Burning Neighbours. Neighbours Burning Neighbours

The band with one of the unpleasantest names in rock history, Neighbours Burning Neighbours, returns to this blog with its debut album. The Rotterdam based band is by now known for its post punk, noise rock, and close to city and label mates Tramhaus. They both belong to the same scene, sure, but Neighbours Burning Neighbours takes its music even further left of dial. And yet, I found that the band surprised me several times on Burning Neighbours. (Concerning the band name, it doesn't have to do with the horrible associations my mind conjures up, but comes from the novel 'From Here To Eternity' by Caitlin Doughty on death rituals. So, take the title literally in that way.)

The surprise starts in the very first song. 'Trans Youth' is a song that goes through a host of moods. After a guitar only intro, an almost dissonant bass joins, after which the whole band kicks in. When the singing starts the band plays at its most ugly, fiery but ugly it is. And then the rollercoaster ride of emotions starts. If Neighbours Burning Neighbours ever played delicately it is the lead guitar in the interludes. Be ready to receive some more surprises as the band totally winds down next. Sure, it is a postpunk riff that is played, but it can be called beautiful nonetheless. Just like the solo guitar that comes in next. With a bass that joins in in full support. 'Trans Youth' is a complex song in a few ways but a great opener to Burning Neighbours.

The band consists of guitarists and singers Alicia Breton Ferrer and Daanie van den IJssel, bassist Kat Kalkman and Drummer Aram Scheeve. The band debuted on this blog with a self-titled 7" single in 2020. Breton Ferrer can be found in several other guises, going back to 2019 with The Sweet Release of Death. All involve noise and more noise over more noise. There's enough on Burning Neighbours to underscore this, but it's only half the story. Neighbours Burning Neighbours also seeks other musical forms to express itself. I do not expect anyone not able to stand noise to be won over by the songs. For all others it makes listening to the record a far more interesting experience. It allows for being surprised and to enjoy the full eruptions better.

Most of the songs therefore are totally left on the pop dial. The chords and notes in nothing resemble pop hits, of any point in time. They're noisy, sometimes pure ugly and weird. And yet. The band manages to get some pop elements into these post punk, alternative rock/noise songs. This makes for interesting listening. Something for everyday? No, but regularly? Certainly. Burning Neighbours contains the kind of music that is ideal for the variation a persons needs. Just like a punk record of some sort every once in a while.

'Neil Young' has an interesting lyric. "Neil Young is killing me". Now I literally do not know one woman personally who is a Neil Young fan. "I can't listen to him". (Usually Bob Dylan follows in the same sentence: "I love several of his songs, as long as he doesn't sing them"!) I wonder if this lyric comes from this distaste of  Young's voice? Musically the song has nothing to do with Dinosaur Sr. music. The song is another example of how Neighbours Burning Neighbours plays with dynamics on the album.

To be sure a dystopic wall of noise is unleashed on the listener in the next song. Not for nothing it is called 'Catharsis'. The scream that is the only vocal contribution, is like exorcism. The music is only there to accompany that scream. "Shout, shout let it all out" translated into a scream. Who needs words, when the message is understood? Part of its music is Arthur Janov's (primal scream) therapy set to music. To give a little context on the left side of that scream dial, there is Porridge Radio and SPRINTS, both bands of which the singer emotionally unloads herself. Next, there's nothing for quite some time and then comes this album. Musically the others are, no matter how good, child's play.

You understand by now that I can't call Burning Neighbours an easy album, as it is not. Neighbours Burning Neighbours is a talented band and it presents itself exactly that way on Burning Neighbours. Relentless, without an inch of empathy for the listeners' ears, it gives us its all. Like in the great rock song 'Cotton Brain'. And that is a lot. No matter how alternative and far out there, the band is among the best and not afraid to show different sides to itself. In the meantime raising the game for itself as well. It also means the band can diversify in the future. People will come to expect surprises. That is the future. In the meantime let's enjoy Burning Neighbours.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

You can listen to and order Burning Neighbours here:

https://neighboursburningneighbours.bandcamp.com/album/burning-neighbours