Everybody Knows. The Bony King of Nowhere

Welcome to the blog Bram Vanparys, better known under his nom de plume The Bony King of Nowhere. The Belgian singer-songwriter has released records for 15 years, Everybody Knows is his sixth album. Five passed me by. Thank to an interview in 'Oor', I decided to listen and the rest is history.

The first impression of the album is that I'm listening to Radiohead light. The way Vanparys uses his voice clearly is inspired by Thom Yorke, the music is more or less what Radiohead or The Smile would release if they decided not to deconstruct their songs first and build them up from the elements lying on the studio's floor. As a result The Bony King of Nowhere's music has a mysterious layer over it that invites to listen again and again. And isn't that what every artist craves?

As this is a new album by an artist that I never listened to before, in fact making his debut on this blog, I cannot compare to previous work. What I do notice, is that this is The Bony King's first album in five and a half years. That is more than just getting through the Covid period. In fact, it's a long time, so long people can forget you.

This would be a shame, as Everybody Knows is an album with a very consistent level of quality. The way the album opens with 'Are You Still Alive', is near mesmerising. This is not just any song, this much is clear before Bram Vanparys starts singing. Too much has already happened, without anything exorbitant or laying it on too thick. This is all in very good taste, while my ears are presented with one surprise after the other.

There is one thing I have to mention. The bio on Bandcamp can reference any name it likes, there's only one band I associate the song with: Radiohead. Fans of that band can buy Everybody Knows earfolded. Quality and taste, decribe 'Are You Still Alive'. The song is so rich and so full of constant surprises musically. An extra ear would not be a bad service, were it to be supplied as a service when buying the album.

Where the first song has the guitar as a basis, 'Get One Free' starts with a piano. After this the main surprises are over, what remains is the quality and the richness of the songs. What happens on Everybody Knows is all very well thought out. It may have taken years to write and record the album, the time was used extremely well. Experiments were undertaken, probably ditched, changed, added to, all leading to this sonic experience, as that it is. Nothing is what it seems, all the time. Mysterious, like I wrote at the beginning, that is the word describing the album well.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Everybody Knows here:

https://tbkon.bandcamp.com/album/everybody-knows