Pillar Of Fire. David Eugene Edwards & Al Cisneros
David Eugene Edwards is on my musical radar for close to 30 years in 2025. I may not have all his output but certainly over half. Recently he released a 7" instrumental in collaboration with the unknown to me Al Cisneros (Om and Stream). Pillar Of Fire is a desert song, like what could have been played under Harry Dean Stanton's foray into the desert in the movie 'Paris, Texas'. The song tries to produce the deepest sounds possible on a guitar string. A guitar plays the rhythm and a bowed instrument plays an alternate lead melody. There is some percussion and other instruments augment the desolate atmosphere Edwards and Cisneros create. An instrumental track can contain pure beauty and Pillar Of Fire does just that. It's the kind of introduction that invites to further listening. I have no idea whether there's more to come than b-side 'Capernaum'.
Chris Evans from Seattle has chosen a good title for his first single under the name Audiogust. After twenty years at Microsoft he has picked up his old love: playing music, which he did as guitarist and bassist in a few bands in the 1980s. As Audiogust Evans takes a trip down memory lane. Here We Go Again starts as a Smash Mouth track and develops into a Green Day light, with a chorus that can compete easily with the Bay Area punkrockers. It's funny to read the bio where Evans' music is compared to the likes of Ben Folds Five, Elliot Smith, Paramore, The Proclaimers and Barenaked Ladies. The Scottish twins of The Proclaimers are there a little at the start of the verses but the rest? I hear something totally different as you just read. That's the way music works in individual minds. Who knows what happens on the album of course, which is expected on 30 May and has the same title. Here We Go Again is an incredibly pleasant sounding pop song with just the right punky overtones. Welcome back from the software world, Mr. Evans.
Looking at the title of this song, there seldom was a more apply titled one as far as the music goes. Mei Semones returns to the blog with her latest single I Can Do What I Want. Again, expect a rollercoaster of a song in which you never know what to expect. Like a rollercoaster ride in the dark. With lights and images popping out of nowhere illuminating the dark for just a few second. Since the fall of 2023 Brooklyn singer and musician extraordinair Mei Semones can be found on this blog. All songs have created that sense of wonder with me. What is it I'm listening to? What is she doing now? Did I hear that right? I Can Do What I Want is no different. Semones takes us through a sequence of classical music and goes straight into a rock section, to move into a Sinatra part that ends in a short burst of Zappaesque virtuosity. Where most other artist totally fly of the road to fall off of the cliff, the Black Midi singer anyone?, Mei Semones somehow stays on course and delivers the listener at the other end of her rollercoaster attraction. A whole album though? We will know in a few weeks, as het debut album 'Animaru' is released on 2 May.
I have no idea who Tom Lark is at this moment. The fact that Flying Nun made it its record of the month is enough of a recommendation to take a listen. And justly so. Fuselage is the single from album 'Moonlight Hotel'. Fuselage is a strong with a powerful drive, without being a totally powerful song. Lark sings with a dreamy voice about being "so lost". The music is rich, varied and subtle, besides having this enormous drive forward. A little Googling tells me Tom Lark is the project of Shannon Fowler of Christchurch, who started out as a DIY bedroom musician. That certainly paid off. Fuselage is a great strummer of a song made by someone with a wide imagination where music and arrangements are concerned. There are sounds coming from everywhere it seems. Prominent, in the background, popping up to disappear and much, much more. Comparisons, no doubt there are some, but they don't do right to what I'm hearing here. I've got to listen 'Moonlight Hotel' and hear more for certain. It was released on 4 April,
How long ago is it that I bought a The Hives album (and played one)? Somehow enough was enough. And now the band comes with a single with that title. And it is great. Punkrock like it is supposed to be played by the Swedes. Where somewhere, a long time ago I thought the band to sound strained, Enough Is Enough has not only the energy but also the melody to convince. This song rocks and no little. Per Almqvist leads the way showing that he's not had nearly enough. The Hives is ready to take on the world after the release of 'The Hives Forever Forever The Hives' in late August. Fans of The Hives will not be disappointed by Enough Is Enough.
Another record from New Zealand released on 4 April is Neive Strang's new album 'Find Me In The Rabbit Hole'. Gather Round is one of its singles. For a long time I've been wondering what it is in water in New Zealand, as for a relatively small country it produces so many fantastic artists. Based on Gather Round I gather to have been introduced to another one. It is a slow singer-songwriter song with a slowly strummed acoustic guitar and a brushed snare drum with a soft rimshot for the accents. A slow plopping bass does the rest for Ms. Strang. Her voice is mixed right in front of the song. There's no doubt who this song is all about. Yes, you will find minor references to other singer-songwriters from New Zealand like e.g. Ebony Lamb or Vera Ellen, but above all Neive Strang is herself. That's another album to check out soon.
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'Life sucks and then you die', is an English expression that most people will know. This song is a longer version of that expression. One that in a live situation invites everyone in the audience to cry along with the wolves in the woods. Preferably, as out of tune as possible, as that creates the best effect. I'm talking from experience here. Timo de Jong from Groningen and The Leadbeaters from Amsterdam have started a collaboration that may lead to an album later this year. For now we have this extremely nice single. De Jong is a singer-songwriter with a nice, deep singing voice, where The Leadbeaters excel in bluegrass, that specific form of country music where traditional instruments and harmony singing is the form of expression. The combination works quite well. Hearing The Leadbeaters play, I know exact;y what I've been missing in the past years with my favourite bluegrass band, The Hackensaw Boys, a violin! The Leadbeaters are strong contenders for the title. (And In The End) We're All Gonna Die is a fun song, with a promise of getting more in the future.
What a fantastic single The Bats from New Zealand has released recently. What is it that makes it so great? There's nothing special in the chord sequence or a spectacular melody nor immense musical surprises. And yet this song ticks all my boxes. It starts with the fuzz on the rhythm guitar that gives Loline a pulse that doesn't stop. It propels the song ever forward. The rhythm section keep that pace up in a superb way making the pulse stronger and stronger. Other guitars add melody and rhythm to the song. I love that lead melody on the lead guitar, so in sync with that pulsating fuzz guitar. Later on guitar melodies tumble over one another and even a synth comes in at the end. Finally there's the singing of Robert Scott and Kaye Woodward. It's the cherry on Loline's cake. In New Zealand The Bats is rock royalty with a forty year plus track record. On this blog you can find the band since 2018. Of course thanks to that New Zealand record store/label Flying Nun. Loline, go listen to it.
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Car Seat Headrest started as the bedroom project of Will Toledo, who cranked out one album after the other on his Bandcamp page. The desire to play live led to the forming of the band with the same name. Toledo was joined by lead guitarist Ethan Ives, drummer Andrew Katz, and bassist Seth Dalby. When Covid struck the band had to go into hibernation, just like we all had to. Except Will Toledo developed long Covid in 2022, stopping all future plans. The band is now sort of back with an album, 'The Scolars' (2 May). It's an ambitious rock opera with songs of over 10 minutes. CCF (I'm Gonna Stay With You) is the second single announcing the album, lasting over eight minutes. It is song with a strong build up from a piano motive with percussion behind it, that slowly but surely grows into an epic rock song. CCF (I'm Gonna Stay With You) is far from a simple song. The band forces you to make an effort to listen to its single. Car Seat Headrest plays with structures and the way the tempo is filled in. It moves from empty but strongly rocking parts to a band that goes beyond full out. A song part is filled with overdubs from all sides. The band that comes to mind most is The Killers, but I will trade every The Killers song bar one, 'Somebody Told Me', for this single immediately. That tells you more than enough. If the rest of 'The Scholars' is this good, the album is a must have.
Search Result is an Irish postpunk trio from Ireland. I doubted whether to write on Be Laurel or not. I could not find the unique angle to write on the song. For that it sounds too much like a lot that came before, e.g. The Smiths. There's a lot in the way of singing of Morrissey to be found here. The music is different enough. Nothing a trio can reproduce on stage together, though. There's too much happening. Be Laurel is an erratic affair. In energy and length. 1 minute 39 seconds is all Search Result needs to make its point. The strong point is that on the one hand I realise the song is over fast but on the other so much has happened in that short time, that I tend to forget it is so short. And there are found my angle. Search Result, Adam Hoban: electric bass, electric guitar, percussion, vocals, Fionn Brennan: electric and acoustic guitar, organ, synth, vocals and Jack Condon: drums, percussion,organ, synth, acoustic guitar, vocals, is extremely intense and because of bringing it in the right doses.in Be Laurel very much worth while writing about. Album 'Go Mutant' will be released on 23 May.
Wout de Natris -van der Borght
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