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Road To Hell. The Dust Coda
'Highway To Hell', Road To
Hell what is in a hardrock song's title? Well, where the two songs are
concerned the singing along factor is taken care of in a successful way.
The Dust Coda knows its classics and is able to add a good song to
those classics with a chance of becoming one itself. The London four
piece rocks alright. The song opens with an ear-catching riff followed
by the rough voice of Australian John Drake. He has that rough edge to
his voice that has to come with the genre, giving the tough song the
right kind of credibility. The dual guitars do the rest. Great rhythm
with the rhythm section and all sorts of great riffs and licks that
escape the tight rhythm playing. The chorus does the rest. A softer
interlude, Guns 'N' Roses style, gives the song a little breather before
that great chorus comes back in. Here we go again: "the road to hell is
wide open".
Alternative
pop is a strange denomination for a genre as pop is short for popular.
What is considered pop music by the youth of today is something that
lies way beyond my personal generation gap. Alternative pop does suit my
purposes to describe a song that has some very nice pop elements,
while it has nothing to do with mainstream 2023 pop music. King Of The
Blind is such a song. Fence's members manage to bring in some great pop
elements into their song. Starting with the soft intro, later some
glorious harmonies are brought in. At the same time the guitar work
shows that this band is 25 years in business and was influenced by early
1990s Boston area bands like Buffalo Tom and The Lemonheads. The
la-la-la sequence shows that The Beatles are no strangers to Fence as
well. The combination of pop and rock works here in a perfect, albeit
alternative way. Oh, you guessed that already.
Somebody
does not last for two minutes I found and could not imagine it was only
this short, listening for the first time. The song sort of contains it
all. The riff, the pogo moment, the energy and the soft singing of
Michelle Hindriks. CIEL is a band from Brighton consisting of people all
born in another country. Does that show? Not for me me, no. CIEL plays modern pop-rock songs that are springing up all over the world. From New
Zealand to Europe to the U.S., this kind of music is popular once again,
where a band like Nada Surf is playing it for close to 30 years now.
Alternative, yet full of pop elements, with the fun riff that almost
cannot be taken seriously, yet works so well in Somebody. Hindriks sings
over it all with a voice full of innocence and youth belying the tough
drumming behind her and the noise in general. The combination works
quite well.
When can an artist claim to
be a WoNoBlog veteran? I do not have an answer. Para Lia is working
towards the release of its third album and with new single Sunchild can
be found on these pages once again. Coincidentally, I mentioned the band
in a post yesterday, as some of the songs of The Bellwether Syndicate
reminded me instantly if René and Cindy Methner's music. Para Lia's
music certainly has one foot in rock's past, yet is modern in its sound, a sound
that is defined by clarity. In Sunchild Para Lia uses dynamics in its
song perhaps more than ever before. The drums, all programmed, are huge.
René shreds his guitars in the solo's. Can Para Lia's sound become
more present here? I doubt it. Cindy sings some lovely harmonies adding to
the melodiousness Sunchild already has in abundance. The details in the
single are all fun to follow and explore. It will be a while before the
albums is released later this year. The first introduction is a pleasant one.
Not
even two months down and here's another by Fake Indians. Live fast, die
young, is the theme of the song. The 27 club, is not there for everyone
to join, and luckily so, I add. Imagine what the world would have missed if 27
was the age for all. No, "my my hey hey" for example, a song title Fake
Indians quotes in 27 Okay, let alone 'Rocking In The Free World'. 27 Okay
rocks alright. The Belgian band is not holding back on its new single.
It starts with just noise before the main riff is let loose and the band
starts rocking out in a loud and tight way. Do not forget to listen to
the bass runs played by Slander Laets. Exactly the sort of thing that
makes a rock song more interesting. Fake Indians has TMGS' Stof Janssen
on voice and lead guitar, who is releasing his inner rocker in this
band. Successfully so. Hopefully, it's going to be a great summer and at
the end of it a great Fake Indians album.
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It's
rock what the clock strikes so far this week. Philadelphia's Ultra-Lite
released its 7" single Tears (For Two) recently. Don't expect a happy
song. The title gives that much away, I guess. This is a break-up song,
even if it's just in the head of the "I" in the song. The song has an
element of emo in the way of singing, the music is more solid than what I
associate with emo. The chorus is an inner monologue storm and has that
feeling. The song even gets an extra kick in the butt, as if it needed
it! It makes Tears (For Two) even better than it already is. Gone are
the subtleties you may find in the verses. Ultra-Lite just continues in a
straight line here. Thoughts racing and racing inside the singer's
head. Dreaming of leaving but locked up on the inside. Six rock singles in
a row. It may be a record. If so, I'm glad I broke it with Tears (for
Two).
With 'How To Love', Withered Hand's first album in nine years, out this week, we focus on single Crippled Love. It is one of those superb bitter sweet love songs that can get anyone in a sweet melancholic mood. Dan Willson sings his song like the puppy looking at you that is simply adorable. The difference being the dog has no idea and Dan Willson gives it truly his all. He knows what he's going for alright. That all is more than enough, as the effect is instant and maximum. Crippled Love strums away in a mid-tempo with two guitars playing beautiful melodies all through the song, all sounding so clear. Until the force comes in mildly for the chorus and the guitars are strummed, creating a layer of guitars. The music is still so well mixed that the tambourine shines through every time with all else going on around it. One of those little effects that make the whole of a song. Crippled Love is pop music as it once was meant to sound and lucky for us fans is still made today.
Six
rock songs in a row, then Withered Hand and now A Song About Me that
really breaks the rock chain. Oscar Lang releases a song that fits into a
long tradition of U.K. pop music. All the way to the 1970s and ELO and
the 60s with bands like The Move (also with Jeff Lynne but in the
backseat). A Song About Me is of the dreamy kind, with a small hint at
psychedelic music, just like it has some classical elements in the big
orchestral arrangement and finally to the band of bands itself, The
Beatles. The ending is a classic one. Of the kind that could go on for
minutes (but does not). The beginning is so leisurely. Lang plays his
piano, accompanied by an Air-style bass and drums. There's a hint at
Prince's 'Raspberry Beret', in the way a ballad can be psychedelic at
the same time. Slowly but surely the song grows and becomes more
impressive right up to that massive ending. I'd never heard of Oscar
Lang but what an introduction A Song About Me is.
There's
a link between Oscar Lang, above, and Wallice. They released a song
together called 'I've Never Been To L.A.'. Another link is the way 'A
Song About Me' and Best Friend start and then use dynamics to get to a
different feel. Things stop there though. Best Friend falls into a more
traditional pop-rock idiom, Wallice's bio calls indie-pop. It certainly
starts as a pop song with its slow keyboard part and acoustic guitar. It
is all a sort of a rouse. When she starts singing "you're my best
friend" a whole band kicks in for all they've got. Giving the song a
totally different feel. The keyboard riff returns for a short while,
after which things get a little more disturbed. Best Friend trots
well-trodden musical paths, yet convinces and that is what a song should
do when all is said and done.
A few weeks ago Dutch singer-songwriter Melle debuted on this blog with his single 'Can't Come Home'. Today his new single makes these pages. With A Fool Melle touches on that bittersweet vibe good ballads have. Not that A Fool is in the toothaching sweet ballad category. No, far from. Melle presents a tough ballad with a lot of dynamics. From a modest beginning to a huge sound in the middle to the softest of endings. Melle should do a duet with Dutch-Irish singer Jane Willow based on the title of their singles. Both have dared to go the high road for their respective music. A Fool is not as expansive as 'Can't Come Home' but it is not as if Melle saved on expenses with the vast arrangement. Yet, no matter what is going on around him, this is about his singing. And this voice is able to move mountains it seems. The music moves the light to darkness and back while his voice sort of does the opposite. This is the second single that stands out. What's more in wait for us unsuspecting listeners?
Wout de Natris
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