Singles, week 11

In week 11 there is, once again, a very diverse set of recent singles we can present to you. There are even two songs that could be called protest songs for the 21 century. You will find songs from Ireland, all the way to a near devastating single from New Zealand and a lot in between. Enjoy!

Vrijheid, Gelijkheid & Zusterschap. Sophie Straat

Wat een grote beelden, woorden en uiteindelijk ook muziek. Sophie Straat schopt de moderne wereld eens hard voor de kont en zegt waar het staat in de 21e eeuw, ook al lijkt het soms de 18e als ze om zich heen kijkt. "Vrijheid, Gelijkheid en Zusterschap", parafraseert Sophie Straat de slogan van de Franse Revolutie voor 2022. Muzikaal gaat het alle kanten op, maar een ding is zeker, het nummer settlet zich vrij makkelijk in mijn brein. Het rockt allemaal heel beschaaft. De muziek is duidelijk aanwezig, maar zeker ondergeschikt aan de boodschap. De tekst somt ongeveer alle achter- en misstanden in de wereld op, met als uitkomst uiteindelijk vrijheid, gelijkheid en zusterschap. Allemaal onderstreept met een aan Brian May referende gitaarsolo. Als de wereld, zowel hier als elders, haar stevig meegedeelde boodschap overneemt, is het snel geregeld. Voorlopig wishful thinking, maar het is maar weer eens gezegd. Luid en duidelijk, nog een keer dan: "vrijheid, gelijkheid en zusterschap".

This Free Life. Jane Willow

The new single and video is one big complaint on the housing market in Dublin, where it becomes impossible for most people to buy or even rent a decent home in the city. Welcome in our new world. Now housing crisis is a topic I have heard for over decades, but never as acute as in recent years. Anyone who follows Jane Willow knows how serious the topic is for her and many, many others in Ireland. The song, from her debut album, Burn So Bright, is one of the stronger ones on it. It has power that reflects the anger she feels. The strings create a swirl that meets the anger and the power exactly in the middle, giving the song an injection that lifts it tremendously. The guitar chords and organ provide a pop feel that gives the song a sing along quality as well. Many different parts make up a strong song, getting the accusation against modern society over even better. A protest song in 2022. Who was it who said recently that they don't exist anymore?

Won't Let Go (Ode To Dan Vapid). J. Prozac

With the title song of his album J. Prozac unleashes another burst of energy into the world as if it is not coming out of a two year lockdown. Can it keep up with this much energy? It will have to as there's no return from listening to Won't Let Go. Punkrock at its most punkrocking kind of fun. Incredibly tight and loud drums propel the song forward. The pounding on the skins is everywhere and then some more when the song calls for it. The bass finds its way in between it all with some nice runs, giving it some great accents. Finally there's a wall of guitars providing the melody, the rhythm and the soloing. There's a lot going on in just a few minutes. J. Prozac knows how to build up a punkrock song of near epic proportions.

Solitaire. Donna Blue

Recently Donna Blue announced its debut album, to be released in May. Finally, I might add, as it has been a long wait, undoubtedly with thanks to the pandemic. On the other hand time flies and gives us the second single from the album. Solitaire is a return to the French language and Danique van Kesteren as lead singer. Of course, the 60s vibe is all over Solitaire. If the song had been made by France Gall in 1965, would it have won the European song contest too?, no one would have been surprised. Solitaire has that quality, in sound and feel. The surf lead guitar, played by Bart van Dalen, is what sets the song somewhat apart. It gives Solitaire a harder core than the French sigh girls had at the time. The orchestration and organ are totally authentic. A quality Solitaire also possesses is playfulness. In the, always, longing timbre Danique van Kesteren can put into her singing voice, something naughty is shining through, underlining the playfulness the song contains. With Solitaire Donna Blue has made me even more curious for what lies in store with 'Dark Roses'.

Bottle It In. Sulfate

Bottle It In is more an experience than a song, at first hearing. The music pounds it in. While later in the song it is hammered in, without pause. "Protect your child, from earthly desires" is the fist sentence shared with the listener, in a dark voice in between singing and speaking and later referring to the single's title. The result is a long song, over six minutes. The atmosphere is almost claustrophobic with loud sounds coming from everywhere around. I can imagine Bottle It In to be totally intimidating for a lot of people. Sulfate is the other band of Wax Chattles' Peter Ruddell, with David Harris on drums and Hariet Ellis on bass. The album, 'Godzone' was released in September of last year but totally passed me by. So to make a little amends, here's the spotlight on Bottle It In. An alternative, dark rock song that sets itself apart by giving no quarter and follows its own relentless route. Impressive is the word.

On Time. The Riven

Straight up rock comes from Sweden today. On Time is labelled as metal, but what I hear is Jefferson Starship of the first half of the 80s with only a little red peppers added to the mix. In other words, a great melody is joined by a couple of great guitar riffs and fiery solo. Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas are replaced by singer Tote Ekebergh, who can fill in for both. On Time is gloriously up tempo. The Riven knows how to write and present a good rock song. The bass and the guitars all have interesting parts to follow. A guitar duel here and there. The three men can all play, that much is clear. From the opening riff, returning all throughout the song, to its final notes, On Time rocks and holds enough of a pop element to please both sides of the coin.

Absolute Maximum. Scrunchies

Absolute Maximum is the second single of Scrunchies' upcoming album 'Feral Coast', out on 1 April, unless a joke of course. Listening to this single, my take is Scrunchies don't do jokes. At least not where its music is concerned. Also on Absolute Maximum the trio goes full out. Danielle Cusack fills everything and then some with her drumming, not unlike Meg White did in her days before retiring. The fuzzed bass of Matt Castore takes care of the deep end of the song, while guitarist/singer Laura Larson fills up the spaces up front. The sound as such can be called ugly and it may well be Scrunchies takes that as a compliment. This song isn't about beauty but about the absolute maximum effect of the music. The hard rocking riffs, the feedback, the fuzz, its all straight in the face of the listener. About as radical as New Zealand's Wax Chattles, but more straight forward punk, Scrunchies is. This is not music take take on without gloves and please, steer away from it on a loungy Sunday afternoon. Go for it on a weekend night though. Pogoing guaranteed, as this is punk for the 20s.

Livin' The Dream. Speedfossil

My favourite singing accountants return to the blog. What I'm hearing does not match my eyes looking at the accompanying video. Speedfossil makes a fantastic alternative pop song of great quality. This is what this review should be about and is. Livin' The Dream brings pop music from a couple of decades together with a more alternative pop/rock kind of music, resulting in a tight rhythm guitar in the middle of a playful song. Speedfossil is not satisfied with one single idea in a song. Livin' The Dream contains several and all worked out to make it perfect. So expect tempo changes, interludes and horn arrangements. It even holds a prog element in the solo interlude. Can I be surprised by music after listening to new songs for decades? Yes, easily and fairly regularly as well. It may well be that Speedfossil's new single is one of the extra category. Previous single 'Luckiest man In The World' was nice, Livin' The Dream is something else alright. The band ought to be starting to live it on the basis of this song quite soon.

Come With Me. Aaron Skiles

Some more alternative rock, from the U.S. this time. Aaron Skiles presents a mix of Ronnie Wood solo lines, Boston circa 1990 alternative rock with a Dinosaur Jr's., so J Mascis' voice, with a dark garage rock shade combined all in one. Come With Me is a hybrid song in several ways, but a rocker in all. Within its three minutes and a little it combines undercooled singing with energy, like a frozen waterfall. The main chord progression gives the song even a touch of aggression, underscoring the chorus line "I wanna lose myself tonight". Not much later the main solo's of the song burst lose as well. It may be 2022 but a grand rock song built around a powerchord riff is still made today. Skiles, usually in Bourbon Therapy, surrounded himself with two Drive by Truckers, including Matt Patton with whom he wrote the upcoming album, Wreckage From The Fire', due on 22 April. If Come With Me is anything to go by, it is going to be interesting.

You, Me And Everything Else. Friendmaker

This week we finish with a debut single and second single coming out of Ireland. Friendmaker is a new band from Carrickmacross, close to the Northern Ireland border. The music is as atmospheric as I remember the Irish countryside to be from my one time visit in 2004. Anything can happen, weatherwise, and these unexpected changes are reflected in You, Me And Everything Else. A storm coming in on a beautiful and sunny, almost windless day. Coming in from over the Atlantic, announcing itself for hours on end. Exactly in this way Friendmaker's first single slowly builds up, with this difference, Frienmaker's storm remains well in the bounds of being acceptable. The storm in Doolin blew one of our tents apart.

Yesterday, I heard 'Fuzzy', the song that introduced Grant Lee Buffalo to me about half a life ago. One of many songs that somehow disappear, but not from memory. I could instantly sing along with it and felt the same warmth as in 1990 plus a few years. You, Me And Everything Else has the same effect on me, I notice. The song holds an inner beauty. It's like a light burning from the inside, setting everything aglow. Slowly but surely more elements are added to the one man and his acoustic start. It fleshes the song out in a delicate but decisive way and a lot of good taste. What an introduction to a new band this single is.

Wout de Natris