georgia Peach teamed up with Nashville Pussy and sings You Blow My Mind with Blaine Cartwright. The song holds the right mix between both genres to irk both its fans, most likely. Meaning it is a perfect mix. The singing is pure country, the riffing punkrock with a country rhythm, sped up considerably but not that much from a song like "There's A Guy Who Works Down The Chips Shop' or C'est la Vie (You Never Can Tell)' and just as much fun to listen to. To enjoy it, all I have to do is let go of my inhibitions and get into the groove. Hee-haw.
Three new songs by Aura Blaze. Always something to look out for. After a few covers and a totally spaced out 9 minutes long song, it is hard to expect what is to come. The EP opens with the title song and I have a hard time to pinpoint the song for you. Why? It is so many things all at once. Surely psychedelic, yes, pop as well, there's even a little balladry in there pointing to Earth, Wind & Fire, e.g. 'After The Love Has Gone' and some Zappa style phrasing. What it certainly is, is a next level Aura Blaze. It's like Rhode Rachel has soaked up half the musical world, to come up with a superior song like Open-Mindedness. To think that Rachel played, sang and recorded it all by himself makes it even more special. Open-Mindedness is an extremely rich song for those who care to listen.
'The Summer Solstice' is perfect pop from the 60s. As if a long lost track by The Move, Jeff Lynne's first band, was found and received a total makeover. Only a hint of psychedelia remains here. In the final song, 'The Only One I Know', Aura Blaze is far more direct. 'Hush', as in Kula Shaker, territory is explored here. With a nice warm Hammond organ laying over everything. A very nice psychedelic rocking ending to an EP that opens with a mind explosion in music on several levels.
The artwork deserves a closer look also. What a piece of art it is.
Fontaines D.C. was seen as the frontrunners of the newest wave of new wave to give it a name. No longer. With its album 'Archive Material' Silverbacks has left its Dublin based colleagues far behind. It is almost shocking to hear the difference in richness between the two bands. As if a Ferrari overtakes a Nissan Micra. And then to think that Jackie Down The Line is a kind of song that is totally in line with the band's repertoire. The new single is what I've come to expect and that is where things go wrong; by comparison that is. There's absolutely no progress to be noted here. The effect that makes Jackie Down The Line stand out, is the flange or whatever stompbox it is on the guitar, not the quality of the composition. The start certainly gives the song a level of urgency. The drum pick up and bass pattern give the song its pace. It made me prick up my ears immediately. After that there's simply too little variation on the vocal melody to keep my interest up. Jackie Down The Line is nice. As first single of an upcoming album it should be good or better.
Boy oh boy is this one hell of a powerpoppunk single. J. Prozac cranks out a song that has the world screaming for building blocks, whether it means it or not. For the first time in decades I am shouting for them. The lyrics may be a bit weird for grown ups but then who wants to be grown up all of the time? Listening to powerpoppunk songs like this from a certain age onwards attests to the answer. Fun is an ingredient that makes life worthwhile and Building Blocks and Mandy provide just that. Five and a half minute of pure distraction from everything grown ups like me deal with during the day. For me, listening to Building Blocks is enough to keep me going, so if J. Prozac likes to play with them, to achieve the same effect, that's fine by me. As long as he produces fun songs like these on the side, I'm here to encourage him to play with them some more.
Wout de Natris
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