Tender Superpower. Marta Arpini

De Italiaanse zangeres Marta Arpini is tot dusver vooral bekend als jazzzangeres, maar op Tender Superpower laat ze horen dat ze ook wanneer ze folky popsongs maakt tot ongekende hoogten kan stijgen.

Ik word niet heel vaak verrast door een nieuw album zoals ik werd verrast door Tender Superpower van Marta Arpini. De Italiaanse zangeres, die in Amsterdam woont, beschikt over een stem die je eindeloos wilt koesteren en die behoort tot de mooiste stemmen die ik in tijden heb gehoord. Ook in muzikaal opzicht is het derde album van de Italiaanse zangeres van een bijzondere schoonheid. De folky popsongs van Marta Arpini klinken anders dan gebruikelijk in het genre, maar alles aan de songs op Tender Superpower is even mooi. Ik had nog nooit van Marta Arpini gehoord, maar ben echt diep onder indruk van haar in alle opzichten wonderschone nieuwe album.

Marta Arpini is een in Italië geboren zangeres, die na een muziekopleiding in Milaan uiteindelijk op het Amsterdamse conservatorium terecht kwam. Ze woont inmiddels een aantal jaren in Amsterdam en slaagde er na haar opleiding in om een voet aan de grond te krijgen in de Nederlandse jazzscene.

Zowel met haar debuutalbum Forest Light uit 2019 als opvolger I Am A Gem uit 2022 sleept de Italiaanse zangeres een prestigieuze Edison nominatie in de categorie jazz in de wacht. Die Edison haalde ze uiteindelijk niet binnen, maar haar naam was, zeker in jazzkringen, gevestigd.

Het jazzalbum Forest Light is wat verstopt op de streaming media platforms, maar is vooral een vocaal jazzalbum. I Am A Gem is een anders klinkend en bijzonder album, waarop Marta Arpini invloeden uit de jazz vermengt met invloeden uit de folk en de pop. Die laatste twee invloeden nemen een nog prominentere plek in op het deze week verschenen Tender Superpower.

Het is een album waarop de invloeden uit de jazz voor een belangrijk deel zijn verdwenen en Marta Arpini vooral kiest voor folky popsongs. Ik ben geen groot jazzliefhebber en had daarom zelf nog nooit van de Italiaanse zangeres gehoord, maar Tender Superpower had maar een kleine minuut nodig om een onuitwisbare indruk te maken.

Openingstrack Soft Calamity maakt die onuitwisbare indruk in meerdere opzichten. Wat direct opvalt is dat Marta Arpini beschikt over een bijzonder mooie stem. Het is een zijdezachte en zuivere stem, die mij onmiddellijk wist te betoveren en die alleen maar mooier lijkt te worden. Het is zo’n stem die de ruimte vult met warme klanken waarin je je eindeloos wilt onderdompelen.

De stem van de Italiaanse zangeres is op het hele album echt betoverend mooi, waardoor Tender Superpower qua zang de competitie met alle albums die de laatste tijd zijn verschenen makkelijk aan kan. Het album kan dat ook nog eens in muzikaal opzicht, want ook de muziek is prachtig.

Invloeden uit de jazz spelen op het nieuwe album van Marta Arpini een veel minder grote rol dan op de vorige albums, maar ze zijn zeker niet helemaal verdwenen. Zeker de blazers en de drums op het album klinken behoorlijk jazzy, maar worden gecombineerd met sprookjesachtige elektronica, die het warme karakter van de muziek van de Italiaanse zangeres nog wat verder versterkt.

Tender Superpower is in muzikaal opzicht een mooi en verzorgd album, maar de muziek op het album is ook absoluut spannend, zeker wanneer wat zweverige passages worden afgewisseld met muzikale hoogstandjes en klassiek aandoende passages. Maar ook als Marta Arpini kiest voor een ingetogen en sober ingekleurde folksong klinkt alles even mooi.

De songs op Tender Superpower hebben vooral een tijdloos karakter, maar het zijn ook songs waarin alles klopt en waarin heel veel te ontdekken valt. Er is eigenlijk maar één ding jammer aan het derde album van Marta Arpini en dat is dat er maar acht songs op het album staan. Na bijna een half uur muziek zit Tender Superpower er op en wil je vooral heel veel meer.

Marta Arpini heeft liefhebbers van jazz de afgelopen jaren al overtuigd van haar kwaliteiten, maar met haar derde album moeten ook liefhebbers van folky popsongs als een blok gaan vallen voor de muzikale charmes van de Italiaanse zangeres uit Amsterdam. Tender Superpower is een album dat nog niet op heel veel plekken opduikt, maar het is in alle opzichten een album van een ongekende schoonheid. Poets die Edison maar alvast op voor Marta Arpini. Het zou niet meer dan verdiend zijn.

Erwin Zijleman

2025, week 16. 10 singles

Easter weekend. I made a typo typing eater weekend. It can be called that of course. A few days with the family, food, drinks, Easter eggs and most likely less time to read a blog or listen to new music. Here are ten new songs anyway, so enjoy! And, Happy Easter!

Throw A Fist. The Northern Line

Just listen how Throw A Fist starts. The Northern Line lays down an irresistible groove. I won't say it's like The Stone Roses but the concept certainly is. Drums and at least two percussive instruments play for 10 seconds, bar two short bursts on a Hammond organ. Then the bass joins in and  the organ starts playing a melody. Guitar one joins the rhythm and then guitar two starts playing the main riff over that strong groove. Only at 40 seconds the singer joins with "I never felt so low". That may be, by after that 40 seconds I'm in high spirits. What a great groove and what an upbeat song Throw A Fist is. The Massachusetts band relive the Britpop days of the mid 90s, with a band like The Charlatans in mind, think its album 'Up To Here' e.g. It seems like I did not judge so positively on The Northern Line's debut single 'Lightning Strikes', as you cannot find it on this blog. Throw A Fist is and rightly so. What a groove!

Nothing. Sex Scenes

Nothing starts with a groove as well, but here we are in punk territory immediately. Sex Scenes is from Milwaukee and is the kind of band that does not hold back. Not in its music nor in its artwork. The blood vomiting skull on its album's sleeve is somewhere between a joke and serious. The music is all seriousness though. In just 2.14 minutes Sex Scenes tells and plays all. Nothing is the band's first single from the first album 'Everything Makes Me Sick', and it comes with a bang. Sex Scenes is around since 2016 but it's singer, Sarah Turbo, joined in 2021. She sounds like Amy Taylor of Amyl and The Sniffers in an angry mood. Behind her the band rages with a distorted bass guitar and guitars that play a great hook or two during the song. Nothing is quite the introduction to the upcoming album, to be released on 8 May.

Wonder. Benét

Unwinding, the big slow down comes with Wonder by singer Benét. The song starts as a sort of 'Let Love Rule', but next reminds me more of G. Love & Special Sauce where its rhythm is concerned. Wonder slowly evolves into a dreamy song, where friends of Benét wonder about a topic that concerns them, sampled into the song. This makes Wonder a song that sets itself apart, as it is not entirely the singer's song. Musically, Wonder is a basic song. Drums, a bass guitar is enough to kick it off. Surely but slowly the song flashes out with more instruments and in the vocal arrangement. It becomes an intricate weaving of instruments and voices, that makes for interesting listening. And then other voices take over, where the melody keeps Wonder going. It all ends abruptly, with an acoustic guitar providing a short coda. Album 'Make 'm Laugh' is expected on 6 June.

Scars. After Elmer

With Scars Rotterdam band After Elmer turns the clock back for a few decades. Around the year 2000 there were bands like Creed that started to play songs like these, post grunge. But there's also some emo in Scars. After Elmo builds up the song in an excellent way. An empty beginning with strong accents from guitar and drums. Next up is the release in the chorus, where the band goes full out. It's the kind of chorus that deserves a moshpit. An audience that goes apeshit as one. No matter how forceful the chorus is, the band has taken care of a strong vocal melody. That is just one part of the song though. The dynamics work really well and the band is an ace in getting the accents in all the right moments. After Elmer may have hit its jackpot with Scars.

Low Hanging Fruit. Matt Tecu + Fernando Perdomo

An instrumental is not your every day on this blog, but we have another one with Low Hanging Fruit. I have no clue who Matt Tecu + Fernando Perdomo are. The names are totally new to me, but this single rocks in a very old-fashioned way. Low Hanging Fruit rocks to hard to be from a cheesy circa 1970 movie soundtrack but the song contains the concept of it. That organ does the trick alright. It provides this psychedelic feel to the whole. The lead guitar is somewhere between surf and rock, while the drums definitely make it a rock song. The bass on the other hand is in Serge Gainsbourg territory. It gives you an impression how diverse Low Hanging Fruit sounds. It's from an album called 'Getting Warmer' which is out already.

Before The Fall EP.  Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners

On Before The Fall Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners defy genre and time with an all-time mix of folk, Irish folk, punk and what not. Of course, rightly so you will think of The Pogues, Gogol Bordello, and even Dropkick Murphys. It's all in the opening song 'White Russians', right up to the mock Iwan Rebrow background singing. The instruments and approach are more traditional than the last two mentioned bands. That makes Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners a more traditional band. This shows in the songs that follow, as the punk tempo goes out of the songs. 'When The Money's All gone' even  moves into country territory. The accordeon gives the song even a French Mediterranean flavour. The lead guitar adds a Chris Isaak kind of rock and roll. 'Train's Off The Rails' moves into The Paladins style rock and roll. In the following two songs you will be surprised once again by the music on offer. Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners may have a hard time choosing what kind of band it wants to be, in each song the band convinces. Before The Fall is an EP that deserves attention. Party time, is another good description.

Call Out Your Name ft. Pete Townsend. Inge Lamboo

A Dutch singer working with The Who legend Pete Townsend? The answer is yes, as you can see. The result is an indie rock track with some real fiery guitar work by Townsend. What is more important, is that the track caught my attention from the very start. Call Out Your Name hovers somewhere between indie rock and a Fleetwood Mac kind of pop. Lamboo has a voice that can compete with every female singer coming out of the U.S. in indie rock/pop. Whether Alanis or Katy Perry, she's right up there. The music itself is fairly basic. She let's her voice do the talking. And then there's that lead guitar that throws "some mud against the wall in that old sixties style" as Townsend called his contribution. At 79 he has followed Inge Lamboo online and was especially caught by her mash up of Arctic Monkeys with Fleetwood Mac. The result is a nice single and a trip to London for Lamboo to see The Who and present the single to Townsend. Her second album, 'This Is How The Future Sounds' will be released on 30 May. 

The Experiment EP. Replaced By Robots

Replaced By Robots only rang a bell because of books on the fourth industrial revolution, not because of a band. That changed with the release of this five song mini album which the band released recently. The trio consists of Goolkasian, Heather Joy Morgan and Adam Wade. Morgan has a background in painting, the others have played in various bands over the past two decades. For The Experiment they worked with producer Paul Q. Kolderie. It resulted in a mini album that combines upbeat alternative rock, with some glam rock and synth things. Replaced By Robots manages to combine several decades of music in a successful way. Heather Joy Morgan even does a Nico, one who is not on the verge of moving to the other side. What gets to me, is the upbeat music that The Experiment offers. It allows for both serious listening and dancing all in one. Replaced By Robots delivers it all in one go.

SS-100-X. The Speed Of Sound

What the story is, I still have to get into. Fact is, The Speed of Sound has released three albums under the name 'A Cornucopia', with partly the same track names. One of the singles from an album titled additionally 'Minerva' is SS-100-X, I suppose a soviet Union type missile that was aimed at us in the 1970 or 80s. This song is 'I'm Waiting For My Man' by the Velvet Underground during day time. Without any trouble I'm able to sing "standing on a corner ..." over the intro. The vocal melody is it's own, making it a different song. The song has a chorus as well. SS 100 eggs, I hear, influenced by Easter? The lyrics are not on scoring heroine but on the Kennedy assassination and conspiracy theories around it. SS-100-X was the code name of the car the Kennedys were in on that fateful day in 1963. The combination of the lyrics and the music make it an interesting song to listen to. In fact it's good.

He Seems To Think That He's A King. Garret Vandermolen

Do protest songs still exist? Many people argue that they do not any more. Garret Vandermolen has decided that this has to end this situation and wrote a song against the would be (soon actually?) dictator in The White House, his oligarch friends and sycophants bowing to his every whim. The title to the song tells it all. It is not the kind of king my country has or the U.K., no a king that reigns at will, like Louis XIV, who went to war in the summer, held court in the winter and kept his potential enemies as close as possible. Raised taxes for his own whims, including hobby wars, lavish luxury, etc. It's that kind of king Vandermoolen is singing about. The song is the right mix between mocking, an upbeat beat and melancholy singing. Say Tom Petty style. The sad thing is, that everything I and many others fear, may well be reality very soon. He Seems To Think That He's A King is the kind of song that may get Garret Vandermolen into serious trouble any day soon. Hopefully, the day will come that these "mighty will fall". It will take more than this song though. Let's call it a good start and make it the anthem of resistance.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

I Still Want To Share. Sophie Jamieson

Sophie Jamieson maakte helemaal aan het eind van 2022 diepe indruk met haar prachtige debuutalbum Choosing en doet dit in 2025 nog eens met het minstens even mooie I Still Want To Share.

In de laatste weken van een jaar verschijnt er meestal niets bijzonders meer, maar in 2022 werd in ieder geval mijn jaarlijstje nog omgegooid door het prachtige debuutalbum van Sophie Jamieson. De Britse muzikante brengt haar tweede album juist helemaal aan het begin van het jaar uit, maar I Still Want To Share ga ik zeker niet vergeten voor mijn jaarlijstje over een maand of twaalf. Sophie Jamieson imponeert ook op haar tweede album met haar prachtige stem, die een groot deel van de 45 minuten die het album duurt goed is voor kippenvel. In muzikaal opzicht is het tweede album van de Britse muzikante bijna net zo mooi en ook de songs van Sophie Jamieson doen van alles met me. Wat een prachtalbum, wat een talent, wat een zangeres.

Sophie Jamieson doet het momenteel heel goed in de met name Britse lijstjes met muzikanten die het wel eens zouden kunnen gaan maken in 2025. Een nieuwkomer is de Britse muzikante echter zeker niet. Haar eerste EP is inmiddels al twaalf jaar oud en helemaal aan het eind van 2022 verscheen bovendien haar prachtige debuutalbum Choosing.

Het is een album dat me destijds overrompelde met de openingstrack Addition en dat is nog steeds een track die bij mij goed is voor kippenvel. De rest van het debuutalbum van Sophie Jamieson deed nauwelijks onder voor de fenomenale openingstrack, waardoor het album ondanks de release in december mijn jaarlijstje over 2022 wist te halen.

De plek ergens halverwege mijn jaarlijstje was zeker niet het eindstation voor Choosing, want inmiddels zou ik het album onder de mooiste albums van 2022 scharen. Het is dus goed nieuws dat Sophie Jamieson eindelijk de aandacht trekt met haar muziek en het is nog veel beter nieuws dat deze week de opvolger van Choosing is verschenen.

Het debuutalbum van Sophie Jamieson was een uiterst ingetogen en behoorlijk donker album met vooral folky songs en een hoofdrol voor de indringende stem van de Britse muzikante. Dat is een lijn die deels wordt doorgetrokken op I Still Want To Share, dat ook een folkalbum mag worden genoemd.

Sophie Jamieson maakte wat mij betreft een verpletterende indruk met de openingstrack van haar debuutalbum en ook album nummer twee opent prachtig. Camera opent ingetogen met subtiele akoestische gitaarakkoorden en de echt prachtige stem van Sophie Jamieson en ook dit keer wordt de spanning fraai opgebouwd. Een aantal keren barsten de strijkers los en ook dit keer maakt de Britse muzikant gebruik van de elektrische gitaar voor het vergroten van de dynamiek in de song.

Het klinkt allemaal prachtig, maar ook dit keer zorgt de stem van Sophie Jamieson voor het meeste kippenvel. De Britse muzikante beschikt over een betoverend mooi en zeer expressief stemgeluid, maar ze legt ook heel veel gevoel in haar stem, waardoor de zang op I Still Want To Share net zo hard binnenkomt als die op het debuutalbum.

Het tweede album van Sophie Jamieson klinkt net wat voller en gedetailleerder en misschien net wat minder donker dan haar zo indrukwekkende debuutalbum, maar ook I Still Want To Share is een vooral spaarzaam ingekleurd folkalbum, dat flink wat ruimte biedt aan melancholie.

Sophie Jamieson had niet veel muzikanten nodig voor haar nieuwe album. Naast prachtig gitaarwerk en fraaie bijdragen van keyboards werden vooral strijkers en drums toegevoegd. De muziek op I Still Want To Share is subtiel maar bijzonder mooi en is op prachtige wijze vastgelegd in de productie van Sophie Jamieson en de ervaren producer Guy Massey, die onder andere werkte met Spiritualized, Richard Hawley, The Divine Comedy, Manic Street Preachers en The Coral.

De songs op het tweede album van Sophie Jamieson zijn net wat meer versierd dan die op haar debuutalbum, maar alle accenten die zijn toegevoegd zijn functioneel en de strijkers passen prima bij de folky songs van de Britse muzikante. De sobere klanken vragen veel van de zang, maar Sophie Jamieson zingt ook op I Still Want To Share weer de sterren van de hemel.

Ze wordt zoals gezegd momenteel veelvuldig genoemd in de lijstjes met de beloften voor 2025, maar de belofte is de muzikante met dit werkelijk prachtige en indrukwekkende tweede album echt al lang voorbij. I Still Want To Share is het volgende prachtalbum van 2025, dat verrassend sterk is begonnen.

Erwin Zijleman

 

Je kunt I Still Want To Share hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://sophiejamieson.bandcamp.com/album/i-still-want-to-share

No Light To See. The Slow Death

No Light To See is Minneapolis band The Slow Death's fifth album. It's this blog's first, after reviewing single 'I'll Be Fine' recently. The short version of this review could be, if you like Social Distortion, The Hold Steady and The Living End (without the rockabilly) then go out and buy No Light To See. I do would like to use up a little bit more of your time though.

The Slow Death manages to cook up a storm. A very distinctive feature of the band is the warm Hammond B3 sound that  weaves itself through the songs. No matter how loud a song is, like in that already mentioned single, the instrument is there for the whole of the way. It gives the wall of sound an extra layer for sure but also adds warmth to the whole. An element that is often overlooked in punk/garagerock. It sets The Slow Death apart from many of its colleagues.

To copy the bio, "The Slow Death is Jesse "Pretty Boy" Thorson's most prolific project which has a lineup that's always evolving, and this album's tough hard working crew with Jack Gribble on drums, Luke Lechler on organ+guitars, and the bonus of Alex Bammel sprinkling some incredibly clever guitar leads on in the studio is hard to beat". Why try to up that? Thorson's voice is of the rough kind. Well worn in so to say. It gives the band a rough and  tough edge that convinces no little. The message is, The Slow Death is not kidding around, that much is clear.

A slow death is something torturers relish. The artwork, if I recognise Hank Williams there, is another form of slow death, the excessive abuse of substances. The energy coming out of this album will awake anyone from stupor. It's like getting charged. The Slow Death starts at full speed and may play a slower song here and there, the energy is never gone. That wall of sound returns when and wherever it can, rock ballad or not.

What strikes me most, is the consistent quality of the album. Where with (U.S.) albums like this, e.g. by The Gaslight Anthem to name one, I start getting somewhat bored after the third to fifth song, No Light To See keeps me on my toes for the whole ride. To be honest that surprised me, as I had expected that it would not, based on the first songs. But take the recent single 'Little Ghost', song 8 on the tracklist. It has great accents and a chorus that you would like to shout along to at any live show of the band. The "solo"/outro is fantastic in all its elementary playing.

No Light To See is a great punk/garage rock album. The Slow Death is a new name to me but one that will stick for a while. On its Bandcamp page a 'jaxtaxman' writes that this is the band's best album to date. I believe him immediately.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order No Light To See here:

https://jessethorson.bandcamp.com/album/no-light-to-see

Fading Image. Marathon

Anyone who has listened to the recent singles of Amsterdam alternative rock/postpunk band Marathon could have known a few things before Fading Image was released. This album is going to be varied, Marathon does a Tramhaus or two, but above all that Fading Image would most likely be a well above average album.

So, little surprises than? No and yes. No, because all assumptions came true and no because the album is even better than I expected on the basis of the singles.

Marathon is Kay Koopmans (voice/guitar), Lennart van Hulst (drums) and Nina Lijzenga (bass). The three play together since high school and after a slew of singles, an EP, more singles and now an album are ready to take on the world. In my opinion Fading Image is this good. There's no reason why Marathon can't go into the footsteps of Tramhaus and go out into the wide world and play, play, play.

Fading Image is an album that thrives in darkness. As such it fits in a time in which everything seems to have become uncertain. The source of this music can be found in the early 1980, when a lot of people thought the end was nigh; not me though. I don't know if people now think it is, but certain leaders most certainly make us want to think it so. Authoritarians thrive on fear, people. Always keep that in mind when listening to that type of politician. Their words have nothing to do with your wellbeing, only their own. The song 'Fail' can stand as an example of proof. It is the only song on Fading Image that has little to do with my wellbeing.

After this short detour, Marathon's musical core can be found circa 1981. Only the starting point though. From there the band does several extras, by playing with different influences. Slower new wave like the The Cure influenced song 'Shadow Raised A Star'. A lot of reverb and delay on the guitar notes, makes for a nice mood change on the album. By growing ever bigger and bigger, 'Shadow Raised A Star' becomes a song of epic proportions.

The Cult, Killing Joke, all bands that Marathon's members will have found in their parents' or uncles' record collections. Tramhaus was already mentioned. Which is o.k. as Marathon aspires to reach these heights as well. Marathon has the same kind of energy in abundance and is able to surprise in the same way during songs. Changing moods while playing knows no secrets for Marathon.

A special mention goes out to the artwork. By now there's an interesting collection that one day may make it to a museum. Again it is an interesting painting shown hear. It is made by Bob Mollema. My tip of the hat is called for.

Back to the music. Another highlight is the faster song 'Disorder'. The tempo goes up and because of it the mood on the album is somewhat lifted. All is relative here, but 'Disorder' is what the album needs at this point. Something 'Away From Home' continues in all the right ways. A great ending to the album.

It starts again with 'Out Of Depth'. It's that kind of album, the kind to play again immediately. Marathon with Fading Image has delivered on the promise made in the past few years. Now go out and conquer the world. This album fits in with a lot I've been hearing this decade so far and then there's the quality on offer. Dutch bands simply are getting better and better. No doubt about it and Marathon is a proof of point.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

All The Right Weaknesses. Brown Horse

It's only 15 months ago that Brown Horse released 'Reservoir', one of the finer albums of 2024. It's April 2025 and Emma, Nyle, Rowan, Patrick, Ben and Phoebe already release All The Right Weaknesses. As far as I'm concerned the band picked things up where it left them. All The Right Weaknesses rocks no little.

At the heart of Brown Horse's music there is folk tunes. They are hidden behind the wall of sound the band builds over the folk element. Phil Spector ought to be a contented man had he been able to hear the album. Loads of guitars are stacked on top of each other, the one howling more than the one before. The opening song, 'Verna Bloom', just like the one on 'Reservoir', 'Stealing Horses', is a statement. Listening to 'Verna Bloom' makes you realise that your alive and that Brown Horse means it.

The next song, 'Wisteria Vine', comes as a surprise as the intro and first line are straight copies of 'Mooie Meid' by Dutch band The Kik. Luckily it stops there. Like 'Mooie Meid' 'Wisteria Vine' is a beautiful ballad, that draws me deeper into the album. Brown Horse has me where it wants me to be.

For two songs in a row the male-female voices blend beautifully. Brown Horse makes great use of the option their singers offer it. This continues for most of the album. This band knows its strengths. Like providing its songs a lot of power. Take the way 'Dog Rose' is built up. It starts fairly quiet, with an electric piano as an important contributor to the sound. Only one singer and then all of sudden all hell sort of breaks loose. Creating a tremendously powerful and convincing song and all around a riff that for most of the song does not change.

Having listened to the album now for a few times, I love it more and more. It's mix of folk, rock, even The Rolling Stones style rock, and country licks is simply irresistible. Like the  previous one, this is a must have album.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order All The Right Weaknesses here:

https://brownhorse.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-right-weaknesses

Howl. She Drew The Gun

De muziek van She Drew The Gun was me nog niet eerder opgevallen, maar met Howl heeft het project van de Britse muzikante Louisa Roach een verrassend veelzijdig en in kwalitatief opzicht uitstekend album afgeleverd.

Howl van She Drew The Gun is een album dat vaker van kleur verschiet dan de gemiddelde kameleon en als het even kan doet het project van de Britse muzikante Louisa Roach dat niet alleen tussen songs maar ook binnen songs. Het zijn songs die direct aanspreken, maar die in muzikaal opzicht ook knap in elkaar steken. Het combineert mooi met de al even veelzijdige stem van Louisa Roach, die de kwaliteit van haar songs nog wat verder optilt. She Drew The Gun gaat al vier albums mee, maar met Howl moet de Britse muzikante toch echt gaan doorbreken naar een groter publiek. Ik had nog nooit van She Drew The Gun gehoord, maar wat is Howl een goed album.

Howl, het vierde album van She Drew The Gun, kwam ik alleen in de nieuwsbrief van de Britse muziekwinkel Rough Trade tegen. Ondanks de opvallende naam kan ik me ook niet herinneren dat ik eerder van She Drew The Gun had gehoord, maar Howl is een opvallend album. She Drew The Gun is een project van de Britse muzikante Louisa Roach uit Liverpool, die inmiddels dus vier albums op haar naam heeft staan. De vorige drie moet ik nog beluisteren, maar ik ben inmiddels behoorlijk verslingerd geraakt aan Howl.

Het is een album waarop Louisa Roach laat horen dat ze zich met geen mogelijk in een hokje laat duwen. Howl is een album dat continu van kleur verschiet en meerdere genres bestrijkt. Het album opent met een track die in eerste instantie neigt naar indierock, maar uiteindelijk omslaat richting synthpop, terwijl de in eerste instantie wat ruwe zang van Louisa Roach langzaam maar zeker transformeert in bijna gesproken tekst. Ik heb het alleen nog maar over de openingstrack van Howl, maar hierin gebeurt al meer dan op het gemiddelde album.

Het is een openingstrack die niet alleen laat horen dat Louisa Roach qua invloeden verrassende keuzes maakt, maar bovendien duidelijk maakt dat de Britse muzikante een uitstekende zangeres is en in muzikaal en productioneel opzicht (waarvoor de van Christine & The Queens bekende Ash Workman tekende) een eigen geluid laat horen. Na de openingstrack schiet Howl nog veel meer kanten op. She Drew The Gun kan uit de voeten met 80s pop, met naar glamrock neigende songs, met triphop, met hiphop, met R&B en met nog veel meer. Het zorgt er voor dat je track na track wordt verrast door de Britse muzikante.

She Drew The Gun heeft niet alleen een album gemaakt dat verrast, maar het is ook een album dat imponeert. De kwaliteit van de uitvoering heb ik al benoemd, maar ook de kwaliteit van de songs op Howl is hoog. Het grappige van het vierde album van She Drew The Gun is dat het een album is dat op een of andere manier de hele tijd bekend klinkt, maar dat op hetzelfde moment totaal anders klinkt dan andere albums. Wanneer Howl bekend klinkt hoor ik vooral het invloeden uit het verleden, waardoor het album klinkt als een omgevallen platenkast, maar She Drew The Gun heeft ook een album gemaakt dat met beide benen in het heden staat.

Ik heb niet zo heel veel informatie over de muzikanten die hebben meegewerkt aan het album, maar in muzikaal opzicht houdt Howl je op het puntje van de stoel, waarbij ik voor de afwisseling eerst eens de ritmesectie in het zonnetje wil zetten. De stevig aangezette baslijnen en de inventieve ritmes geven de songs op het vierde album van She Drew The Gun veel energie, waarna gitaren en synths het geluid vrijwel volledig vullen, maar ook nog wat ruimte houden voor uiteenlopende accenten, waaronder een fraai psychedelische fluit.

De zang is al even divers, want Louisa Rouch is een prima popzangeres met een soulvol geluid, maar ze kan ook verdienstelijk rappen, iets waar ik niet gek op ben, maar op Howl klinkt het allemaal geweldig. Heel af en toe doet het me denken aan Raw Like Sushi, het geweldige debuutalbum van Neneh Cherry, maar She Drew The Gun laat wel horen dat het inmiddels 2024 is in plaats van 1989. En iedere keer als je naar het album van She Drew The Gun luistert hoor je weer nieuwe dingen. Een zeer aangename ontdekking.

Erwin Zijleman

Time Drifts. I Am Oak

It's been five years since I Am Oak's last album release and six where an album containing new songs was concerned, 'Osmosis'. The waiting is over. After a few singles, released in the past months Time Drifts is here.

Just days ago, I wrote about Shane Alexander's new album, 'Forever Songs'. Alexander had a hard time focusing on finishing his new ideas for songs after the pandemic. It seems Thijs Kuijken, the principle artist behind I Am Oak, had the same issue. Luckily for the world he managed to write new songs and record them. The result is the extremely pleasant new album, Time Drifts.

What has not changed is the modest way in which I Am Oak presents itself. Kuijken is a singer who seems to prefer standing in the shadows. He does everything not to draw attention to himself but to his music instead. In that he succeeds gloriously.

The music on Time Drifts can be called classic I Am Oak. The music is serene and beautiful. Soft-toned songs, sang with a soft voice, that flow organically. An electronic keyboard often is the lead instrument of choice. Add some synths and percussion. It is enough to be mesmerised by I Am Oak. In other songs it may be an acoustic guitar. The effect on me is absolutely the same.

Between songs the approach may differ a little. A few notes spells a solo on an electric guitar. Background vocals give a modest pop vibe to another song. There's even a gamelan kind of sound found on Time Drifts.

My conclusion on the music, classical I Am Oak, is somewhat opposed to what Thijs Kuijken says in the bio accompanying the album. He says that he approached the songs from another angle where the topics are concerned, more contemplative and observations. This translated into approaching the songs dorm a different sonic point if view as well. It may be, and yes, I do hear some new sounds/instruments, I stand by my conclusion.  It doesn't really matter. Time Drifts contains several songs that I immediately rank between my favourite I Am Oak songs.

Time Drifts is a fine album for everyone who likes to listen to soft songs that take you with them. Songs that allow you to step into another world for a short while. Undisturbed by life and unexpected noise eruptions that cut into your zen state. Thijs Kuijken has done it again.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

 You can listen to and order Time Drifts here:

https://snowstar.bandcamp.com/album/time-drifts

2025, week 15. 10 singles

This week we have a nice mix of new bands and artists to this blog and names you could have encountered before. As always, the mix of genres presented with this selection of singles and one EP is going from here to there. Some sound very familiar and others are totally their own. From soft to loud, it's all there, so, enjoy!

Rain. Steph Cameron

Who feels like travelling back on this blog circa 10 years will find Steph Cameron in two reviews by the hand of Erwin Zijleman. Since then we encountered silence here. With Rain she returns to the blog. Rain is a single from her upcoming album 'Blood Moon' (25 April). It is announced as her first band album. Is Rain a spectacular song? No, that it is not, but it certainly brings back fond memories of one of the most popular rock albums from the past, Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours'. It is said to be one of the best selling albums today. Steph Cameron does a Nicks-McVie here and that is the second time I write this in just a few weeks (see 'The Test' by Billy Nomates on 23 March.) Steph Cameron's music is a little softer than Fleetwood Mac's, a Lindsey Buckingham is missing, but the intention is so clear. in the way she sings but even more in the harmony vocals. They are such a dead give away. And yet, this makes for pleasant listening on Rain.

Hilarious In Love. Attawalpa

"Know I'm dead, so funny I'm dead", singer Luis Felber sings in Hilarious In Love. Quite the chorus, isn't it? The music is just as slacker as the lyric suggest. The song started when Felber caught Covid for the first time and had to socially distance from his wife for over a week. The Peruvian-British singer came out of it with a song that is quite rich in details. There are some Britpop influences from Oasis to Supergrass, a The Beatles string arrangement comes in and in my head I can even hear George Harrison laying down a slide guitar solo. The basis of the song contains a bongo, that partly explains the slacker vibe that hangs over the song. Attawalpa may be playing dead, that rhythm just goes on and on. It makes sure the song is totally alive. Album 'Experience' is released on 4 July.

Empathy Centre. Corin Ashley

Although Corin Ashley has a role in music for over 20 years playing in bands and working with several more or less famous names, Empathy Centre has nothing to do with music from the past 20 years. This is 1960s territory for the whole of the way. You can hear everything from The Small Faces to The Kinks, right up to The Beatles and a whole lot of psychedelia for good measure. Add a Stevie Winwood organ solo and you get the drift of what Empathy Centre is about. Ashley is a musician from the Boston scene who played for ten years in a band called The Pills. Empathy Centre contains the final work of his friend Ducky Carlisle, who has since passed away. as a memorial song. Both can be proud of their achievement.

Tessæil. Skyjoggers

With Tessæil Skyjoggers enter this blog for the first time with more than just a bang. Alexi Belle (guitars & effects), Juan Rico (bass, synth & vocals) and Gabo Sabor (drums & vocals) present an over 12 minutes long instrumental sonic onslaught of loud and wide, relentless drumming, a tough pounding bass and loads of effects put on the guitar(s). The Tampere, Finland based band holds nothing back on Tessæil. The result is a sonic adventure Skyjoggers takes you on. Yes, it may take some stamina to sit through over twelve minutes of space rock but I'm not complaining. This is space rock as it is meant to be. Loud, tough and spacey. I visited Tampere for a conference at the start of the summer of 2023 when Finland was experiencing record breaking temperatures. with light so bright that wearing glasses inside of the venue was necessary in the main hall of the university. Skyjoggers were not in sight unfortunately. Tessæil sounds like this bright light.

The Game. The Highway Dollys

"This is Bakersfield Country Music that Rocks", reads the start of the bio accompanying the link to the song. Country?, if you say so. Make it rock as far as I'm concerned. Until today, I had never heard of The Highway Dollys, so here we have another band making its debut on the blog today. The trio consists of Pamela Hogan (vocals & guitar), Liz Borden (vocals & guitar) and Greg Hogan (guitar). All musicians of a certain age. (Liz Borden was on this blog circa a half year ago with her single 'Shake'.) When the chorus of The Game starts, I'm sold. Liz Borden sings with a punk-fired voice. Well worn in and has the rough edge to make The Game sound totally convincing. The lead guitar work is nice as it gives the song its own flavour. If The Game is the quality mark of The Highway Dollys, then I'm game for more.

Politics EP. Real Beaut

Real Beaut? That brings me be back to Australia where I lived for a half year as a teenager. Just think the local accent to it and you get the drift, that's a real beaut, mate!. Real Beaut is also an alternative rock band from Boston. The band consists of Andrew Doherty, Benny Grotto, Johnny Northrup and Keith Pierce and together they are able to  combine tough rock with good and honest melodies that allow for enjoying listening to and singing along when the time calls for it. Keith Pierce's voice sounds like it has been recently tarred and gives the band a very authentic rough sound. The three musicians match their frontman but also provide a lighter touch at the right moments. Politics is only four songs long, a true EP, long enough to convince and short enough to long for more. The first two songs really rock out and when the tempo and volume goes down in 'Profane And Pedigree' the band convinces as well. Not for the first time guitarist Andrew Doherty shows that his chops are well above par. Allow him to go off for few seconds and he lays down a brilliant short solo. I'd swear there is a female backing vocalist for most of the record, but if  it's so, she gets no credit. Bass player Johnny Northrop does. A(nother) girl called Johnny?

Running/Planning. CMAT

Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson or CMAT can be found on this blog once in 2024 with a review by Erwin Zijleman of her album 'Crazymad'. For me CMAT is a new name and during the first minute of Running/Planning I was wondering what to do with this single. Slowly but surely I found myself getting into its groove. The Irish singer lays one down alright. A slow The Stone Roses vibe lies under a voice that brings Lily Allen to mind, when she dared to sing "fuck you" in the sweetest of voices. That vibe is all that happens in Running/Planning. It is all about surrendering to that medium slow beat. Around it a violin may jump in to give the song a little extra. CMAT does the rest, especially in the chorus and the bridge where she shows off her vocal prowess. Once into the vibe there's no stopping Running/Planning.

Where The Wind Blows Free. The Bablers

Also The Bablers makes its debut on the blog. The Finnish band of music veterans will release its album 'Like The First Time' on 25 April. Judging by Where The Wind Blows it could be an album that combines Paul McCartney style The Beatles ballads with The Connells' '74-75'. That gives you an impression of the mature sound of The Bablers. Soft pop with a prominent string arrangement and a soft vocal leading the way. There's nothing spectacular going on, all smooth sailing and pleasant listening. When The Wind Blows Free is part of the re-release of the album that at the time was only available in Finland and Japan. Given a new mix and arrangements The Bablers go for a wider international release and deserve a listen into for certain. (Having one Finnish band on the blog is already special, but two in one post?)

Overlander. The Budos Band

'V', was the album that got a short but sweet review in 2019. I don't know what happened to 'VI' but album 'VII' is underway (30 May). Overlander is described as Zambian rock. Now I have no experience at all with Zambian music, but what strikes me is that I do have albums from 1969 by Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago Transit Authority that sound somewhat like this track. The lead riff even brings Chicago's '25 or 6 to 4' to mind, as does the sax solo that is presented in Overlander. This is a mix of jazz rock, fuzz and psychedelia if I ever heard it. Overlander is an instrumental rock track, where The Budos Band really goes full out. 'VII' apparently was recorded without any concept in mind when starting to work after a two years hiatus. Many a band can only hope for so much spontaneous energy spouting from the instruments and players.

I'll Be Fine. The Slow Death

'No Light to See' was released last Friday and is the 5th studio album from The Slow Death. The Minneapolis punk rock band presents itself with flying colours on I'll Be Fine. Listening to the single there's absolutely no doubt there. Singer Jesse "Pretty Boy" Thorson has a rough voice, think Mike Ness for one, that makes sure his message lands loud and clear. Together with Jack Gribble (drums), Luke Lechler (organ, guitars) and Alex Bammel providing some lead guitar here and there, Thorson is able to shift a truckload of energy across to my ears. I'll Be Fine kickstarts at a hundred miles per hour and ends there. No rest, no stopping, just go, go, go. Another band makes its debut here and in a memorable way as well. Hell, yeah, I'll be fine with music like this.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

Humanhood. The Weather Station

Tamara Lindeman maakte de afgelopen jaren al een aantal bijzondere en echt wonderschone albums, maar laat op het echt prachtige Humanhood horen dat The Weather Station nog altijd beter kan.

Ook het nieuwe album van The Weather Station kwam weer deels improviserend tot stand, maar Humanhood klinkt als een album waarop alles klopt. De songs van Tamara Lindeman zijn complex, maar ook toegankelijk en de muziek op het album schuwt het experiment niet, maar klinkt overal even warm en sfeervol. De Canadese muzikante heeft ook dit keer een aantal zeer persoonlijke songs geschreven en ze vertolkt ze met heel veel gevoel en expressie. De zang op Humanhood is nog wat mooier dan die op de vorige albums van The Weather Station, dat op het nieuwe album een ongelooflijk hoog niveau aantikt. Ik bewonder de muziek van Tamara Lindeman al vele jaren, maar toch weet ze me steeds weer te verrassen.

De Canadese muzikante Tamara Lindeman bracht in 2009 in eigen beheer het eerste album van haar project The Weather Station uit. Met het in 2011 verschenen All Of It Was Mine trok ze voor het eerst in kleine kring de aandacht, maar ik ontdekte The Weather Station pas in 2015 toen het prachtige Loyalty verscheen.

Op het terecht stevig bewierookte doorbraakalbum verruilde Tamara Lindeman de wat aan Joni Mitchell herinnerende en bijna verstilde folk van All Of It Was Mine voor een wat voller klinkend en eigenzinniger geluid, dat de fantasie stevig prikkelde maar ook betoverde met bijzondere mooie klanken en arrangementen en de al even mooie stem van de Canadese muzikante.

Sindsdien staat The Weather Station garant voor wat mij betreft onbetwiste jaarlijstjesalbums. Na Loyalty waren immers ook The Weather Station (2017), Ignorance (2021) en How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars (2022) van een bijzondere schoonheid. Alle reden dus om met hoge verwachtingen uit te kijken naar het deze week verschenen Humanhood en ook dit keer maakt Tamara Lindeman de toch hooggespannen verwachtingen makkelijk waar.

Humanhood kwam deels improviserend tot stand en werd in de basis live opgenomen, inmiddels een beproefd concept voor The Weather Station. Ook dit keer is dat niet ten koste gegaan van de kwaliteit van de songs van Tamara Lindeman, die ook op Humanhood zeer persoonlijk van aard en nogal donker getint zijn.

De muziek van The Weather Station klinkt ook op Humanhood zeer sfeervol. Warme pianoklanken worden gecombineerd met prachtige bijdragen van blazers (fluit, klarinet en saxofoon), een geweldig spelende ritmesectie en subtiel maar zeer fraai klinkende synths. In de studio werden later nog onder andere banjo, viool en gitaarpartijen van Jim Elkington toegevoegd.

Ik vergeleek de muziek van The Weather Station de afgelopen jaren al meerdere keren met het latere werk van Talk Talk en dat is wat mij betreft nog altijd relevant vergelijkingsmateriaal, al zit Humanhood ook vol dynamiek, die me in bepaalde opzichten aan de muziek van Kate Bush doet denken.

Nog meer dan op de vorige albums van The Weather Station wordt er in muzikaal opzicht flink geëxperimenteerd. Invloeden uit de jazz spelen een voorname rol in de vaak behoorlijk complexe songs, maar net als op de vorige albums van haar project verliest Tamara Lindeman de toegankelijke popsong nooit helemaal uit het oog. Het zorgt er voor dat er ook dit keer heel veel moois is te ontdekken in de muziek op het album, dat nog wat rijker en avontuurlijker klinkt dan zijn voorgangers.

De muziek is prachtig, maar de stem van Tamara Lindeman is minstens even mooi. Het is een warme stem, die uitstekend gedijt in de spannende en betoverend mooie klankentapijten op het album. Het is ook een stem die de songs van The Weather Station voorziet van een bijzondere lading en van veel gevoel.

Ik weet uit het verleden dat de albums van Tamara Lindeman mooier worden naarmate je ze vaker hoort, maar ook bij eerste beluistering vond ik Humanhood al niet onder doen voor zijn voorgangers. Dat belooft wat voor de volgende beluisteringen van het album. Ik ga niet zeggen dat ik halverwege de eerste maand van 2025 het album van het jaar al heb gehoord, maar Tamara Lindeman heeft absoluut een bijzonder en echt wonderschoon album afgeleverd dat het unieke oeuvre van The Weather Station voorziet van nog wat meer glans.

Erwin Zijleman

 

Je kunt Humanhood hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://theweatherstation.bandcamp.com/album/humanhood

Forever Songs. Shane Alexander

After two beautiful singles, both collaborations, it is time for Shane Alexander's new album on the blog. Forever Songs is a very well chosen title, beacause the songs sound as if they have been there sort of forever. Start the album and you will hear 'You Make Your Own Luck'. The song sounds so familiar and warm. Like coming home to the place where you feel loved best. It can be explained in at least two ways.

First is hearing Shane Alexander's warm voice once again. It makes me realise how long ago it is he released his previous album, 'A Life Like Ours', it's from 2019 and how long it is since I've seen him play live. Yes, there was the pandemic of course. Anyway, the waiting days are over! He has that kind of voice that gets to me so easily. I can listen to it for a long time.

The second reason is that the song sounds as if I've known it all my life. It taps into thousands of songs that came before and touched me in one way or another. I write this with the best of intentions, as it fully stands its own against all that came before.

And allow me to add a third reason. The warmth coming from all the instruments. 'You Make Your Own Luck' is a mid  tempo song, starting with a harmonica, a lament like in 'Once Upon A Time In The West'. From there the song is sparsely filled in, but all in great taste. A picked acoustic guitar, slow piano notes and a background vocal in all the right moments. Finally, the "explosion" sets in for an electric guitar solo. This is the kind of song that I want to open a singer-songwriter album.

In a way you already have all the information on Forever Songs that you need. Shane Alexander reached for a high standard and has the experience to reach it. It all sounds as if it took no effort at all, most likely showing the listener in an indirect way the hard work that went into crafting the songs to perfection.

Shane Alexander and I may be going back for close to 20 years now. Long before this blog, underway for 13 years, he made it to the preceding magazine. With his albums and live shows in the Q-Bus in Leiden. But where most artists I saw there, were never heard of again, Shane (plus The Hackensaw Boys and The Maureens) have become constants in my life.

With Forever Songs Shane Alexander in his way tips his hat to several artists. Like George Harrison's slide guitar sound in 'Ballad Of The Troubadour' in a song that has the spaciousness of a Billy Joel song. You'll find more references that I won't give away. What it all tells me, is that this album is a mature one by a successfully seasoned singer-songwriter. The sound of a singer-songwriter who is very comfortable with his voice and his music. The kind of songs that are simply so pleasant to listen to.

The only thing you must not be looking out for is danger in music. You won't find it here. However, anyone with a love for beautiful singer-songwriter, folk with a little pop and acoustic rock in songs, is at the right address with Forever Songs. Go check the album out and be on the look out for live shows as well.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You will find Shane Alexander's albums here:

https://shanealexander.bandcamp.com/

Welcome To My Blue Sky. Momma

Momma is a band from Brooklyn, NY and excels in alternative rock somewhere between jangly pop, The Go-Go's 1980s poprock and indierock from the mid-90s. With Welcome To My Blue Sky the band settles nicely in the space where a band like La Luz is already sitting comfortably.

Founding members Etta Friedman (guitar, vocals) and Allegra Weingarten (guitar, vocals) already met in highschool and have been playing together ever since. They were joined by Aron Kobayashi Ritch (bass and producer) and Preston Fulks (drums, percussion). The first release was the mini album 'thanks come again' in 2016. So, newbys Momma are not.

The more I go into Welcome To My Blue Sky the more I'm reminded of that fantastic album from 1995, 'Eight Arms To Hold You' by Veruca Salt, only to be confronted with the fact that it's thirty years ago this year that I bought it. There's nothing like music to make me realise time is passing by. Welcome To My Blue Sky has that same optimistic view on its music while the songs themselves have that slightly downcast feel to it because of that dreamy, melancholic way of singing.

I remember a review with the two Veruca Salt ladies from that time where they lauded the producer, Bob Rock, who kept pushing them with the words: "there is another melody hidden in there" and they found it and the next one and the next one. I have no clue if  Aron Kobayashi Ritch approached his fellow band members the same way. I can imagine that he has, as Welcome To My Blue Sky is filled with golden melodies on top of one another. If he did, he deserves double compliments because as a band member it is harder to push colleagues than it is for a passer by as a producer can be.

Summing up my conclusions, Welcome To My Blue Sky is a very consistent album that brings the listener energy and the will to listen to it again. After a rather subdued beginning Mommy digs in and doesn't let go until the album is over. The album is fun, is good and memorable. End of year list material? It may very well be. Only one hurdle is left to take, longevity.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Welcome To My Blue Sky here:

https://mommaband.bandcamp.com/album/welcome-to-my-blue-sky

Timo de Jong and The Leadbeaters live. Rode Bioscoop, Amsterdam, Sunday 6 April 2025

Photo: Wout de Natris

Let's get this party started. This could well be the motto of The Leadbeaters and party we did. I would never have heard of this dhow, were it not that Timo de Jong, who played in our living room in February had not announced it there. He said he was going to practice with a band in Amsterdam the next day and going to record later this year. We jotted the date down in our agenda and took the train to our capitol city.

We walked into this obviously old venue, with an atmosphere where I can imagine my grandparents walking around in when they were courting in the 1910s. Should they have been in to socialist or communist propaganda films, which I cannot imagine in any way they'd be into. Good Catholics as they were.

In the middle of the venue microphones and instruments were standing in a circle, classic bluegrass style. There were a few chairs and I made sure we got some of them. A beer for me and a glass of white wine for the ladies. We were ready for the show.

Timo de Jong opened the afternoon with three solo songs, including the great 'Ring Them Bells' and  the saddest love song about two ants ever written. His deep voice resonated nicely in the Rode Bioscoop. After these songs, he was joined by six musicians (although one came in late), on fiddle, guitar/banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar, upright bass and charismo/triangle/spoons. Not to forget lots and lots of voices. To my surprise there were even two  familiar faces, as the bass player Thomas Olivier is a member of The Hackensaw Boys when they play in Europe and his son has been detected on stage there also.

A range of songs came by in the blue grass, cajun and folk style. Little mistakes were allowed for as it is all still new. But what an energy and what a joy to listen to, clap your hand and stomp your feet to. Not to forget sing-along to where possible or invited. There was even a The Hackensaw Boys cover, 'Listen To The Radio'. Note to self. The next time don't forget to take my snakeskin leather boots.

Photo: Wout de Natris

What became apparent during the afternoon was that my reference for this kind of music is The Hackensaw Boys, but especially the songs of former band member Ferd Moyse IV. He played the fiddle and his songs were not so much blue grass as cajun (or zydeco). I only realised this at this show.

After the break, Timo de Jong played one more song with the band, the latest single '(And In The End) We're All Gonna Die'. They had the whole audience jodeling in this ode to life with its expected outcome. Timo said farewell and that was when the party really got started. The Leadbeaters were smoking and there was no stopping them. In age ranging from anywhere between 60 and 18 the band members were really going at it. The force and stamina of the rhythm section was matched by subtlety and skill on the lead instruments. The voices sounded as if they came from deep in the bayou, with that strange sounding, highish drawl cajun singers are famous for. All in Amsterdam.

Photo: Wout de Natris

A speciality of the house are songs that start quite fast, go faster and then even more, until a moment where you expect limbs to start falling off. These are songs that become musical workouts and for some of the members it shows in the colour of their faces. It does lead to an ever more enthusiastic audience, that much is certain, but it also hurts and it shows.

What struck me most, is how much fun this music is and that it spreads joy. To players and audience alike. Some songs allow for singing along with, others strike you like a tidal wave with its brute force, while finally there is a point for rest every once in a while, though exceptions to the rule. The Leadbeaters have it all and then some.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

R.I.P. Clem Burke (1954 - 2025)

Yesterday I heard that Clem Burke, Blondie's one and only drummer, died of cancer. One day before my own band will play Blondie's 'Call Me' for the first time in rehearsal. I will speak a short word in commemoration before we do so.

Clement Anthony Burke joined Blondie in 1975 at the age of 20. He was there during all the ever bigger ups, the downs and the new up and the period after that when the band could enjoy the fame that comes with longevity.

Blondie sailed into the world on the wave of punk music coming out of New York City and its punk haunt CBGBs. Together with The Ramones, Patti Smith Group, Television, Talking Heads and others they were the vanguard of degraded hipness. Some of these artists had decades of success, others faded.

Burke was part of the success that started over here in 1978 with the band's first and only number 1 hit   'Denis'. Many hits followed, until the charts were void of Blondie songs after 'Maria' in 1999.  Burke played on them all. Where Blondie was a till of musicians that came and went, Burke was there supporting Debbie Harry and, later in the studio only, Chris Stein always. For 50 years. He also drummed in The Ramones for a very short spell and in The Romantics for 14 years, way long after that band scored its two hit singles and many others bands and artists.

Ms. Harry turns 80 this year. So, it may well be that Burke's demise spells the end of Blondie. But then, even Charlie Watts was replaceable. In the meantime, whenever I play my old Blondie albums or singles, it will be Clem Burke I hear playing his skins and cymbals. Thank you for the music, Mr. Burke.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

Breath And Air. Heather Nova

Heather Nova maakte haar beste albums in de jaren 90, maar 31 jaar na haar meesterwerk Oyster komt ze op de proppen met het prachtige Breath And Air dat echt niet onder doet voor het album uit 1994.

Een nieuw album van Heather Nova vind ik altijd interessant, maar ik had eerlijk gezegd geen hele hoge verwachtingen bij het verschijnen van Breath & Air. De Amerikaanse muzikante maakte de afgelopen jaren prima albums, maar het was lang niet zo goed als in de beste dagen van Heather Nova. Verwachtingen komen gelukkig niet altijd uit, want met Breath And Air heeft de Amerikaanse muzikante een wonderschoon album gemaakt. Breath And Air valt op door een fraaie productie en hele mooie klanken, door persoonlijke en aansprekende songs en zeker ook door de stem van Heather Nova, die echt prachtig zingt. Oyster blijft een meesterwerk, maar het nieuwe album van Heather Nova is minstens even goed.

Bij Heather Nova denk ik nog altijd direct aan haar album Oyster uit 1994. Het tweede album van de op Bermuda geboren singer-songwriter is voor mij een van de betere albums uit de jaren 90. Het is een album dat is verbonden met allerlei herinneringen, zo denk ik bij Walk This World en Throwing Fire At The Sun onmiddellijk aan een woeste taxirit door Vietnam, maar het is ook een album waarop Heather Nova ver boven zichzelf uit steeg.

Oyster is een album met geweldige songs en prachtige muziek, maar het is vooral een album waarop de stem van Heather Nova zorgde voor de ultieme verleiding en betovering. Oyster is het enige album van Heather Nova waar ik nog met enige regelmaat naar luister, want de Amerikaanse muzikante heeft ook flink wat mindere albums gemaakt.

De afgelopen jaren is Heather Nova echter weer in betere doen, al kwamen prima albums als Pearl en Other Shores wat mij betreft nog niet echt in de buurt van Oyster. Dat mag je misschien ook niet meer verwachten van een muzikante die inmiddels meer dan 30 jaar muziek maakt, maar het deze week verschenen Breath And Air vind ik echt een enorme verrassing. Het is een album dat ik direct bij eerste beluistering al schaarde onder de beste Heather Nova albums en nadat ik het album meerdere keren heb beluisterd ben ik nog veel positiever over Breath And Air.

Heather Nova nam haar nieuwe album op in het Zuid-Engelse Devon, waarbij ze samen werkte met producer Chris Bond, die vooral bekend is van zijn werk voor Ben Howard. De twee namen de tijd voor Breath And Air en dat hoor je, want wat klinkt het album prachtig. Heather Nova heeft met Breath And Air een redelijk ingetogen album gemaakt, maar de instrumentatie is lang niet altijd ingetogen.

Een deel van de songs klinkt akoestisch, terwijl een ander deel vertrouwt op synths. Het klinkt af en toe behoorlijk vol, maar de instrumentatie op het album is zeer smaakvol, zeker als ook nog eens prachtige cello klanken opduiken. Hoe mooi het allemaal in elkaar zit hoor je wanneer je het album met de koptelefoon beluistert en je kunt verbazen over de vele prachtige details.

Ik vond met name de songs van Heather Nova tegenvallen op haar wat mindere albums, maar de songs op Breath And Air zijn niet alleen mooi ingekleurd maar ook zeer aansprekend. Het zijn persoonlijke songs die niet onder doen voor de beste songs die Heather Nova in het verleden schreef en dat zegt wat.

Het mooiste heb ik nog niet eens genoemd, want dat is de stem van de Amerikaanse muzikante. Het is nog altijd de engelachtige stem die in 1994 zoveel indruk maakte, maar de zang van Heather Nova klinkt ook rijper en doorleefder, waardoor ik de zang op Breath And Air misschien nog wel mooier vind dan op Oyster en de andere vroege albums. Alle onderdelen op het album zijn mooi, maar ze weten elkaar ook nog eens op indrukwekkende wijze te versterken. De muziek op het album zorgt voor een warme en intieme sfeer en het is een sfeer waarin de zang van Heather Nova uitstekend gedijt.

Als je mij een paar weken geleden had gevraagd of Heather Nova ooit nog eens het niveau van Oyster zou halen zou ik onmiddellijk nee hebben gezegd, maar hoe vaker ik naar Breath And Air luister hoe meer ik er van overtuigd raak dat Oyster wel eens overtroffen kan zijn door dit prachtige nieuwe album. Wat een aangename en wat mij betreft sensationele verrassing.

Erwin Zijleman

Chris Eckman / The Delines live. Lantaren Venster, Rotterdam, Saturday 5 April 2025

Photo: Wout de Natris

In January Chris Eckman (ex-The Walkabouts) released his latest solo album 'The Land We Knew Best'. The album is beautiful. There's simply no other word for it. Eckman's songs are now in my life for 32 years. Ever since the release of 'New West Motel' I have followed almost every step he set in his career. Almost, as I found out that two of this solo albums were missed by me, as at first were collaborations with others.

When I read that he would be playing a solo show as support act of The Delines, I knew I had to be there. To think that I almost would have gone to Rotterdam for nothing, as flight delays almost made it impossible for him to leave Ljubljana in time to make it to the show. Sometimes luck smiles on people, on both Eckman and his fans, as the airport personnel were so kind to reschedule his flight is such a way that he could make it in time.

I had never been to  Lantaren Venster before. What a nice venue and what a great sound. In the past I was always so enthusiastic about the sound in the Q-Bus in Leiden. (Where I saw Willy Vlautin's former band Richmond Fontaine twice.) Lantaren Venster's sound is one level up. It was simply perfect. Almost as listening to an album at home. So clear, so spacious. Cudos for the sound engineer!

Photo: Wout de Natris

Chris Eckman played a 35 minute show. It took about two songs for his voice to warm up and for the guitar to be totally zoned in. From that moment onwards there was no looking back. I can listen to his darkish voice all night long. The elementary but clear guitar playing supported his songs and voice. Eckman is no virtuoso. He's an accomplished guitarist and a great songwriter. With several songs of his latest album, stripped down to the bone, he commanded silence in the venue. Everybody was listening and rightly so. The quality of his compositions stood the test of his solo performance with ease. With 'The Stopping Of Place' we got one The Walkabouts song, where I'd hoped for one or two more. Which is okay of course. This show was all about the new album. I hope that his new album is picked up more and more and that this will allow him to tour at some point in a band setting again. Being Uncut's album of the month may just be that little push he needs. In the meantime, I'm glad that he was in the country once again. This was a beautiful show. For all of you who have become curious, in May Chris Eckman tours with The Delines again.

Here you find our review of The Land We Knew Best:

https://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-land-we-knew-best-chris-eckman.html

Photo: Wout de Natris

The surprise of the evening was The Delines' show. You will not find an album review by my hand on this blog. By necessity, to be released new albums are scanned fast before I put in time to write about one. The Delines never made it past that first cut. You can imagine I was sceptical going into the show. It took about 30 seconds and I knew the evening was going to be fine. Jazzy, soul, pop, ballads, whatever you want to call it, there are elements of all these genres in The Delines' songs. According to the bio the band was started by Willy Vlautin in 2013, then of Richmond Fontaine and a budding author, to give singer Amy Boone a spot to show her voice to the world. What a great decision that was!

The band is filled with musical veterans who play this slow kind of music with so much ease and finesse. All the solos were trumpet solos by keyboard player Cory Gray. The rest of the band served Ms Boone and played delicate solo lines within chords. They also delivered three harmony parts. The biggest feat vocally were songs where there was almost nothing to hang on to as vocalist, as everything to do with the melody came from the voice and not one single instrument. There was nothing to help Amy Boone keeping melody and time. It sounded just perfect.

Photo: Wout de Natris

As a final comment, Vlautin wrote a few songs for her that started like a familiar one from the past and then took its own turn. I thought I heard Nancy & Lee's 'Summer Wine' and Gladys Knight & The Pips' 'Midnight Train To Georgia' start, only to leave again. All to make Amy Boone shine. And shine she did.

The world is full of surprises and this day I was allowed to witness one. A beautiful evening thanks to two great artists.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght