2024. Week 1, ten singles

And here we are in the new year, with a bunch of singles from 2023. Due to Covid I did not feel like listening and writing, so you found a lot of Erwin Zijleman reviews on the blog instead of a final single section and some albums that were lingering on the shelf for a while. I may get to a few in the coming days anyway. There's not a big name among the ten, so there's a lot to explore and hopefully enjoy. Most are new to the blog. I would only dare to call one artist a WoNoBlog veteran by now. It's 2024, I hope you will keep on discoving some nice artists and bands this way.

Here Comes Your Ghost. Vinyl Station

Here Comes Your Ghost starts with the drums and the bass guitar that is playing the central melody of the Phoenix band's latest single. All else in the song plays around the rhythm and the bass melody. It would be easy to write that I've heard it all before, which in a certain way is true. There are dozens of bands playing this music, starting with Coldplay and work down from there. Leaving it at that insight, would also mean that you miss out on a nice and sympathetic song. Vinyl Station does play the mood it creates right. Over that surprisingly present bass guitar, the embellishments adorn the song. In the form of a guitar melody or a church organ. Singer Matthew Thornton has that melancholy sound in his voice that makes Here Comes Your Ghost a convincing song. Vinyl Stations puts itself in a long line of existing bands but that is no reason to ignore it. In music it's not that hard to skip spots in that line, fast. EP 'Enter Slow', to be released this winter, will tell us more.

Tonight's The Night. Jittery Jack with Amy Griffin on Guitar

Step back well over 60 years in time and pretend you're listening to the support act of Buddy Holly or Gene Vincent. That is the kind of music Jittery Jack present, with one line straight out of 'I'm-a Gonna Love You To', to cap it off. Amy Griffin knows all the licks from the day and plays them with panache. This is big nostalgic fun. Don't expect anything more but certainly nothing less.

 

 

Forged By Fire. Leaves' Eyes

Metal is not music to be found every day on WoNoBlog. For Leaves' Eyes we make an exception. With a video filled of the forging of a sword and Viking battles the mood is set by the Viking, yet German metallers. The sound is amazingly huge, with a big shout out for the double bass drums of Joris Nijenhuis. At the end of this song his legs must be severed from his body. With two singers, Elina Siirala and grunter Alexander Krull (who also directed the video), the band has a different than usual line up, with also two guitarists and no bass player. At least as a member of the band. I'm not a metal fan but can certainly enjoy this mix of symphonic rock, metal and wintertime fairytales. The deep end is certainly taken care of but also the melodic side. The combination is certainly alluring.

Leave (Leave Leave). And They Spoke In Anthems

From metal, to a soft ballad is but one step in this blog's weekly singles overview. And They Spoke In Anthems will release its third album, 'Still', on 24 February. Music is not silent, it can't be, yet if Leave (Leave Leave) is anything to go by, 'Still' is the right title for the album. Leave (Leave Leave) is the musical equivalent of a 17th century still life picture. The fruit, fish, cheese, wild life, is all present, unmoving yet so determinately present. Singer and songwriter Arne Leurentop wrote the album in New Zealand but returned to Belgium to record and release it. Fans of singer-songwriters like Novastar will certainly find their way into this beautiful song.

Happy Xmas (War Is Over). Reb Fountain

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is, in my opinion, one of the most iconic Christmas songs ever. So not a song to tamper with at will. Reb Fountain is one of my favourite singers of this decade. This gives her the benefit of the doubt. She doesn't disappoint. In fact, the restrained way in which she approaches the song, gives it a fresh sound. Only violins and backing vocals is enough to bring the song across in a successful and extremely tasty way. Reb Fountain brought the song down to its bare essence and shows the world how good John and Yoko's composition is. Not that I doubted that, it does show the sheer quality of the melody. This version is simply very, very well done.

Een Reden. Guusje Walstra

Nederland komt om in jonge zangeressen, maar met Guusje Walstra is er een nieuw talent aan toegevoegd, die het verdient om meer aandacht te krijgen. Een Reden combineert synthpop met een prachtige dromerige sfeer en een randje duisternis die het nummer ook nog een spannende ondertoon geeft. Iedere keer dat ik het nummer luister, blijft er een gevoel over bij mij van naar het licht reiken. Guusje Walstra slaagt daar heel goed in om dat gevoel over te brengen. Haar stem zweeft over de synthklanken die breed uitwaaieren over de zachte elektronische beats. Zoeken en vinden. Waar het een publiek betreft, lijkt mij een eerste, succesvolle stap gezet.

Christmas Star. Abbie Barrett

With thanks to another bout of Covid, the last singles collection of 2023 is only written and published early this year. Hence the two Christmas songs in this edition. I do not know who Abbie Barrett is but she has released a beautiful Christmas song. I would almost say in the style of The Carpenters. Now I would never write this out aloud but of course this duo has released a few beautiful songs, that just come by all through life and will be sung along to. Abbie Barrett presents a song that is as sweet and sugarcoated as 'Close To You' is. A piano tinkles slow notes away until an electric guitar comes in. Not as tough as Morgan McCaskey once uprooted an 18th century carol but a hardrock worthy one still. Christmas Star is a beautiful song presenting the best of the festive season. I could listen to it all day long.

Where I End And You Begin. Bloomsday

Bloomsday debuted on this blog during the pandemic. Now we are in the endemic phase a first new single is released and it shows the growth Iris James Garrison has gone though as an artist. Where I End And You Begin as it were shows this change. It starts tranquil, a bit dark and hesitant. Slowly it grows and turns into a modest, alternative rock ballad. Garrison certainly has listened to Big Thief and took the best elements to deliver their own song in the best way possible. The dark guitar solo shows the change into the you, to return to the I in the final measures. In between Bloomsday is trying to find its way and succeeding. Where I End And You Begin is better than all the songs on the debut mini album.

I Ain't The Only One. Tylor & the Train Robbers

"Like a river to my liver", it said on a can of beer Tylor Ketchum was enjoying before a show in Jackson, Wyoming. This line started him going towards the song I'm listening to now. It's a nice country, rocking song. The kind with a nice twang on the lead guitar, a pedal steel for the country flavour and enough power to be rocking too. There's nothing dangerous in sight and pleasure to be had by all. I Ain't The Only One is that kind of song. In its defence, it is all a song like this need to work and be successful. Anyone who likes songs like these, and I certainly do, will have a good time listening to it. Nothing more is needed.

 

We Don't Care. Voom

The second review from Down Under this year is from a band that is in existence for a few decades and has promised to release a new album soon. Its first since 2006. Voom to me is a totally new name. The New Zealand band has released an alternatively rocking single containing some shoegazing sounds. All in moderation. Singer and songwriter Buzz Muller says she had the songs in her head for a few decades, patiently waiting for them to come out. For We Don't Care that moment is here. Don't expect an exiting song, expect one that is pleasant to follow, to step on the wave in time to glide with its flow. All these melodies that pop up enriching the song are so nice to follow. Voom is a name to be on the lookout for in 2024.

Wout de Natris