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Beech. Tramhaus
Very
recently I wrote in a review "where is Tramhaus"? It must have been a
gut feeling, as yesterday, on writing, an album was announced, 'The
Final Exit', for 20 September and a single released. I am one of the
people who can say to have heard 'The Final Exit' and that it is as good
as the band promised all along, if not better. The touring and playing
together clearly have a very positive effect on the band. Just as long
as I don't have to take the title literally where the band is concerned
please. How big a band like Tramhaus can become is always a question, as
it makes confrontational and loud music. Beech is no exception to that
rule. All the familiar elements are there. It starts with a driving
rhythm played by the bass and the drums. The two guitars come in playing
notes that are not straightforward for pop ears. Then the chorus comes
and everything explodes. The link with a band like Personal Trainer is
there, but then just a bit more alternative and wild. If anything
Tramhaus is wild and exciting. The band is not afraid to let all the
brakes loose, cut them off even to leave them by the wayside and see what happens next. The
result is a song like Beech. It rocks, it's electrified, it's here and
there a 2024 version of U2, it's loud, it's wild, it's the best what
this country has to offer in postpunk and ready to conquer the world.
Only
two weeks ago Two Headed Horse found its way to this blog for the first
time with debut single 'I'm Not Hidden' and already the band is here
again. Shimmer is a song that keeps reminding me of things I liked (a
lot) in the past, without crossing the line of being too over familiar.
The foursome, James Gable (vocals, guitar), Tristan Gable (keys, guitar,
backing vocals), Gary Hanratty (bass, backing vocals) and Leigh Baines
(drums), obviously has a well-stacked record collection. They manage to
blend these influences into a great song of their own. I hear Radiohead
guitar work, Marjorie Fair singing, folk from the ages and modern pop
from Half Moon Run to City and Colour and some complexer forms of rhythm
than most bands would opt for. Shimmer is not an easy song to digest in
one go. For most listeners it will be too complex. Take your time to
follow all that is happening here and you will find so much interesting
elements to listen to and enjoy. Fans of The Smile's last album will
find a lot to their liking in Shimmer.
In
The Netherlands we had the legendary TV programme 'Te Land, Ter Zee en
in de Lucht'. Glouchester, Massachussetts has "The Greasy Pole". Watch
The Carnivals' video and all will be explained. Usually events like
these has ordinary people place themselves in 'Jackass' situations with a
severe chance of hurting themselves. For the rest to laugh about of
course. The song, as that is what this blog is about, presents a Pat
Boone or Bill Haley kind of rock and roll, that is nice and neat, but
not less fun to listen. The lyric celebrates Gloucester's highlight of
the year of slipping and sliding on the greasy pole. The music sounds
very familiar, like a grown men's version of The Stray Cats or The
Paladins. No one can take offence, but it's okay. The Greasy Pole is great
fun, just like the greasy pole fest is.
From traditional rock and roll we move to some
more alternative rock with a darker, querky sound. The Dover, New Hampshire
duo Tiny Wine do not make music that is easy to define. Lo-fi, sure, Sparklehorse,
okay, but there's more to it than that. This music is not made to be
perfect, it just is. The basis is electronic drums and over it a very
prominent bass plays, a synth plays the lead melody, until later
electric guitars come in; enter Lou Reed/The Velvet Underground in
the guitar hook. The singing is muffled and through an effect. It all
gives Replace It a detached feel, but it does not push you away. Label
mate Astral Swans comes to mind here. Listening to Replace It more often
makes me discover more and more details. The song may be lo-fi, it is
not as if the duo has left it at one recording session. There are
numerous overdubs and parts in this song and that is what makes it so
interesting and good.
It
is still a month before 'News Of The Universe' is released. In the
meantime we are allowed to hear another single from the album and it is
simply beautiful. With Poppies La Luz presents a dreampop single that
allows anyone to ravel into dreamland unobstructed and without a worry in the
world. If The Bangles had ever recorded a song like this I may have been
a fan at the time. I was a lukewarm listener, with the exception of
'Hazy Shade Of Winter'. Poppies is oh so sweet in sound but somehow it
has this edge. I can't put my finger around what that edge is, except
that I feel it. My best guess is the melancholy longing in Shana
Cleveland's voice. This makes me listen to the song in a different way
than to say 'Eternal Flame'. Musically this song is simply beautiful. A mix
of things past and today. Part psychedelia from the past, part 2020s
ballad, Poppies delivers the goods on both sides. Poppies is a very
beautiful song.
On route to an eight song split album with The Dumpies, Night Court releases its new single. For the first time since 2022 the band finds itself on this blog with another preppy, upbeat punkrock song. The Vancouver, Washington band plays loud music but manages to give Cellphone the mood and pace that simply makes me happy when listening to it. It invites to listen, to sing along and to dance. You may not hear a new approach to alternative/punk/garage rock. Whatever the label you would like to opt for, what you hear is the pleasure of making, arranging and playing this music. Night Court is able to write a good punkrock song and then take it further. Just listen to the backing vocals. They take Cellphone to the next level and it already was at a very good one. Early May the 'The Shit Split Part Duh' is available. Something to look out for alright.
Welcome
to WoNoBlog Arrows of Athena. The Boston duo, Scott Lerner: guitar,
bass, synths, drum programming and Jac-Lyn Gibson: vocals, attracts in a
way that bands playing this kind of music can. It rocks hard enough, it
manages to blend in a pop element and has a seductive sounding singer.
In a very self-assured way Arrows of Athena manages to combine the likes
of ABC with Garbage. It always rains on the look of love, something
like that. Lerner lays down a very heavy groove for Gibson to sing over.
Just listen to that bass. As a band from Cottbus, Germany does not
easily reach the U.S., listen to Para Lia, another duo that excels in
this kind of music. And the lyrics? Let me just point to the video. That
starts with a glass of wine. The lyrics end with one. Quite abruptly.
Stop talking baby, the message appears to be.
Marcel
Wave? More like a make over of Gruppo Sportivo with either Meike or
Josée singing the lead. Coincidence has it the singer of Marcel Wave is
called Maike but not Touw at the end. Barrow Boys is a post punk single
which could just as easily stem from 1979-80 as from 2024. The
Stranglers e.g. could have recorded it as soon as they left their
original sound behind. The singing of Maike Hale Jones has that mix of
declaiming and enthusiasm the ladies of Gruppo Sportivo were famous for
around 1980. Listen to 'Hey Girl', 'Superman' or 'Beep Beep Love' e.g.
and you will know what I mean. Barrow Boys is the only song I can find
by Marcel Wave, so it's hard to tell whether the London band will sound
like this all the time. It seems a fair prediction though that the
Farfisa organ and stocky rhythms will play an important part in this
band's music.
Beebe
Gallini returns to this blog with a cover of The Traits'' 'Nobody Loves
The Hulk'. Miss Georgia Peach, Amy Pearson and Travis Ramin recreate
garage rock as if it never went out of fashion in the decades since
1969. She Hulk has the energy to convince as a rock song, it has the
spunk to convince as a garage rock song and the attack to be called Iggy
and The Stooges inspired. Miss Georgia Peach not only attacks the song
vocally but would have splintered a 45 RPM to smithereens with her guitar
solo. This is some rock and roll for the 2024 masses alright. The cover
art tells it all. A guitar can better not be handed to a she Hulk, to
Miss Georgia Peech is totally other matter. We should not forget
the rest of the trio. Amy Pearson's driving bass is a great support and a
strength on its own. Travis Ramin's drumming is powerful and filled
with great breaks and fills. Together they bring the song totally alive and to great
heights. She Hulk is an extremely strong song.
Not long ago Jennifer Tefft & The Strange debuted on this blog with a great rock song called 'Caffeine'. Today the band returns with another great rocker. As Tefft explains this all about (young) mothers finally going out for the night, once again, and "might" fly off the rails as well. The riffs and rhythm may sound familiar, the lyrics certainly provide a fresh perspective on modern day life. The music is a mix of T.Rex, Blondie, Joan Jett and 90s Britpop bands like Supergrass. The combination not only works but sounds extremely fresh besides. This band knows how to rock without having to do anything exceptional. Just play like a song has to be played. "I want to hear my favourite song" Jennifer Tefft sings. Going Out has all the qualities to be one for the coming weeks. Going Out not only rocks, it begs singing along to.
Wout de Natris
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