Fall is here and the weather is sort of looking like it. Tree leaves are slowly growing into the dark green they get before they change colour. Time for some more singles, although the opening one is not a single. After this listening suggestion you'll find something old and something new, so, enjoy!
The return of Girlyman?
Girlyman pulled the plug after a disastrous tour of Europe that left the band broke. I saw the band in Q-Bus, Leiden at the time and was amazed about how the four sang together, with a little help from tour manager, driver, roadie Ingrid at the end of the show. In 2025 three of the four sit down once again. It was time to heal, as they expressed it themselves. I hope that it is a fresh start as well, as not many people sing this good together. No new single, but great news instead. Copy this link and find out for yourself.
https://u53092314.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.pMh5hUTQpMwwo5fU3r-2BK-2Fc1PsAArqDwavdA9pIdW0IIHCiAt8nLIdCzUIuBu1w2fbMibKOKi14-2FH-2Fjrx99QY9uqVXrG3732GFH2-2BmYXMgium0w-2F4pT-2B-2Fi1vzQ6wq2P1chiOGVHOSq0BOdet9z1paMJh-2FaP1I7Zc-2FujpVAys6p7Ay99sR-2FtmrzoNNDTazOaL72SSW_7AaYPpYdQXeCdAPfWDTzSEhGQGFvY3sJnRgw0TP9ANOHg6oV8yD1jmMZdSwnODGIEzbmgfh5m8k4QKjHcXwLpdXBYdnSB-2B2Vc6QCW6mGLNL-2F43BIu8sFf20LorhKg0FMnV3cz-2BK2BCYfmO9-2BxE2Z3ct8AJUoTgqMlMMljIv3j1PihaSJzxRvRzLbHe8F7DeURASIW0GcMuVLXwJqqk1OVLRrw1P2AMDJ9zgqAAJTC-2BSb8Wuc-2FNL4ErKMBdGIQfnCmjbo2fQoKRBdsZ9zVzJsgZyONussUpFDv2m9-2FWESVdXHeMq9wlRmZj46beuevC0jeooSqbhylVJ4Et18HW3PxSYp7kS7Bw6KnzgEbgr8axc-3D
Additional Animals. Laptop
What a vibrant single! It sounds like this is one big party track, mixing Britpop with a dance rhythm and pop from all parts of the world. A song that invites people to dance to with huge smiles on their faces, with a drink in one hand, who knows what in the other and only smiling people around them, who are enjoying the evening and night with total abondon. A little message is nagging in the back of their minds though, "we only need additional animals". Why would we ever need that? We are having a blast, go away! Laptop is Jesse Hartman, who released three albums in the 00s under the name Laptop and returns in 2025 with assistance of his son Charlie. The upcoming album titled 'On This Planet', to be released in spring 2026, gives another hint that not all is well in the universe. Mankind is notorious for not facing slow burning issues like climate change and extinction. Laptop tries to influence the minds of people by way of a great and optimistic pop track. Don't be fooled though and listen to the message and act, now that you still can!
Former actress turned musician Jessie Kilguss debuts on this blog with a tough sounding countryrock/pop track. Funny, for a European "going to Algiers" immediately brings the capitol of Algeria to mind. You have to know just a litlte more of geography than average to know that there is an Algiers opposite of New Orleans, Louisiana. And what is a Howard Johnson's? 'Howard Johnson's', Jessie Kilguss' single comes with a lot of questions. And then the video starts with a desert, implying the other Algiers anyway! This single doesn't raise a lot of questions though. The melody is just fine and Kilguss' voice has a level of depth, yet is very feminine, making it so pleasant to listen to. 'They Have A Howard Johnson's There' is Jessie Kilguss' sixth, upcoming, album. To me she's a new name but if the rest is this good, I'm all ears.
What a nostalgic sounding track, I thought listening to Play. This song has a very authentic eighties sound. And then I read the bio. This track may be released in 2025, it was recorded in 1991 by a band who had released music in the 1980s and called it quits after not being able to sign a new recording deal in the early 90s. It tells me two things though. That this music was going out of style fast in 1991. Hardly any 80s band survived the grunge explosion of 1991-92. The other point is that Play is a very strong song. Fans of 80s bands like Tears for Fears, Spandau Ballet and why not Simple Minds should take an interest in Play. The extra attention is that Play is an obvious link to what happened two years later, the first album of Suede. Chris Ewen: Synthesizers, programming, Anthony Kaczynski: Vocals, keyboard bass, piano, Rik Rolski: bass guitar and acoustic guitars, Michael J.F. Smith: drums and Perry Tell: Electric guitars may just have called it quits to early. Who knows if they would have blended in perfectly just two years later. In the U.K. that is.
The name Steve Gunn is found on this blog exactly once in Erwin Zijleman's review of his 2016 album 'Way Out Weather'. In the bio of Gunn's upcoming album 'Daylight Daylight', 7 November, it says that this time he only recorded a demo of himself and his guitar and sent the result to his producer James Elkington. He was requested to arrange the songs any way that he felt like. This resulted where Nearly There is concerned in the addition of strings, as can be heard in the intro, but also dreamy backing vocals. I'm reminded a little of early solo work of Ryan Adams, partly because of the depth of the sound. But also of Wilco where the mood of this song is concerned. In other words, we are in high quality territory and Nearly There stands its ground with ease. Despite a length of over six minutes, I cannot get enough of the music. Gunn and Elkington do a lot right on Neary There.
WoNoBlog and time machines. It is starting to become a common topic. There are so many labels that specialise in music that seems to come from the past. (Occasionaly, it is a re-release or belated one, in like decades.) With The Jive's Extended Play it concerns a completely new release that is nothing but an energy jolt of poprock like they used to make and still do. The Jive fits nicely under the likes of Geoff Palmer and Brad Marino but of course also The Cars and acts like them from the late 70s and early 80s. Extended Play's songs are full of melody, energy and good-time fun. And where else can an EP like this be released than on Rum Bar. I sometimes imagine myself stepping into Malibu Lou's garage and that he tells me that I can select my two favourite releases on the label. It is a thought that could turn into nightmare from choice anxiety. It is that good that I think this EP is. It contains songs to sing along with, dance to, jump up and down to and simply greatly enjoy. There's absolutely no need to mention an individual song. They are all just great.
Naima Bock has found herself on this blog but with Live In Toulon she shows a totally different side of herself: the singer-songwriter performing with only her acoustic guitar. Although I had to get used to her in this setting, it took me only one song to be on her side. With her voice, she steps into a long line of U.K. female folk singers. Believe me, with this five song EP she deserves the spot in that line totally. The playing on the guitar is almost fully supportive, so do not expect intricate fingerpicking. Naima Bock builds on the strength of her voice, digitally supported with a harmony vocal, but that is it. How far she has moved from her past as a member of Goat Girl, but even from her two solo albums, 'Giant Plam' (2022) and 'Below A Massive Dark Land' (2024). Nothing in there prepared me for what I'm hearing on Live In Toulon. If she is playing acoustically because of economic restraints, then it is a giant blessing in disguise. She sounds like a natural in this setting. "Now I say goodbye and drink a beer", she says at the end of the final song 'Giant Palm'. That is one deserved drink.
Let's make a tulpa? What is a Tulpa? Questions, questions. Tulpa itself is a band from Leeds that is on route to release its first album late November called 'Monster of the Week'. Tulpa is very new, as the label reports. Let's Make A Tulpa! is its first release. The song is an upbeat, alternative rock/pop track. Don't expect an earth-shattering original song. No, expect a decent track that explodes into an upbeat chorus that calls us all out to go and make a tulpa. It makes me think of Dutch band De Kift, that starts an album with the statement that the singer has taken a "Noek" into his home. Nobody knows what a noek is, but that is totally beside the point as we learn. The same goes here. Whatever a tulpa is, the band has fun and is sharing that fun with us. Tulpa may be in the alternative corner, it is far from dangerous. Let's Make A Tulpa! is all in good fun and for nearly everybody. (Of course we looked it up. A tulpa is an imaginary being and so is a noek.)
In June we wrote on Act 1 of Temporary Circus. With Act 2 Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures take us on another nostalgic musical trip to the 1970s. Smith and co may record in the 2020s, their music could have been written, recorded and released something like 52 to 42 years ago. The years that James Taylor was on a roll, at least in the U.S.. When Christopher Cross scored his hits. In other words, smooth songs that are part of the singer-songwriter tradition. Songs that flow so easily forward, that it is like A.I. already existed, with background vocals that seem to come and and leave as steady and predictable as the tide. The three songs on Temporary Circus: Act 2 are far from identical, especially 'Opium Revolver' is tougher and carries a mean sounding guitar solo, yet they all have that flow. The difference is what makes the EP even more interesting to listen to. As I wrote before, not all Derek Smith release is to my taste, but there is always something there for me, as this EP once again proves. Fans of smooth, mature songs with a 70s flavour know what to do.
Het Zesde Metaal vindt zichzelf opnieuw of WoNoBlog met een nieuwe single. De titel, Traagkes Groeien, geeft eigenlijk alles weg. Wannes Capelle en companen staan in de laagste versnelling en meanderen als een grote rivier door het laagland richting zee. Voor de luisteraar resteert dan ook gewoon te gaan zitten en genieten van de langzame schoonheid die stukje bij beetje wordt uitgeserveerd door de band. De weemoed die een ouder voelt bij een te snel opgroeiend kind, is het thema van Traagkes Groeien. De ouder die wil dat het kind nog even klein blijft. Terwijl het kind alleen maar door wil denderen. Je bent nooit klaar met troetelen, maar het kind wordt groter en groter en ontwurmt zich aan dat troetelen. De wens is de vader van de gedachte en Het Zesde Metaal vangt dit prachtig in zijn muziek. In het West-Vlaams, maar ook voor een Hollander met een deels Brabantse opvoeding, prima te verstaan. Traagske Groeien is gewoon heel erg mooi.
Wout de Natris - van der Borght
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