Sleepwalker. Louise Post

How many records have been compared to Veruca Salt's 'Eight Arms To Hold You' over the years on this blog? It seems like more and more in the past years and growing. It's safe to state that the album from 1997 has become my standard where women in rock records are measured against.

Recently, I ran into a new album by Louise Post, 50% of Veruca Salt, with Nina Gordon the other half. To my surprise, Wikipedia says 'Veruca Salt is a band" at the start of its lemma. Whatever, I had lost track and interest in the band and its members soon after 1997, as the quality did not match my expectations. As I mention the band so often, I thought it a good thing to delve into Sleepwalker, Louise Post's new solo album.

Having listened to the album several times since it's recent release, I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised. At 55 Louise Post has the fire still in her to rock and the experience for some contemplation in a softer and more laidback way. It's a smart tactic is to end the album with a tough rocker, putting me in the mood to return to that rocker at the start called 'Queen Of The Pirates'. In the middle there's 'Killer', another great rocker.

It's unfair to compare this record to one released 26 years ago, times have changed for all concerned. Even my ears are screwed on differently in many ways. What surprises me in a very pleasant way, is to hear a song like 'Guilty' that has that energy and is in competition with these far younger girls in alternative rock; as far as music is a competition of course. Wasn't it Kaiser Chiefs that sang "love is not a competition but I'm winning"? Replace love with music and I wonder who's winning here. To mention one album that deserves a little extra attention, it's New Zealand's Wiri Donna's album 'Being There'.

Sleepwalker has moments that the rock guitars are more or less held in check and out comes a great rocking ballad like 'What About'. Here that rasp on Post's voice and I know who is in a winning position. This is a song that is nothing special when listening to it for the first time but with time and spins more and more great details come forward, showing that contemplation that can lead to some anger as well. Louise Post is truly shining here.

Sleepwalker is filled with these details. Louise Post is not the Louise Post of 1997 like I am far from the Wout of 1997. 26 years is a long time in a life and they're gone before you know it. She is still a great rock singer not afraid to show other sides of her musical self. Sleepwalker may be the most pleasant comeback, for me, of this year so far. In short, Louise Post comes a long way when measured against the 'Eight Arms To Hold Me' standard.

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