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Guilty Ones. Hoaxed
Hoaxed first single, 'The Call' was one of these little mind-blowing, musical experiences that happen every once in a while and no, Guilty Ones does not top that experience. It is a gothic song, with a gothic video accompanying it, that once again has huge, huger, hugest drums and a fairly modest guitar part for a drums - guitar duo. It is a synth that takes the lead, with a big, thick carpet of artificial human voices that take care of a soft landing for Hoaxed and listeners. Singer (and guitarist) Kat Keo has a light voice taking the music the band plays into account. It reminds me a little of Blood Red Shoes' Laura-May Carter, somewhat girlish in huge rocking environment. A combination that can work really well and does so on Guilty Ones. Kim Coffel's drumming once again stands out. She is the real thing alright where sticks, cymbals and skins are concerned.
Op weg naar een nieuw album, wat de opvolger moet worden van 'Liefde Is De Eerste Wet' brengt Broeder Dieleman een nieuwe single uit. Duidelijk is dat hij zich steeds verder begeeft van de magisch-realistische muziek van albums als 'Gloria', maar vooral 'Uut De Bron' en 'Komma'. De Koeter is een, jaren 60, korte single met een voor Broeder Dieleman "eenvoudig" liedje. Ik heb het niet uitgeteld, maar het zou zo maar het snelst gespeelde nummer uit zijn oeuvre kunnen zijn, bijna een pop song. Natuurlijk klinken alle vertrouwde instrumenten als banjo, viool, staande bas in het liedje en zingt Tonnie Dieleman in zijn vertrouwde Zeeuws-Vlaamse dialect. Een koeter is een jonge koeherder, die de koeien in de gaten hield terwijl ze graasden op de dijken. Iedere herder had zijn eigen jodel en zo'n jodel horen we in het nummer. Het is zelfs bijna vrolijk, De Koeter. Wat een verrassing.
Recently Wet Leg released 'The Spotify Singles'. 'Convincing' is on the band's debut album, 'Daisy' is not. Perhaps it is the darkest song I've heard from Wet Leg so far. This is far removed from the upbeat alternative pop and rock the band usually plays. The voices are dark, the organ sound a little gothic, underscored by the faint, ghostlike laughing in the little interlude. The pop element is struggling to get through in the chorus. Daisy is not an exciting song, for the most part, but does show what makes me like Wet Leg so much. Adding it all up it is a typical Wet Leg song. It is able to tell it all within 2.30 minutes and giving the impression of being far longer. The elemental notes are all spot on giving the song a memorable melody instantly. The band is touring relentlessly and hopefully not running into a burn out soon. There ought to be so much more great and fun music coming out of this band.
After a few listening sessions there is only one word left to write: wow! Body Paint has everything that all songs on 'Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino" did not: a superb melody and guitars. Arctic Monkeys somehow combine 'Eleonore Rigby' with David Bowie and itself. It is safe to conclude that the days of the first two extremely energetic albums are over for ever. It also looks like Arctic Monkeys is slowly becoming a band in name only. The studio is becoming more and more important and the band creates songs that are hard to recreate on the stage. Is it more and more a vehicle for Alex Turner? Time will tell. As long as all members are comfortable with this, it's fine I guess. Listening to how Body Paint plays out, I can only conclude that Arctic Monkeys and its front man Alex Turner is in great form. The song is superbly arranged and slowly but surely fleshed out into a modest epic rocker. Without taking 10 minutes. We are all getting older and evolve. Arctic Monkeys is evolving as well. Like I wrote in 2013 at the release of 'AM': "what came after 'Rubber Soul'? Yes, the best The Beatles albums. In the time span since the release of 'AM', The Beatles had released all its albums, Body Paint may prove my prediction is going to come true after all. Don't forget to look at the great video accompanying it.
Chicago band Smut returns to these pages with its first single of debut album 'How The Light Fell' ( out in November). After Silver Leaves is a beautiful, bittersweet alternative pop song that captured my fancy with the very first notes. Tickling, jangly and clear notes are played, in a slow Johnny Marr style, with the singer, Tay Roebouck, setting the mood of looking back on happier times, "when I was your girl". No longer and the song simply breathes the longing for things past. Not so much pain shows but the song certainly slowly but surely moves to anger and rightly so "You call me by her name and I was here first", she sings. The band moves with the mood changes in a perfect way, showing they are totally into the lyrics. Moving as one Smut is.
How old are these guys?, I can't help but wonder. Look who's writing here, you can rightly reply when I'm on stage every once in a while. This Is Mine is the kind of rocker Iggy Pop excelled in e.g. on his 1977 album 'Lust For Life'. This Is Mine especially reminds me of 'The Passenger'. The Penetrators song is more melodically inclined though, less rigid as well, and because of it is more of a punk pop song. The fact there's a bridge assists here also. This Is Mine may sound a bit dark but in fact is a joyous song, celebrating music, playing music and life itself. It stands for making music together and enjoying it to the max. It shows in all the details of this single and as an extra there's the great, fiery soloing. There's not much I need to enjoy a song and I certainly enjoy This Is Mine.
Except for Frank Zappa himself, I do not think I have ever heard someone combine Zappa and disco, and even Bee Gees, together and get away with it. In my opinion that is what Aura Blaze, Rhode Rachel's solo vehicle, does here. In the music there are typical Zappaesque chord changes and accents, while the solo is nearly the start of Zappa's 'Inca Roads'' solo. The other side is 1970s, early 80s soul/disco of the dreamy kind. What had you? Shalamar, 'Night Fever', and many other songs and acts. Add it all together and it becomes a psychedelic experience and that is in line with previous music released by Aura Blaze over the past years. As a whole this song is a total surprise that I did not see coming. Is Dreamdrive good? That is a question I have not been able to answer yet. Is it amazing? Hell, yes.
A trio with more bands behind their names than a sixteen year old has years behind him or herself. These Boston area music veterans have combined their efforts and come up with a highly thrilling song. High is so filled with energy that all energy deficiencies caused by Russia ought to be solved. Stars Like Ours is Michelle Paulhus, Kristen Holiday, recently on this blog with The Downhauls, and Eric Edmonston. They show that a powertrio line up is more than enough to light up the stage. Paulhus voice sounds great and seems to float over the energised punkrock Stars Like Ours plays. This song simply has it all. There's an album coming up in two weeks' time, so you better be on the look out for the Rum Bar Records release page on Bandcamp.
And now for something completely different, to quote John Cleese in 'Monty Python'. D. Cullen is a singer-songwriter from Dublin. Like the rest of the world he was caught up in the pandemic and totally redid his debut album that was ready to be released early in 2020. Instead 'Sing my Story, Tell My Song' was released on 23 September and I'm Not leaving is a single of the album. As he's from Dublin, no doubt it was a tweet of local singer-songwriter Jane Willow that alerted me to this release. I'm Not Leaving is that kind of nice pop song that is so easy to listen to. A song that is out to please the listener. Not that this is all honey and sugarglacing. Far from, I'd say. D. Cullen dares to emphasise all the right parts of his song, creating nice dynamics and adding a little danger to his song. I'm Not Leaving is right where it belongs: in my ears and urging my brain to sing along.
Joe is the fourth single from Joesef's upcoming album 'Permanent Damage' slated for January 2023. If anything I'm reminded of Christine McVie singing "I want to be with you everywhere", in the biggest hit coming off 'Tango In The Night', in The Netherlands. It has that same light pop vibe. So, nothing new in the player? No, not in that sense. Joe just floats along in that shady area between having fun with the music and the more downbeat message the singer seems to want to get across. It is that tension that makes Joe listenable. Joesef, from Glasgow, now in Brixton, does something very right here in combining the two extremes in a very interesting way. The video is more estranging though. It does not just present the song but does a lot more than that.
Wout de Natris
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