Mountaineer live. De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam Saturday 28 May 2022

Photo: Wout de Natris

An album released in mid winter, during the, hopefully, last Covid lockdown, the postponed record presentation. Finally, the option to celebrate the release of Mountaineer's second album, 'Lewis & Clark', materialised in De Nieuwe Anita.

'Lewis & Clark' has come with many positive reviews, and I am glad to add, including in national papers. The album contains singer-songwriter songs with a pop feel and a country twist. Marcel Hulst has used the opportunity to work out arrangements, both musically and vocally, meticulously. The songs are so warm and rich. With so much to discover but also of the kind that soothes the listeners. Like an arm across the shoulder in a moment of need.

To call 'Lewis & Clark' a concept album would be taking things too far. There is an overarching theme: Marcel Hulst's love for the U.S. of A. In the songs many towns and states come by, attesting to travelling, as does the title, pointing to the discovery of the U.S. over land by Lewis and Clark's expedition in the early 19th century.

Descending the stairs into the cellar of De Nieuwe Anita, I saw seven people on stage and even a few extra microphones. All band members minus 1 of Marcel Hulst's band Maggie Brown were on stage, as was Eveline Ypma (Elenne May, Tom Tukker) and a trumpet player, Wouter Hakhoff. Marcel Hulst sat up front, totally relaxed  and that was different from the previous Mountaineer launching party in 2015. Sitting on a stool, acoustic guitar in hand he led his band and us through the new Mountaineer album.

The sound was perfect. Imagine a singer, singing at almost a whisper, coming over the band with ease, a lot of "bathroom" on top of his voice, with every single instrument in a perfect mix behind and around him. Keyboard, horn/trumpet, background vocals, a little synthesizer, percussion, pedal steel/electric guitar, bass and drums, all in a perfect balance.

Photo: Wout de Natris

Most importantly, the audience nearly held its breath. It was so quiet that had a pin dropped, we would have heard it. Of course, everyone was here for the band, friends, family, true fans, yet the atmosphere was close to sacred. Truth be told, a less enraptured audience would kill the fun for everyone else, band and audience. This music is so delicate, that to hold it comes with the risk of breaking.

The highlights of the album were the highlights of the show, favourite songs are favourite songs, but that said, there was not one weak brother or sister among the songs played. They all held up so easily. Each song has at least one special moment and most several. "Oldie" 'Submarine' from Mountaineers first album '1974', fitted in perfectly. 'Baltimore', sung solo, stepped out of the limelight at the end of the album to claim its own piece of fame and rightly so. The song shone and showed that most likely all songs would get away with just a solo performance, if ever needed.

I had almost forgotten what it was like to enjoy music live in a smaller venue with perfect sound. Thanks to Mountaineer I am totally back into it. Thank you for a perfect evening.

Wout de Natris

 

You can listen to and order Lewis & Clark here:

https://mountaineer-music.bandcamp.com/album/lewis-clark