Interpretative Dancing. The Slow Clock

The Slow Clock returns to this blog with its fourth album. Once more Harmen Kuiper mixes his alternative rock mind with his pop-loving heart. 2023 pop lovers following the charts most likely will not understand this opening sentence but pop is oozing out of Interpretative Dancing like water from a well.

Let me start out by pointing to this summer Christmas song, 'Christmas In A Bottle'. The guitar style and sound is lifted from any of The Velvet Underground's rock ballad. A sound as alternative as it is cool. Enter a frivolous bass and then the angelic singing of Amarins (Maantje Romkema). Someone with a catholic background recognises the 'Gloria In Excelsis Deo', my favourite Christmas song ever, worked into the chorus of the song. (I have no experience in other religious denominations, so have no idea of the song's popularity there.) 'Christmas In A Bottle' (and 'Gloria...')  is total pop and deserves a wide audience. Right now and in December. Kuiper and Amarins sing together as if they had always meant to do so. Soft and tender and enough left to embrace the whole world.

The mix of The Velvet Underground with a more poppy melody happens a few more times on Interpretative Dancing, without moving into 'Candy Says' or 'Pale Blue Eyes' territory, which are more (alternative) ballads than pop. The Slow Clock has its own take on this kind of music.

This is only one side of the album. Another side is far more alternative and darker. The search was not for the most clean and nice notes in a song but what also fits well without immediately pleasing. The musical skills of Kuiper make sure that the song stills goes down well. In combination the two sides to Interpretative Dancing makes the album nicely varied. Prickly and pleasing, adventurous and recognisable. Two sides that constantly battle for attention and both winning.

The record was made in Harmen Kuiper's bedroom. In days of old that was called lo-fi. Not today. This is a full, warm sound, without tape hiss or background noises. He calls himself obsessed with making music. His output alludes to this, as there is a steady flow of records under different names. Always in search of the perfect chord progression and notes that go with it. Working on a song constantly. It pays off, as Interpretative Dancing shows. The variety, the challenges, the beauty, the beast, it all comes through in the songs on the album.

The biggest surprise may be the final song 'Auf Wiedersehen', again with Amarins, who can be heard in five songs all in all. The song brings to mind Groningen band traumahelikopter and like its last song on its latest album not sung in English. traumahelikopter in Dutch, The Slow Clock in German. Up tempo, a punkypop kind of punkrock song and bringing a smile unto my face immediately. Now let's hope that this is not a farewell song.

Another surprise is 'Maintain Momentum', where Amerins sings like she is a member of The Andrew Sisters, doing one of their songs in a modern style. It shows how varied this album is and that The Slow Clock is not afraid to go beyond its basis which remains alternative rock. Interpratative Dancing is a nice album alright.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order the album here:

https://chinup.bandcamp.com/album/interpretative-dancing