Ease. Warm Graves

Last Friday, I started my review of King Hannah's new album with a reference to Shocking Blue's 'Hello Darkness'. I could easily do so again today (and just have of course). Ease contains a totally different sort of music, dark it certainly is as well. Also quite different from what one would in general expect with a band name like Warm Graves. No, this is not doom metal. Continue reading to find out what I am writing about.

Warm Graves is the musical project of Jonas Wehner who lives in Leipzig in Germany. Started in 2012, Warm Graves released its debut album 'Ships Will Come' in 2014 and took eight years to produce a second album, which was released yesterday. A period so long that ease is not the word coming to mind, as far as producing a second album is concerned. The same goes for the music. In the first instance, that is. Who allows him/herself to get into the vibe of Ease, will notice that the dark sounds can be listened to with ease.

Where the music is concerned, Ease is the 1980s all over again. Dark synths, electronic beats, electronically treated vocals. That was not exactly my kind of music. Ultravox, Gary Newman, just a couple of names that come to mind. Please, do not ask me why, but there's a major difference. Where I could not listen past a few songs of the 1980s acts of the day, I fully go with Warm Graves' flow. Is it, just to name an example, the bass guitar that jumps into 'Black Wine' and changes the song around for me? Is it the wide synths in 'Neon', that inexplicably on the face of it, makes me think of 'Riders On The Storm'? The band that really stands out for me here is Depeche Mode. What I expect is that Wehner was influenced by German bands like Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk as well, but I'm not too well versed here.

With Ease Warm Graves shares an extremely dark album with the world, reflecting the times in which it was made. That can be personal of course, but it certainly is a soundtrack for all the war-mongering and conspiracy noises being ventilated in the past days, months and years. In a world where many people have never had it as good as in our days, the feel is pessimistic and even defaitistic. Ease underscores this modern world with its bleak darkness, where everything is made by machines. Luckily for us humans, behind it all is the person Jonas Wehner, who is responsible for all we hear. This does leave just enough of a human touch and at times even a hint of light.

What we hear is a world where it is easy to sink into. The kind of music that can suck the listener fully in and exclude everything else. Ease scores high on this point. Whatever else is going on Ease, makes it enough for the length of nine songs to just be together with Ease. This is an achievement, as I'm not one in general for this kind of music. Let yourself be surprised as I was by the many twists the album presents and follow the flow of it. It is more than worth your while.

Wout de Natris

Birdtalker. Birdtalker

Birdtalker uit Nashville, Tennessee, overtuigt met geweldige stemmen, volle klanken, uiteenlopende invloeden en vooral met melodieuze songs die zich genadeloos opdringen.

Ik heb het tweede album van de Amerikaanse band Birdtalker een maand of vijf geleden over het hoofd gezien, maar dankzij aanhoudende tips heb ik het album toch nog opgepikt. Daar heb ik geen seconde spijt van gehad, want het titelloze album van Birdtalker is een fantastisch album. Het is een album dat zich laat beïnvloeden door pop, rock en roots, dat niet vies is van een groots en meeslepend geluid, dat vol staat met tijdloze en melodieuze songs en dat ook nog eens imponeert met geweldige stemmen. Na één keer horen was ik verkocht, maar sindsdien is mijn liefde voor de muziek van Birdtalker alleen maar gegroeid. Tot enorme hoogten kan ik wel zeggen.

Ik heb, mede naar aanleiding van mijn jaarlijstje nogal wat tips binnen gekregen van lezers van mijn BLOG. Verreweg het meest genoemde album tussen al deze tips is het titelloze album van de Amerikaanse band Birdtalker. Ik ben het in oktober verschenen album wel een paar keer tegengekomen bij het uitpluizen van de lijsten met nieuwe albums, maar ik heb het album in de weken na de release niet beluisterd. Toen ik dat na een aantal tips van lezers alsnog deed, begreep ik direct waarom ze zo enthousiast zijn over het album. Het is overigens het tweede album van de band uit Nashville, Tennessee, die in 2018 debuteerde met One. 

Bij een band uit Nashville denk ik in eerste instantie aan wat traditioneler aandoende Amerikaanse rootsmuziek of anders aan hitgevoelige countrypop, maar in beide hokjes hoort de muziek van Birdtalker niet thuis. De Amerikaanse band verwerkt wel wat invloeden uit de Amerikaanse rootsmuziek in haar muziek, maar past hier en daar ook wel in de hokjes indierock en pop. 

Direct bij eerste beluistering was ik onder de indruk van de mooie stemmen op het album en van de volle en warme klanken. Bij eerste beluistering riep het tweede album van Birdtalker bij mij daarom associaties op met de muziek van bands als The Lumineers en The Lone Bellow en dat zijn bands die ik hoog heb zitten. 

De mooie stemmen op het album van Birdtalker komen van het echtpaar Dani en Zack Green, die de band een paar jaar geleden formeerden. Beiden zijn voorzien van een warm en krachtig stemgeluid en de twee weten elkaar ook fraai te versterken. Persoonlijk had ik graag een nog grotere rol voor Dani Green gehad, maar je kunt niet alles hebben. Net als bij The Lumineers en The Lone Bellow staat de zang centraal in het geluid, waardoor de stemmen uit de speakers knallen. 

In muzikaal opzicht klinkt de muziek van Birdtalker al even krachtig en gepassioneerd. Het tweede album van Birdtalker is voorzien van een groots geluid vol invloeden uit de folk, country, pop en rock. Het doet hier en daar, en zeker in combinatie met de gloedvolle vocalen, bijna overdadig aan, maar het volle geluid is ook de kracht van de muziek van Birdtalker. 

Door de instrumentatie en de zang was ik vrijwel onmiddellijk overtuigd van de kwaliteit van de muziek van de band uit Nashville, maar Birdtalker maakt ook nog eens heerlijk melodieuze muziek, waardoor de songs van de band zich als een warme deken om je heen slaan. De songs van Birdtalker zijn niet alleen zeer melodieus, maar het zijn ook nog eens tijdloze en verrassend veelzijdige songs, die aansluiting vinden bij een aantal decennia popmuziek. 

Liefhebbers van bands als The Lumineers en The Lone Bellow zullen als een blok vallen voor de muziek van Birdtalker, maar ook liefhebbers van Amerikaanse rootsmuziek en liefhebbers van goed gemaakte popmuziek, moeten volgens mij vatbaar kunnen zijn voor de vele charmes van Birdtalker. 

Het zijn charmes die er voor zorgen dat het tweede album van de band zich heel makkelijk opdringt, maar ook nu ik het album flink wat keren gehoord heb, ben ik nog lang niet uitgekeken op dit wonderschone album, dat eigenlijk alleen maar beter wordt. Ik ben altijd blij met tips van lezers van mijn BLOG, maar deze tip had ik liever eerder gehad. Het titelloze tweede album van Birdtalker is er immers een die ik graag had opgenomen in mijn jaarlijstje. 

Erwin Zijleman

Gary Brooker (1945 - 2022)

Gary Brooker is the singer and, initially, the only composer of one of the most impressive classic pop singles ever. 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' as a single reached the first spot of the Veronica Top 40 twice, in 1967 and in 1972 when re-released as maxi single. When all is said and done, I know exactly four songs by Procol Harum. The four true hits the band scored in this country. 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale', 'Homburg', 'A Salty Dog' and 'Conquistador'. These singles must have a b-side but I have no recollection of them.

What makes that I love to hear these songs every once in a while, but never decided to try one of the band's albums? The thought never even crossed my mind until this week. Not of getting an album nor the thought itself. To be honest, I have no idea. Somehow I had no need to explore any further. None of my (past) friends had and as far as I know have an album by the band. Probably for two reasons. The first that by the second half of the 70s the band was as uncool as could be and it did not exist anymore.

I have one Gary Brooker solo album though, with the single 'Fear Of Flying' on it. A song I liked and still do when it comes around. I never made it through the album though. Perhaps another indication for the lack of motivation to explore backwards.

Coming back to Brooker's greatest musical achievement, 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale'. It is based on Bach's 'Air', a hit for the Dutch truly classic rock band Ekseption in 1969. Brooker was playing the composition, lost his way and came up with the melody for Procol Harum's best-known song. The lyrics by Keith Reid are modern poetry full of imagery but incomprehensible to non-poetically sensitive persons like myself. Brooker sings them with tremendous force and conviction. This is truly one half of the attraction. Brooker was around 22 when he recorded the song but also sounds a bit like an older man with an already somewhat worn-out voice.

The melody is beautiful and attracts immediately. The vocal melody and the way the band plays with the basic notes in search of harmonies. It is here that organist Matthew Fisher decades later received a co-writing credit. He played the core melody of the song. Apparently he only later in life understood how songwriting works and thought he deserved his cut. After a court case he got his rights to be mentioned on the label; and most likely millions in his bank account. Where does one start to measure this monetarily?

Thanks to Wikipedia a fun fact. 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' was the first debut single to reach the first spot of the Veronica Top 40 and remained the only debut single to do so until downloads and streams started being counted as well. It also was the first song to reach the number one spot twice.

'A Whiter Shade Of Pale''s popularity got a boost last year because of a very sad reason. It was the favourite song of journalist Peter R. de Vries, who was assassinated last year. As a tribute the public was asked to vote for it in the Top 2000. For years the song was very slowly descending in that chart of most popular songs ever, but still solidly in the top 175. It made it to number 3 in 2021, it's highest position ever. The number 10 position in the first list of 1999 was upped considerably.

With 'Homburg' Procol Harum repeated a first spot on the charts. The only band with its first two singles consecutively as number 1? 'Homburg' has exactly the same quality as its predecessor. The song is just as intriguing and multi-levelled.

For me 'A Salty Dog' was the first single I remember as being a hit. I did not understand the song one bit, to be honest. This was far too difficult music for a young brain. What I did notice were all the sounds in there and the suspense. This was not a pop tune, I all got that though. It's not a song that comes by regularly anymore. So what do I think of it in 2022? Perhaps it's time to find out, including the band's first albums. In the meantime I have to correct myself. I have the live album with 'Conquistador' on it on cd. Most likely I listened to it exactly once.

Procol Harum is an anonymous band. I could not tell you what band members look like. Perhaps because it was always about the music and not an image. Those few singles I know are impressive and extremely special. Gary Brooker left behind a legacy that will outlast him for a long time. With thanks to a man who's outlived his music for a few centuries already: Johann Sebastian Bach.

Wout de Natris

I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me. King Hannah

Long ago Shocking Blue had a hit single called 'Hello Darkness'. If a song title was ever the right connotation to the music I'm listening to right now, it's 'Hello Darkness'. On it's new album King Hannah explores the dark crevasses of the duo's darkest moods, anxieties and fears. Howling with the wolves in the forest at full moon. Can music be dangerous? Not as such, too loud playing as a danger to the ears besides, but when someone already in a dark mood listens to I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me, things may get dangerous at the individual level. Tipper Gore may have to start advocating for another kind of sticker on records!

King Hannah debuted on these pages with the single 'Star Trooper' and, belatedly, the debut EP 'Tell Me Your Mind And I'll Tell You Mine' in 2021. Because of these introductions, the new, first full-length album was not in fear of falling of the proverbial shelve of new releases, this time around. I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me delivers. That is the short and simple conclusion after listening to the record for the first time and every time after it.

King Hannah is Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle from Liverpool in the U.K. They have been making music together since the 2010s and with I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me deliver their first album. The music, as said, is dark but not without familiar elements. Deep down this is The Velvet Underground for 2022. The one of Lou Reed and Doug Yule and the few Nico led songs, not John Cale's, as the madness is missing. King Hannah has its music tightly under control, like on 'The Velvet Underground'. Deep down I am listening to pop ballads, totally dusted over as it were. Just like I can imagine Adele singing 'The Moods That I Get In' and how it would sound in her case. It only goes to show the effect King Hannah's music has on my brain.

Play this album load enough or on your head set and the music encapsulates you totally. Hannah Merrick's voice is as close by as she will ever be for most listeners. The way her singing is recorded is just right and mixed right in front of the music as if floating on it. It attracts all attention to it. Not that the music is not important, far from. Just listen to the opening song, 'A Well-Made Woman'. The drums play an important part in the first half of the song. Later stacks of guitar(part)s are layered on top of one another but what will remain with you is that voice. Drained of emotions perhaps but not of pride. "I'm a well-made woman", "I am a brave woman" she sings and not leaving any room for another conclusion, listening to her. She knows she is. No doubt about it.

As points of reference. Where the singing is concerned, I would definitely point to Reb Fountain. Hannah Merrick has that same touch in her singing. Musically the two singers are further apart. Austrian duo Cari Cari is worth mentioning. Both have this touch of mystery in their music. Then there is this darkness. A lot happened between 1967 and 2022 but it all starts with The Velvet Underground here. Especially when Craig Whittle takes the lead vocals in 'Ants Crawling On An Apple Stork'. I have never been into Low but I would guess King Hannah has listened to the band.

I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me is a perfect mix of a lot of previous artist, while being itself entirely. This album has a fantastic vibe, at least for me. The darkness attracts in a positive way. I'm sucked into this musical world that is just great to wonder around in. Mystery, seduction, dreams, spooky are just four words of many that spring to mind. It's all there and so much more. It makes I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me a great album, very much worthwhile to spend, intimate, time with.

Wout de Natris

.NoWordsNeedeD, 24-02-2022

 Alim Qasimov & Michel Godard - A Trace of Grace - YouTube

.No

Rise. Ann Beretta

Rise is the kind of album that starts by pushing the pedal to the metal and only finds the brake when the last note fades in the distance. If the fading does not indicate Rise kept driving, far past the range of the studio mikes, that is.

Ann Beretta caught the energy an American rock band can produce working on the brink of 80s rock, alternative rock and the melodic side of punk rock. Rise holds exactly that and all extremely pleasant to listen to at that. The listener can opt to sing along or listen intently to the way the band presents its rock songs. This band can not only play but also arrange the individual instruments in such a way that there is something to enjoy for the fan of each instrument.

First, Ann Beretta itself. The band debuted on this blog with single 'Better Medicine' recently in the weekly singles section. The band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1995 and released records until 2003 when the band called it quits. As blood is thicker than water, it reformed and recorded a total DIY album. If anything, Rise rocks as if this is a band presenting itself to the world for the first time. Rise holds so much enthusiasm, it's nearly inconceivable I'm listening to a band of veterans. In a way Ann Beretta does present itself to the world for the first time. Many were not around in round 1 or totally unaware, like me.

Promo photo

Why do I like Rise? That starts with the enormous energetic drumming of Russ Jones. He appears to be willing to move mountains to get the band's music across. His drive is so powerful and full of great accents and breaks, giving the songs so much extra. His style does remind me of the dry drum parts 90s bands like Therapy? had as part of its sound, but Jones' style is far warmer. The clear way his parts are mix into the middle of the sound shows the appreciation of his band mates for his work. The wall of sound the other four produce is huge but never without an idea. The bass, Donovan Greer or Rob Huddleston, plays fabulous runs. Green Day's Mike Dirnt comes to mind here alright and not just the bass parts. The guitars do all else. And the vocals? Tough enough but always singing along remains an option. Together all the parts for great songs and they are.

Because of 'Better Medicine', the single I wrote of just now, I found myself singing a long forgotten Bon Jovi single, 'Bad Medicine'. It's a good question which song I like better. Hint, I never really was a Bon Jovi fan. A few nice singles apart, I always found them more posers than rockers. With Rise Ann Beretta in my opinion offers the real thing, 100%. Nuff said, I'd say.

Wout de Natris

Singles week 8

This week starts with two bands that have played a living room show, in the past decade, in my home. It creates a special relationship with a band, as it is a precious experience to be able to experience the making of music from so close; for band and audience. You will find Elenne May's first new song since 2016 and the second single of No Ninja Am I's upcoming album below. You will also find a debut single from a new Dutch band and the return of an old favourite. And of course much more. You just got a ticket to ride and I hope you care.

Uncomfortably New. Elenne May

Elenne May goes back years on this blog. It has been silent around the band for years though. Almost two years ago the Amsterdam band started the try outs for a theatre show. If I remember correctly, the band was able to do one show and I was not there. A weekend full of activities, including the farewell show of Canshaker Pi and a football match. And then everything went quiet, everywhere. Come February 2022 and Elenne May is ready to work towards the theatre show that is now planned for October 2022. In the meantime the band releases five singles accompanied by video's. The first single is Uncomfortably New. In sound the song is immediately recognisable as an Elenne May song. The mix of pop, folk, and a darker streak containing some(times barely hidden) sadness or anger. The threatening or better threatened atmosphere that certainly is one part of the band's sound. The rhythm in the verses however suggests movement, progression, change. The chorus is the bog sucking the song in, drowning it. “Everything feels uncomfortable”, Elenne May sings, confronting the listener with the uncomfortableness. Beware for the giant climax in the form of a guitar explosion played by guitarist Roeland Scherff though, releasing the inner tension of Uncomfortably New. The explosion is as effective as it is exciting. And then listen to the final "Everything feels uncomfortable". Catharsis has taken place, as the world has been turned upside down. There's a new question: who is uncomfortable now? Who is chained now? Elenne May rattled her chains and is freed.

Artwork: Jaap Scheeren

Custom Pope. No Ninja Am I

Listening to Custom Pope for the first time, I'm reeling through the years, to quote Steely Dan. The new No Ninja Am I track is a circa 1980 West Coast pop/singer-songwriter song if I ever heard one. Everything about it is as slick as the Christopher Crosses and Rupert Holmeses of the time could muster. In other words, the music is crystal clear, like looking into an undisturbed sunlit lake with the bottom almost within reach. Literally every instrument and percussion can be heard separately. All Sander van Munster has to do is sing the best he can to smooth things over just this little more. Which he does here in all the right ways. Custom Pope is a pop ballad in a style hat went out of fashion a couple of decades ago, but these songs still come by regularly, so why not add one to the roster, nostalgic radio stations? I doubt if they come better in 2022. Is this truly my kind of music? No, but I can spot a beautifully made song with a lot of love going into it when I hear one.

How Cool You Are. Walt Disco

Can music be too bizarre? Yes, it can. The third single of Glasgow's Walt Disco's upcoming album 'Unlearning', mixes so many sounds and influences that it becomes impossible to hear the song itself. And at that it jumps out of each and every expectation coming with the influences. There's Franz Ferdinand in the rhythms, until Sparks comes in, so FFS. Don't forget David Bowie in his most theatrical singing voice. The antics of the Scissor Sisters come by. With this all comes a level of madness that is impossible for me to follow. Simply too many buttons are pushed at once. How Cool You Are leaves me totally flabbergasted. If that was the goal, mission accomplished, sir.

Flower Souls. Eelke

With Flower Souls the focus track of Eelke's new EP was released recently. The song has it one foot firmly in the kind of ballads that were popular around 1980. Christopher Cross scored a few hits at the time in this style. The singer-songwriter adds his own flavour to the sound. A manifestation of a song that keeps flowing. The acoustic guitar does not let go of the song for a single second. Supported by the drums it gives Flower Souls not only a body also the firmness the softly dancing voice needs to impress. Over this body all sorts of nice extra's are sprinkled, giving the song its lightness. Flageolets, solo notes on the electric guitar and the bass guitar that plays somewhere between support and solo with slick fretless accents added as extra's. Flower Souls is the next song that is added to Eelke's ever nicer expanding oeuvre. Tomorrow Same Time is out, so go check it out.

Zo Waren De Dagen. De Toegift

Met Zo Waren De Dagen, de debuutsingle van de Zeeuwse band De Toegift, voegt het Utrechtse label Snowstar Records een nieuwe act aan zijn bestand toe. Zo Waren De Dagen is een zeer dromerig nummer dat midden in de winter een warme, lome zomer aankondigt. De vergelijkingen laten zich makkelijk maken. Het Amsterdamse trio De Breek, met zanger Sander van Munster (No Ninja Am I) voorop en The Avonden zijn als invloed makkelijk te duiden. Daarnaast kan het nummer gevangen worden in de term dreampop. Het nummer is zo zacht, maar niet bescheiden. De Toegift maakt wel degelijk haar punt. Het heeft daar geen "geweld" voor nodig. Het nummer is nog niet begonnen of de hemelse koortjes vliegen me al om de oren. De tekst is pure poëzie, als in, ik begrijp er niet veel van; maar dat zal wel aan mij liggen. De melodie ligt prettig in het gehoor, de begeleiding zwelt aan en neemt af. Als een golf in de zee waarvoor gezongen wordt of de lichtstralen die verdwijnen aan het einde van de dag. Zo Waren De Dagen is een mooie introductie met een nieuwe band. Op 1 april volgt er meer met EP 'En Ik Kon Alles Zien'. Dat wil ik wel meemaken voor en keer.

All Things Pass. Oh Hiroshima

Another rock duo with a huge sound, impossible to reproduce together on stage. Oh Hiroshima from Sweden was unknown to me until just now. This single has the band working towards its new, upcoming album 'Myriad', its fourth. The song is an example of grandeur in rock music. Grandeur, because it always remains in style. Like nobility never letting its guard down. The beginning of All Things Past is slow, mysterious. A single note repeated by a delay, I'd guess. Then drums kick in. Tough, loud, solid, not leaving any doubts that the listener is about to rock. More and more guitars and either keyboards or completely worked over, effect-laden guitars, come in. Until it all moves away again and the soft singing voice of Jakob Hemström takes over the song. All Things Pass moves forward in a monumental style, leaving very little room for doubt. No hole is left unfilled in the sound Oh Hiroshima produces. The sound is huge, somewhat cold, but impressive none the same.

Champion. Warpaint

Did I use the term dreampop today already? Well, here is one of the ultimate bands in that genre. Warpaint's single 'Love Is To Die' in my opinion is probably the best dreampop song ever made. And nothing came close, including anything the band itself released since. This conclusion includes Champion I'm afraid. Now with that behind us, let's focus on Champion. During the first minute, I was about to strike the song from this roster. That would have been a sincere mistake. Slowly but surely the song gets more body. The beautiful, deep bass part is excellent. The dreamy quality of Champion slowly but surely grips me. The vocals are great. I love the way the guitars come in with loads of delay on them. As close as a guitar can come to a keyboard as possible. The keyboards themselves are like a thick, room wide carpet, to sink into without a chance of drowning. And hear them drums. They are played so rock solid. Warpaint is back in the middle of my attention alright.

Dark Ability EP. Mariangela Demurtas

People better versed in gothic metal may have heard of Sardinia born Mariangela Demurtas. I haven't and musically meet with her for the first time when listening to her solo debut EP, Dark Ability. The EP's opening song 'City' is an enormous song. Enormous in the sense of full of atmosphere and suspense. Recorded as if in a giant bathroom, reverb and echo envelope the whole sound of 'City'. The slow ballad is huge in the way it is recorded and mixed. The music and especially Mariangela Demurtas' voice is so enormously in my face that her presence in my room is inescapable. Starting with a solo grand piano, drenched in reverb, guitars and a heavily played drums join in, creating this huge atmosphere around the singer. Impressive 'City' is indeed and a promise for what more is to come.

Bubblegum Infinity. Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

There is far out and there's faaaar ououout. The opening seconds of Psychedelic Porn Crumpets' latest song, released to announce it upcoming fifth album, is almost disturbing. As disturbing as the video is. Recorded as if the radio station is just off, is that still possible in these digital days?, making the reception warped, mono and distorted. Fully tuned-in, the band releases its true power and a powerful psychedelic rocker is unleashed into the world. Distorted guitars play a role alright but expect to hear an acoustic guitar as well. The Perth based band tosses Bubblegum Infinity as it were up and down and through all the corners of the room. It results in the song having several different moments, colours and highlights. All this in a little over three minutes. It all ends with a carnival whirligig sound as if in a fast spinning something with the music warping once again. Waiting for a new album may be very much worth our while.

Oh No. Wet Leg

Of the four Wet Leg singles released to date, this is the strangest one. Listening to the intro and first verse, I nearly stopped listening. This is too simplistic, with too weird nonsensical lyrics. What I would have missed out on, is the giant surge of energy Wet Leg unleashes on an unsuspecting world. If the duo manages to draw in enough people to a gig, it's going to be dangerous to be close to the stage. There's no stopping the pogo here. The music is erratic, as restless as the smart phones of youths, up to thirty something, who cannot miss anything, are. Wet Leg captures the endless activity on a smartphone in music. Musically it bounces as hard as De Staat is able to do. Only the keyboard is missing. The bounce in the music is all there alright. What power, what energy. It took me about 30 seconds but I'm there alright, right inside Oh No.

Wout de Natris

The hits of The Hollies (1965-1969), part 2

And here comes the second instalment of The Hollies' 1960s hits in the Dutch Top 40. Some fantastic songs come by where the band reaches for pop heaven and reaches its destination, with ease it seems. Perfection in other words.

King Midas In Reverse (1967) #20

Speaking of favourites. King Midas In Reverse always was one of mine. Some psychedelics come into The Hollies' sound. The Beatles influences may never have been more apparent than here. The flourishing arrangement of violins and horns are huge. The dark violins, 'A Day In The Live' huge, the horns 'Penny Lane' all over. The vocal arrangements extremely intricate as far more subtle and wide ranging. The tough bass played by Bernie Calvert is really bad ass. The song was written by Graham Nash and he was its driving force, trying to push the band in a more serious direction. Commercially the song did not do as well as had become a standard for The Hollies and that was the end of it, and ultimately the reason for Nash's departure from the band.

Looking back, the song must make all the members proud anyway. The song really stands out, with impressive depth and width. From the guitar intro to the finger clicks, the bass and drums coming in in the second verse, the song is built up, musically and vocally, becoming bigger and bigger, interrupted by the bridge section with its flourishing arrangement, to end in a huge orchestral ending. Music and vocals are exceptional. It may not have been a great hit, it's the band's most memorable song as far as I'm concerned.

The fact that all can members a can look back with pride today on this achievement, is something worth mentioning as well. All five members of this line up are alive in 2022. Only original bass player Eric Haydock has passed away, in 2019. Being a Holly was far healthier than many other bands must have been.

Dear Eloise (1968) #8

A top 10 hit that is not found on international compilations is Dear Eloise. The Hollies' most psychedelic single. The intro and outro are totally far out for the band. Everything in between is more straightforward but not everything as you can hear. Dear Eloise is also from the 'Butterfly' album, just like 'King Midas In Reverse'. One to check out I notice in 2022. I loved the song at the time, especially because of the intro, it seems. When I heard the song again decades later, I had hardly any recollection of what happened in between. In 2022 I still love the song and now the whole song. The vocals on Dear Eloise are so strong. The band is really at its peak here. Again the bass is huge here. Calvert is so prominent and really drives the song in combination with Elliot's drumming and Nash's rhythm guitar. The bass as lead instrument. Would Mike Dirnt have learned his chops from a song like this? Dear Eloise is also The Hollies' hardest rocking single of this era. This is a loud song, not just a pop song. The fact that it reached the top 10 in NL makes me feel proud in hindsight, although I had nothing to do with it.

Jennifer Eccles (1968) #20

The band left 'King Midas In Reverse' and went back to business with its most poppy single. It is also the dumbest song they released. With the whistle as gimmick, it doesn't really work for me. But, then comes the "One Monday morning" break and I'm sort of sold any way. This part shows exceptional songwriting skills! What follows is a bit too cheerie for me. Jennifer, Clarke's wife and Eccles, Nash's wife, is simply not my The Hollies song and never was. They have done better in the past with "simple" songs like this. Except for that part showing the great writing team The Hollies still had at this point in time.

Listen To Me/ Do The Best You Can (1968) #7

This single was the first by The Hollies that I recognised as a hit, as I had discovered the Top 40 in October 1968 for myself. And The Hollies were in there, of course, knowing a few of the other past hits already. Listen To Me is the last one to feature Graham Nash and not written by The Hollies. That did not really matter. This is a The Hollies single alright. One that stands out as far as I'm concerned. The vocal melody is so strong, the music so driving. The band manages to hit the perfect pop button once again. The song also contains an organ, which is quite exceptional for The Hollies. I simply love this song and think it to be exceptionally good.

It is also the only single with a double a-side. I can't remember hearing the song ever before (and I have the single!) and know why, after having found it on Spotify. It's a country thingy with a banjo and a harmonica. Not my thing really. Listen To Me is the song that has gone into posterity and rightly so. Perfect pop, as I already wrote.

As an aside. Not speaking English, as a kid I thought the title was Listen To Me The Best You Can. Singing it that way, with lots of la-la's after it. Only to discover they were two songs perhaps past my 40th or even 50th year.

And notice the sleeve, Do The Best You Can is mentioned first. Boy, what a mistake that was on the side of either the band or the record company. it just does not compare.

Sorry Suzanne (1969) #4

Sorry Suzanne is another single that I know from the very moment it was released. It were The Hollies, so I liked it for sure. This has changed somewhat over the years. It has an element within it that we in NL call "truttig". See if you can find a good translation for it. Not that I dislike it, far from. Nostalgia certainly kicks in here. In hindsight, Sorry Suzanne is a single of a band in transition. We do not have many more singles to go, but from the last one onwards, several heavy ballads come into The Hollies' mix of music as well as true rock songs a bit later. Sorry Suzanne is still pure pop but containing a balladry streak. Perhaps this is the biggest influence of Graham Nash's leaving and the entering of Terry Sylvester who would stay until 1981 and leave in the same week as bassist Calvert. Also Sorry Suzanne is not self-penned. What was the reason? The record company pushing songs on the band, the leaving of Graham Nash as co-composer? Did the new line up have to find its confidence in writing? Or just better songs from other authors? Calvert's bass is, once again, very audible. As a final comment, besides the piano, it is the first The Hollies hit single here containing a Tony Hicks guitar solo.

Blowing In The Wind (1969) #9

Another NL top 10 hit, perhaps exclusive even, is Blowing In The Wind. The Hollies recorded a whole album of Dylan covers, containing Blowing In The Wind. I'm fairly sure I was oblivious of that bard called Bob Dylan in 1969. He had a hit at around the same time, 'I Threw It All Away', but I have no recollection of it being on the radio. 'This Wheel's On Fire', 'Mighty Quinn' proved to be Dylan songs, later. Those I did know. The Hollies turned Blowing In The Wind into an extremely cheerful event. "Blow-ow-ow-ow-ing in the wind". Trumpets shouting out. An orchestra and a lot of ah harmonies. The band shows, once again, to have great harmonic talents when singing and Ron Richards as producer made the most of blowing up the song. Okay, it may be a little kitschy but, let's face it, this is simply done very well. Take the ending, slowly fading out to return once more in full force. The orchestra throws its all at it, as does the band. Just listen to Bobby Elliot ramming the ending in.

As an aside, this is the first single to run up over 4 minutes. Nearly all the hits in the above clock in under 2.30 minutes. Very effective with their time and quality these The Hollies are. Here it is the producer who got his go, it looks like.

He Ain't Heavy ... He's My Brother (1969) #20

Again a piano, and it's the Elton John playing it. Most people had not heard of Reginald Dwight's alter ego late in 1969. This was not a major hit here. In the U.K. twice, and in 1988 it even made it to first spot after a commercial for some lite beer.

This is a beautiful song. There are no other words available. The effect is great, the singing beautiful. The harmonica solo has exactly the right, melancholy mood. The Hollies are doing something they had never done before, release a ballad as a single. And although not extremely successful here, it proved a good choice, as it would score many more hits like it in the years to come. Everyone playing the song will notice the orchestration. It is a feature the band comes to rely on more and more, moving away from the five piece with perhaps an exotic instrument added as a gimmick. It is the band as vehicle of the producer also and not just a pop band any more. All that said, this is a beautiful single.

When a former, close colleague passed away a few years back, his brother sang this song for those present at the memorial. Alone, one acoustic guitar, one voice, and the song is just as strong and impressive.

1970s

The Hollies went on to score many more hits that fall out of the scope of this series. The hits ended with 'Daddy Don't Mind' which I love and even the disco-y 'Wiggle That Wotsit' I truly liked. Do I have many The Hollies albums? No, and the ones I have, second hand, are all not extremely good. As a singles band, The Hollies are near undefeatable.

And my top 5, which I forgot after the Bee Gees 1960s hits, is:

5. Dear Eloise

4. Listen To Me

3. Look Through Any Window

2. King Midas In Reverse

1. Bus Stop

Yes, a bit of a surprise. Up front I would have put #2 on 1 but having heard it all once again and very closely, I changed my mind and put Bus Stop on top, today.

Wout de Natris

Valentine. Snail Mail

Lindsey Jordan debuteerde op 18-jarige leeftijd ijzersterk als Snail Mail, maar laat op haar tweede album horen dat ze als muzikant, zangeres, songwriter en mens enorm flink is gegroeid de afgelopen drie jaar.

Lush van Snail Mail was een van de betere debuutalbums van 2018, al had ik dat zelf pas echt door toen het betreffende jaar voorbij was. Deze week verscheen het tweede album van de Amerikaanse muzikante en Valentine vind ik nog een stuk beter dan het debuut van Snail Mail. Het alter ego van Lindsey Jordan is gevormd door de diepe crisis waarin ze na het succes van haar debuut terecht kwam en keert terug met een intiem en emotioneel album, waarop we een inkijkje krijgen in de afgelopen zware jaren. In muzikaal opzicht is Valentine een stuk gevarieerder dan zijn voorganger, maar het wat ruwe en onvaste Snail Mail geluid is gelukkig gebleven. Het levert een zeer indrukwekkend album op.

Snail Mail, het alter ego van de Amerikaanse muzikante Lindsey Jordan, debuteerde drieënhalf jaar geleden bijzonder knap met het album Lush. Lindsey Jordan was destijds pas 18 jaar oud en kwam net van de middelbare school. De Amerikaanse muzikante leverde als Snail Mail echter een verrassend volwassen klinkend debuutalbum af, dat niet al teveel onder deed voor de albums van de smaakmakers in het genre. 

Destijds was de vijver met jonge vrouwelijke singer-songwriters met ambities in het indie segment al behoorlijk vol en deze vijver is sindsdien alleen maar voller geworden. De lat voor het tweede album van Snail Mail ligt daarom nog wat hoger, maar de muzikante uit Baltimore, Maryland, stelt ook met Valentine zeker niet teleur. 

Lindsey Jordan schreef de songs voor haar tweede album in 2019 en 2020, maar mede door de coronapandemie liep het album wat vertraging op. Valentine bevat een aantal ingrediënten die ook op het debuutalbum van Snail Mail al een voorname rol speelden. Lindsey Jordan kreeg als tiener gitaarles van cultheld Mary Timony, vooral bekend van de band Helium, en heeft tijdens deze lessen goed opgelet. Ook het gitaarwerk op Valentine is uitstekend en hetzelfde geldt voor de zang op het nieuwe album van Snail Mail. 

Op die zang was drieënhalf jaar geleden nog wel wat aan te merken, al vond ik het onvaste in de stem van de Amerikaanse muzikante juist iets charmants en bijzonders hebben. Op Valentine is Lindsey Jordan beter gaan zingen, al is het onvaste in haar stem gelukkig niet helemaal verdwenen, waardoor Snail Mail nog altijd een eigen geluid heeft, dat niet alleen charmant, maar ook puur en kwetsbaar klinkt. 

Vergeleken met het debuutalbum van Snail Mail klinkt Valentine wat voller en gevarieerder, maar ik hoor toch ook nog veel terug van het debuutalbum van de Amerikaanse muzikante. Waar Lush nog vooral een album vol tienerdromen en groeipijnen was, graaft Snail Mail op Valentine een stuk dieper. 

De plotselinge beroemdheid ging de piepjonge muzikante niet in de koude kleren zitten, waarna een liefdesbreuk zorgde voor een extreem diepe crisis in het jonge leven van Lindsey Jordan, die haar, na een vlucht in drugs, uiteindelijk in een afkickkliniek deed belanden. Het was de voedingsbodem voor de meeste songs op het nieuwe album van de Amerikaanse muzikante, die in isolement werden geschreven en vervolgens in de studio van Brad Cook (Waxahatchee, Indigo De Souza, Bon Iver) in North Carolina werden opgenomen. 

Brad Cook heeft het album vakkundig geproduceerd en heeft de sterke punten van het debuut van Snail Mail behouden en wat schoonheidsfoutjes weggepoetst. Valentine is een gevarieerder en veelkleuriger album dan het vooral rock georiënteerde debuutalbum van Snail Mail, maar de muzikante uit Baltimore is er in geslaagd om haar eigen geluid te behouden en verder uit te werken in songs die op kunnen schuiven richting pop, maar ook richting ingetogen folk. 

Ik moet eerlijk toegeven dat ik bij de zoveelste worp jonge vrouwelijke singer-songwriters met enige regelmaat bij het punt van verzadiging in de buurt kom, maar het uitstekende Valentine van Snail Mail blijft hier heel ver van verwijderd en schaar ik vooralsnog onder de beste albums in het genre. Snail Mail heeft een intiem album afgeleverd vol doorleefde verhalen, maar ook vol uitstekende songs, die Lindsey Jordan op geheel eigen wijze en vol gevoel vertolkt. Razend knap album.

Erwin Zijleman

Get Back. The Beatles

In past six weeks I have been that fly on the proverbial wall in the studio of The Beatles while they were recording for what was to be a live album and practicing what was to be a full, surprise live show, somewhere in London. The band convened in a large studio hall at Twickenham on 2 January, the live show planned for circa 24 January. Assuming that most people reading this post will know enough of the outcome. No real live show but a rooftop concert, stopped by the police. The band breaking up for a short while. The music not seeing the light of day until 'Let It Be' was released in April 1970, finished by Phil Spector. The band convening later in 1969 for a final time to record 'Abbey Road' and breaking up officially in April 1970, in reality in the fall of 1969 when 'Come Together' and 'Abbey Road' were climbing the singles and albums charts around the world. Assuming you know all that, I'm just going to write some observations.

Sparks fly

The main observation is this: When Paul managed to get to John and get him out of passivity or the spell Yoko had on him or better his attention, that were the moments that sparks flew. When brilliance struck and things changed, immediately. Some were so clear on film to see and hear. And, yes, John should have left Yoko at home more often, but I never had the impression, not for one moment, that Yoko was present as the "ugly witch". She was just there, always. The other wives were not, and Patti all but invisible or she did not want to be in the movie.

This togetherness excluded George and Ringo totally. George sometimes is jealous and feels excluded and under-appreciated. Ringo just sits there behind his drumkit, totally passive, not doing anything, not saying anything. It's almost shocking to see. A fun moment is when he is sitting behind the piano playing the beginnings of  'Octopus' Garden' to George. The others are not there then. George helping Ringo with chords, making suggestions, growing the song, that did make it to an album.

Pride

The pride of jack-of-all-trades to The Beatles, Mel Evans when he gets to play on a Beatles song. He plays the anvil in 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' and is nearly bursting at the seams. Just this moment makes the movie worth its while.

He did everything for the Fab Four. Bringing snacks and drinks, buying ciggies (there's endless smoking in the movie), haul in an anvil, write down the lyrics, even making a suggestion at times and is simply present from beginning to end, just in case they need anything.

Chaos

For days on end there's just chaos. Not for one moment there is focus on that end goal: a live show. To the desperation of the director. What is it they want? He never gets that clear, not for a second. Even the rooftop show remained uncertain, even when everything was already up on roof. Get Back, if anything, shows the chaos of creation. The endless stops and starts, bursting into any song that comes to mind, spontaneous dancing, jams (including Yoko's screaming (and little Heather's copying of Yoko!)), all to stray away from a new song that is not there yet, that does not want to reveal it's true nature and form just yet.

Work ethic

The load of songs Paul comes up with or has ready for production. I was totally astonished when on one of the earlier days he starts to crank out one after the other on a piano, waiting for the others to arrive. All his songs were ready to go. George who goes home after a long day in the studio and returns with another brilliant song, all finished or close to it. It's John who seems to be mostly on hold. He just sits there, uninterested even, his mind not in it. It's Paul who mostly his dragging the others onwards, as is shown often in the movie, but that is common knowledge. This is in stark contrast with the fun they also have together and shows the moment when a hobby has become work and because of it is all but work.

Brilliance

To be present when lightning strikes in the studio. When all of a sudden that moment is found that makes a song work, that one riff or break. For 'Get Back' it was Paul with George and not John for once. This is worth watching all the endless chatter I also had to go through. It never bored me for a second though. This is as close one can get to a band. Just like David Mitchell got in his latest novel 'Utopia Avenue'. I just wished that they had filmed the recording of all the albums. When did 'Eleanor Rigby' move from a band song to an orchestra accompaniment? That sort of thing.

George leaving

I totally did not understand that one. There is a scene a few days before when you can see him siting totally turned into himself. Discontented, even angry. The days after they have fun and laugh and at lunchtime he decides to quit. Out of the blue for me, on the basis of the movie. I did not see that one coming, on that day. A few days later the band left Twickenham and moved to a room in their own Apple office. It was okay from then on or mostly. On the final day after the rooftop, George does say, "I'm going to take a break to make my own record. I have enough songs for my quorum for the next 10 Beatles albums". Several of the songs on 'All Things Must Pass' are The Beatles demo's from 1969. On 31 January he was not planning to leave The Beatles, just to record a solo album. The fact that they were discussing the future, met with Allen Klein at the end of the movie, shows no one was thinking about ending The Beatles in January 1969.

George Martin

I always thought Martin was not present here, as they did not want him or he did not want to produce the album. He was there on all days, watching over his four lads. Managing the recordings, making notes, bringing them back to the band when they've lost the bigger picture. And to make a suggestion at the right moment, pushing a song into a certain direction.

Brilliance 2

For all the uncertainty coming with the idea of having to play live and the endless distractions before finishing a song, the rooftop show went fantastic. There stood an incredibly tight five piece who knew exactly what it was doing. If there were doubts up to the final moments, they were all gone on that roof on 30 January 1969. The film clips are epic of course. Not just the performance but everything around it. The filling roofs, the streets, the poor PCs having to maintain order and order The Beatles to stop playing, the entourage on the roof, the filmcrew everywhere. And Billy Preston, who for a few weeks had become a full member of The Beatles and plays these brilliant Fender Rhodes parts. Including a large solo in 'Get Back'. Speaking of highlights in a career. The band was fantastic on that roof in Savile Row and basically ready to go back on the road. It may have saved the band, had they decided to go on tour in 1970 or 1971 after a year long break for solo records.

The movie

Peter Jackson did a marvellous job in recreating something that was originally dismal. I was, I think at the time, 16, when I saw 'Let It Be'. Far too young to appreciate the significance of what I was seeing at the time, but was what remained with me was all the negativity the movie showed and the emptiness of Twickenham. I never bothered to look at 'Let It Be' again since. In 2021/22 I did and was blown away. By the power of the setting, music and the restored images. Perhaps the Get Back storyline was manipulated somewhat to make it look better.

If so, this is how the world would like to remember The Beatles, as the best band in pop ever, deserving the mythical status it now has, while at the same time totally human. Not long from now there are no Beatles left in this world. The original fans are all in their sixties and seventies. So a few decades from now The Beatles have become like all great composers of the past: dead. The one big difference is that anyone coming after us can put on the records, watch clips, look at Get Back and see and hear the real thing. And that is the true power of Get Back.

Wout de Natris

We Are There. Modern Studies

I have lost count. Is this Modern Studies' third or fourth album, to be reviewed on this blog as well? And all in about four or five years is my guess. Allow me to check that later. We Are There is here and what an apt title it is. The four piece has released it finest and best balanced album to date.

Was the first album an excuse to write a few songs around an old pump organ singer Emily Scott's found and used on the whole album, it did turn Modern Studies into a band that progressed and now releases We Are There. Do not expect an album on which exiting things happen. Do expect a band that gels on several levels. This includes the band's sound for certain. The level of interaction between the bass, drums and guitars are intricate and rich. All else happening are functional additions in the form of atmospheric sounds or elementary piano chords.

Where the band has definitely made a choice is the duo vocals. Emily Scott and Rob St. John, with their respective high female voice and dark male voice, sing everything together. An integral and central spot in Modern Studies' sound they have become. Always serious, there's no change there. This is how they sound. It is in the songs themselves that songs can expand. Take 'Wild Ocean' where an instrumental part is allowed to meander and make the song explore unexpected sides and influence the mood of We Are There even further.

Promo photo

It is in moments like this I realise the steps Modern Studies has made as a band. Musically there is a strong folk streak in the band's music, of course it was there already. Listening to the singles a band like Chalk Horse Music releases, there is certainly a kinship there. Over the album the ghost of Leonard Cohen is present. I can hear him mumble all the songs here and enrich his own oeuvre. Yes, enrich, you read right.

All this results in a beautiful ballad like 'Open Face' with lush violins weaving in and out of the song and each other and slow piano notes. 'Won't Be Long is even more impressive and when the band is able to produce 'Mothlight' in which it plays a Modern Studies kind of rock, the album becomes much more varied than I had ever expected during the first five songs. 'Do You Wanna' even lets the light in. This has to do with the fact that Emily Scott sings solo here. It really changes the mood immediately.

Through the years Modern Studies has surprised me with each album. We Are There is its fourth since 2017. I am going to enjoy this album for quite some time.

Wout de Natris

Darling Please. Chris Church

At some point in life comes a moment of realisation that time has flown. One example is listening to 'Mixed Emotions' by The Rolling Stones on the radio today and realising how old the single is, that it was the band's comeback single and knowing exactly where I heard it for the first time (in Washington D.C. in a pub in 1989). Another example is listening to Darling Please, Chris Church's new album and realising that it reminds me of albums that I appreciated during my third wind in music appreciation, including bands like Buffalo Tom. The fact that I bought my first Buffalo Tom album in 1992 is confrontational. With these confrontational observations off my chest, let's return to Darling Please.

Who is Chris Church? To me he is a totally new name, releasing this record on the Big Stir label. 

Musically Church fully presents music from the past. His rock is mildly alternative, loud but unobtrusive, to experienced ears that is, slightly melancholic, a little dark. His music is not to sing along to loudly. His music is not for dancing, slowly swaying will do the trick for you. Listening is enough and Darling Please offers the kind of songs that will allow you to do just that.

Press photo

Electric guitars lay the foundation for all his songs. Underneath this thick layer of guitars you will find the bass and drums. Struggling to be heard is a slide guitar and some melody lines are part of the massive sound. My mind tells me there is a piano as well but my ears seem not to be able to confirm it. I can't explain it in another way. With a darkish voice Chris Church sings over this thick-layered music, without elevating his voice above the songs. It creates a dark vibe that does not easily let light in. "The air was getting thicker", he sings at right this moment in 'Bad Summer', where his voice does rise, somewhat, above the music, and sings a great chorus in a duet with Lindsay Murray. 'Bad Summer' is the poppiest song so far on Darling Please.

It's the variation that makes this album work. Chris Church managed to create a very consistent album where the songs get all the attention. He does not let his listeners down here for a second. He shows his love for the 90s alternative rock era, with hints at 1980s REM and Dinosaur Jr. in there and manages to add to this huge and impressive body of work his own album that deserves to be heard. Not the worst compliment to receive. Darling Please may rock only mildly, it does rock and some more as well.

Having written what I wanted to write without being influenced by any upfront information, I read the bio and learned a special story coming with Darling Please. Chris Church recorded the album all by himself after his brother passed away, in 2011. Not satisfied with the result he shelved it, after an initial release of just 50 copies. Do we hear the same record? No, the happy few who have a copy, have something unique. For this release Lindsay Murray's, Gretchen's Wheel), vocals were added (she's also responsible for the artwork) after which Nick Burtling remixed the original recording and created an album that, as I wrote, still sounds muddied but most alive. It all results in a gift the world has received in 2022 that was almost lost to it.

Wout de Natris

The Overload. Yard Act

The Overload is the album to have in alternative, British postpunk in 2022. That message was rammed home by all sorts of media at the start of 2022. I started listening, of course. In the last few years I may have found British postpunk to be of mixed quality, it certainly has its highs, as this blog attests to. So, how does The Overload land?

Well, there are a few options to answer this simple question. The fact that I'm writing so long after the release has a few reasons. The first is, I only got to know the record after the release. Second, this puts it in a disadvantage, as each weeks after brings other new records. Three, if it was really, really urgent, all else would have passed. The fact that it didn't tells you something. The fact that it's here anyway, also.

Fact is, that with the first listening sessions, I found my mood really determined my liking the record. With the best records this certainly is of no influence. Another fact, after one listening in, I bought a digital copy of the album on Bandcamp. It impressed me for certain.

Fact three is, I kept coming back to The Overload. Something is happening on the album. There is a lot of energy caught in the bits and bites burned unto a cd. It bursts out of my speakers. Yard Act is doing a lot of things right on its first album

The members are no longer youngsters bursting unto the scene full of swagger with their first songs. The band members have a whole history behind them before starting to work together as Yard Act. It all started in 2019 when Ryan Needham temporarily lived in at James Smith's place and they started to create songs together. In 2020 Sam Shjipstone and Jay Russell joined the duo and the first shows were played, the first singles released. (The first ones are a "name your price" on Bandcamp, if you like to get acquainted.) A year ago EP 'Dark days' saw the light of day and now there's The Overload.

If anything, this album is not an overload of the senses. For that this music is far to subtle. Seldom there are huge band sounds, the rhythm section is often leading, perhaps it is better to state the rhythm as a whole. Anything to do with true melody are at best small additions to that all present rhythm. The singing is more a mix of professing and singing. It's not talking and not real singing. Rap?, no not even t close. So, do not expect to be singing along to Yard Act. Prepare for declamation.

So, now you know why I cannot listen to The Overload under all circumstances. The energy has to grip me and needs me to be able to receive and share that energy. The moment I can't, the songs on The Overload become highly irritating. On the right moment the album lifts me up immediately, carrying me on its strength. There are not many albums having this sort of extreme effects on me. For most I know when not to play them. This is no so for The Overload and this sets the album apart from other postpunk albums I like. The Overload and I will certainly be going a longer way than e.g. The Murder Capital has.

Is this the postpunk album you should be listening to this year, if you are only to go listening to one? If you ask me, it's a ludicrous question. Tomorrow a better one could be released from a band nobody has heard of yet. If you want to listen a postpunk album that is special and different, including a pure fun pop track like 'Pour Another', with a lot of social comments like a latter day Ray Davies who has lost all his romantic streaks, The Overload is it.

Wout de Natris

Singles, week 7

In week 7 I have ten singles and one album as a way to point you at it by way of one song. It all starts however with the new single of one of the biggest bands on the planet. After that, it's all over for the big names. You are about to go exploring into the more alternative niches of the music world. Niches, as in plural, as you will encounter very different sorts of music. Enjoy!

Black Summer. Red Hot Chili Peppers

A new Red Hot Chili Peppers single? How long ago was that? And how long ago when the world paid attention? That must have been 'Dani California' and the singles following it. I'm pointing to the 00s now. News in the past years was that John Frusciante returned to the ranks; for the third time a RHCP member. It is promising, as the band made its best albums and songs with him on board.

All that said, Black Summer starts rather bland. There's no urgency, no nothing, just a ballady song with nothing pointing to anything but the need to release something after x, standing for too many years. The red pepper does come in a mild form, finally. There's some great guitar and bass playing going on later on in the song. It all remains on the safe side though. This is no 'Dani California', as that song has become something of standard where I'm concerned. The Peppers are getting on in years. 60 is getting nigh for them. A little less pace is only understandable. After a few listenings the song definitely gets better. Frusciante's guitar playing is outstanding, as is Flea's bass part. Clean, little overdubs, just Frusciante-Flea-Smith working together. That makes Black Summer a bare song, yet it works. It makes me a little hopeful for what is to come.

Reading Glasses. Euroboy + Alicia Breton Ferrer

Doortje Hiddema (EuroBoy and Rats on Rafts) and Alicia Breton Ferrer (too much to mention) started a musical chain letter and the first result is the single Reading Glasses. The music is as alternatively rocking as you can expect reading the names. Wiry riffs and melody lines. Nothing seems to be like a regular pop song, yet it somehow all fits in a perfect way. All together it does become an alternative pop song of some sort. The guitar plays a prickly riff from the beginning and keeps it up for most of the song. A strong bass and tight, elementary drums are one third of the song each, when it starts. Slowly but surely more and more is added, a second vocal melody, overdubs of guitars, a keyboard. Reading Glasses gets very crowded and yet it is a song that goes forward in a straight line. Whatever is added, it never deviates from the plotted course. The only thing Reading Glasses cannot be accused of is variation. The song is one basic idea or chord and within that idea the duo tried out everything they could think of and fit it in the less than three minutes the song takes. Well done. There's an album coming in September.

Something. Hater

Hater returns to these pages with a new single, working towards the release of its upcoming album, 'Sincere' (6 May). In Something the higher voice of Caroline Landahl mixes with a darker sound of the band, where elements of alternative rock, shoegaze and dreampop come together. Hater produces a huge sound where the drums and a prominent bass lay a foundation over which layers of guitars are draped. Solid rhythm playing is adorned with many other parts, from playing a single stroke on each bar, to small motives and languorous melodies. They together make up Something. The song offers many different musical lines to follow. The dreamy vocals deliver the pop element adding to the pleasure the song offers. An interesting development is on display through Something. The, now, four piece band delivers a taster that makes curious to learn more. Three months of patience is required, folks.

Better Medicine. Ann Beretta

Old punkers never die, although "I know I have seen better days", as the singer sings on the band's first new single since 2003. Ann Beretta, from Richmond, Virginia, started in 1996 and recorded its last record in 2003. In 2022 the band is back and that starts with this great punkrock single called Better Medicine. The single starts with a two second, huge drum roll before the band catches on. My ears are on fire before there is a song in sight. Ann Beretta does not disappoint from that moment onwards. The chorus is great, the verses powerful. The band is all fired up and shows it in all the ways it is able to do. Compare this to Green Day's latest album and you will know everything it lacks. And I even liked the album somewhat, go figure. Like with all good punkrock songs the bass is prominent and melodically strong. The drums are hit, tight, dry but above all hard. Each snare hit is like a gun fired. It gives Better Medicine all the energy I like when listening to a punkrock song. Ann Beretta delivers the better medicine for 110%.

Monumental. The Slow Clock

With Monumental The Slow Clock returns to WoNoBlog. With a mention in a recent column in 'Oor' Harmen Kuiper, he is The Slow Clock, already got a very positive mention as a saviour of the columnist's sanity in strict lockdowns. This is of course a very subjective observation. Drawing your attention to Monumental is just as subjective, as I am the only one deciding to draw you to it. The reason why I do so, is that the song, has this interesting, alternative riff opening it, after which it moves into alternative poprock spheres, where believe it or not a strong link with The Beatles' harmonies is established. Just this ending of each block of music, that little extension of the song, just like the Fab Four were great at. It is little moments like these that make me pay just this little more attention, where the attention is there from the very beginning already. Add to that the dreamy harmony vocals, as part of the song and the almost solo near the end and there it is, a nice single and song. On 3 March 'The Origin of Air Quotes' is to be released.

Country Blues Dilettante. Steve French

Steve French is moving up in the world. It moved from Subroutine to Excelsior and with that ironed over its music a little. Country Blues Dilettante is an alternative pop single with a 1960s length. 2.20 minutes exactly. It's enough to play it all. Looking at it from another angle, Steve French is Canshaker Pi with another from man, Cees Paris. He sings and Willem Smit is his sideman here. Ruben van Weegbree plays bass. The Amsterdam scene is slowly getting like Antwerp in the mid 90s where everybody played with everyone in different bands and solo outings. The result is a nice pop single like Country Blues Dilettante, with memories of decades of music within it and still enough of 2022 to be relevant. Paris may not be the most steady singer, it does give the song a light psychedelic touch, while musically not wavering for a second. Yes, delicate, nice and tasting like more.

Happy Birthday Forever. Tess Parks

Happy Birthday Forever is a song that has two distinct sides to it. There is the husky and almost emotionless singing of Tess Parks. "Get me out of here" but its almost as if she is emotionally incapacitated to truly get the urgency of the message across. It is the music that comes to her rescue. The sound is pumped-up by a Madchester kind of rhythm and the gospel harmony vocals that come in. Here emotions do start to fly, just before the piano and rhythm section play the song home. The end is as mysterious as the beginning of Happy Birthday Forever. The outro is long, not spectacular. Apparently there is nothing left to say. The message was conveyed by Tess Parks in clear words. With the single Tess Parks announces her first solo album since her debut in 2013. Nine years is a long time.

As a personal note. The promo photo accompanying the release was rather confusing, as it could have been the girlfriend of one of our sons in the picture. Dress, shoes, hair, everything fits.

No Home Planet. Scrunchies

Yes, a true first single on this week. You better brace your ears as this is punk as punk comes. The trio called Scrunchies goes at it without a care for meters flying in the red, perfect recording techniques, perfect playing. This is all about getting the energy across. Probably some anger as well. And it does. There's no escaping the energy balled into this song. In less than two minutes No Home Planet is all over. Laura Larson (guitar, vocals) and Danielle Cusack (drums, vocals) started the band in Minneapolis in 2018. Later joined by Matt Castore on bass, the band started working towards its first album, which is to be released early in spring. Think The Thermals, and some punk rock bands from the 90s fronted by young women who I've forgotten the name of decades ago, but enjoyed at the time. If No Home Planet is anything to go by, 'Feral Coast' is going to be an intense affair as the title promises.

Sunshine Tough. The Laissez Fairs

Men of a certain age playbacking music by the pool. 60s psychedelics are laid over the video. It's a match, as the music is a mix of The Byrds and garage rock. A Rickenbacker is allowed to do its 12 string magic, around it all sorts of psychedelia come by. Even the recording sounds like it comes out of a basement through the closed, cottonwooled doors, so mum and dad won't mind the noise too much. Sunshine Tough does a few things right. The melody works of course. Otherwise this music is senseless. The Laissez Fairs play a wild sort of pop music from long ago. Roger McGuinn is present all over Sunshine Tough. From there however things explode. "The spike in the punch", as the singer sings, hit home while recording the single. The pop melody is taken on a trip through the dark sides of pop. Traffic played inside out and driven though every existing warping device. It results in a song that on the face of it is pure ugly, if it had not been so much fun. As that it is, pure pop fun, no matter how ugly some of it sounds.

Desolation. Volcanova

Today music from Iceland and not from modern composers who come by on Kairos. No, this is heavy fuzz rock from a band taking its name from the volcanic activity Iceland is known for. Volcanova is a trio in the classic power trio line up. It has released one album, 'Radical Waves' in 2020. later this month the EP 'Cosmic Bullshit' will be released. On Desolation the band does not go halfway. A long intro makes sure there is no doubt where this song is going. ROOOCK!! it spells. The only question remaining is what kind of singing joins in. Things can still go very wrong in my ears. It does not. This is true, tough rock singing and fits the song like a glove. A deep sound, with nice, hard-rockin' riffs come by. Played by bass, guitar and drums together. There some great playing going on, without over doing it, killing the song as it were. No, the song is send packing the way it should, with a huge sound.

Uranian Maiden. Kate MacLeod

If you are a true lover of country music you are at the right address. I am caught in the middle here and could never write a truly favourable review, because over half of the music on Uranium Maiden is not music made for me. So, I refrain from writing on the album as a whole in this case.

However, Uranium Maiden has several great songs on it. And to those I like to point you. 'Time Zone' is such a song. MacLeod, who has a fine singing voice, all's well here alright, manages to mix her music with enough of a (U.K.) folk flavour to change her music in a successful way. The violin gives the song a melancholy mood that truly changes the feel and core of her music. Had 'Time Zone' been just a single, it would have received a rave review on this blog, where the album would never have been mentioned. There are a few more songs on Uranian Maiden that I like just as much, e.g. 'U-235' a Crosby Stills Nash kind of song. It almost gives me the impression there are two Uranium Maidens, one for me and one for others. Best go check to which half you belong. The lucky ones even win all.

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