Land Of The Forgotten. Brit Taylor

De Amerikaanse muzikante Brit Taylor leek zich met haar debuutalbum te scharen onder de smaakmakers binnen de countrypop, maar ook op haar nieuwe album kiest ze weer vooral voor een wat traditioneler klinkend geluid.

Als je een stem hebt als die van Brit Taylor kun je eigenlijk alleen maar countrymuziek maken. Dat doet de muzikante uit Nashville dan ook en ze doet het bovendien heel goed. Op haar derde album Land Of The Forgotten lijkt ze definitief te kiezen voor een wat traditioneler geluid met zowel invloeden uit de country als de bluegrass, maar de songs van Brit Taylor klinken ook fris en aanstekelijk en schuiven af en toe wat op richting een moderner geluid. Het is een geluid dat in alle songs is volgestopt met fraaie bijdragen van een heel arsenaal aan snareninstrumenten, waardoor Land Of The Forgotten het waarschijnlijk uitstekend gaat doen bij liefhebbers van Amerikaanse rootsmuziek.

Brit Taylor leverde net iets meer dan vijf jaar geleden met Real Me een prachtig debuutalbum af. De Amerikaanse muzikante had haar leven net goed op de rails toen haar huwelijk op de klippen liep en ze financieel aan de grond kwam te zitten. Ze werd opgeraapt door Black Keys voorman Dan Auerbach met wie ze een aantal van de songs schreef die op Real Me terecht kwamen. Real Me was wat mij betreft een van de betere countrypop albums van 2021 en de concurrentie in het genre was dat jaar stevig. 

Twee jaar na haar debuutalbum keerde Brit Taylor terug met Kentucky Blue en ook dat was een uitstekend album. Vergeleken met haar debuutalbum koos de Amerikaanse voor een flink traditioneler geluid met vooral invloeden uit de country en de bluegrass, maar de songs op het album klonken ook fris en toegankelijk. Ook het door David Ferguson en Sturgill Simpson prachtig geproduceerde Kentucky Blue kon in 2023 mee met de beste rootsalbums van het jaar, al was de doelgroep net wat anders dan twee jaar eerder. 

Brit Taylor bracht in 2024 nog een nieuwe versie van Kentucky Blue uit (Kentucky Bluegrassed), waarop ze de songs van het album een extra bluegrass injectie gaf, maar het deze week verschenen Land Of The Forgotten is wat mij betreft het officiële derde album van de Amerikaanse muzikante. 

In de openingstrack Broke No More lijkt de muzikante uit Nashville te kiezen voor een nog wat traditioneler geluid dan op Kentucky Blue. Ze groeide op aan de voet van de Appalachen en laat in de openingstrack van Land Of The Forgotten horen dat ze de invloeden uit haar jeugd niet vergeten is. 

Het derde album van Brit Taylor is in veel songs een album dat het geluid van haar vorige album doortrekt, maar af en toe sijpelt er ook wel wat door van haar debuutalbum, dat de countrypop wat steviger omarmde. Na de producers van naam en faam van Kentucky Blue koos Brit Taylor dit keer voor de samenwerking met haar (nieuwe) echtgenoot Adam Chaffin, die het album trefzeker produceerde. 

Het eerste deel van het nieuwe album zal zeer in de smaak vallen bij liefhebbers van wat traditionelere country en bluegrass, maar naarmate het album vordert winnen de wat modernere invloeden met enige regelmaat aan terrein in de songs van Brit Taylor. Modern is niet helemaal het goede woord, want het album blijft verwijderd bij de countrypop van het moment en sluit incidenteel eerder aan bij de countrypop uit de jaren 90. 

De titeltrack van het album is een track waarvoor Fleetwood Mac zich in de jaren 70 niet zou hebben geschaamd, al houdt Brit Taylor wel vast aan het instrumentarium dat is verbonden met de Amerikaanse rootsmuziek. De muziek op Land Of The Forgotten wordt gedomineerd door snareninstrumenten, waarvan er flink wat worden ingezet op het album (gitaren, dobro, mandoline, viool, pedal steel, banjo). 

Het levert een smaakvol en ook warm geluid op, waarin de prima muzikanten die zijn te horen op het album de kans krijgen om te schitteren. Dat doet Brit Taylor ook zelf, want ze beschikt over de perfecte stem voor het maken van country, bluegrass en countrypop. Ik vond haar stem nog net wat indrukwekkender op het met melancholie overladen Real Me, maar ook op Land Of The Forgotten zingt de Amerikaanse muzikante prachtig en ik gun haar uiteraard het levensgeluk. Al met al het derde uitstekende album van de in Nederland helaas nog wat onbekende Brit Taylor.

Erwin Zijleman

Painted Sea, Painted Stars. Steve French

Cees Paris was once a part of the Canshaker Pi and Personal Trainer entourage around Willem Smit, but he found his own vehicle with Steve French, assisted by some friends of old. In the past seven years I wrote reviews of 'Lightning Tiger Running' (2019) and 'Dogs' (2022). And then I sort of overlooked the latest effort released in March of this year. Time to make amends, as with Painted Sea, Painted Stars, Paris shows to be home from many markets.

Rereading my 2019 review, the following sentences struck me:

"What I notice in the nine song album is that Steve French is able to create a few moods. First there is the ramshackle vagueness. Secondly, very direct songs. Finally there is an alternative ballad, just one man and one guitar, no matter how short the song is".

Come 2026, Steve French is still very good at that mix and even adds an Hawaiian influenced track to boot.

The new album shows a far more mature and serious Steve French. This is no longer a young exuberant man bouncing around, showing off his musical prowess. A lot of thought has gone into the new album. It sounds far more mapped out, but without losing the open-mindedness of a fresh sound.

Like I wrote, Painted Sea, Painted Stars is a varied album. Indie rock can be found in abundance, but also an alternative ballad, 'Shallow Glow', with just Cees Paris and his guitar and a little embellishments. Then take the way the album ends. 'Arid Plains' is a full hybrid song. It is an alternative ballad, with a band. It includes an interesting electrical piano part, great riffs and an exploding electric guitar in a very short interlude (solo?). Because of the alternative approach, it is hard to call it beautiful, yet, in its own way it is. Constantly tugging at my pleasing and at my prickly pear side, manoeuvring itself between pop and alternative.

As a small boy, I was allowed to go to a radio studio with my mother and grandmother to record a programme for the ship my dad sailed on at the time. All I got to say was "dag pappa". There was a band performing, The Kilima Hawaiians. I had totally forgotten about this event and here's Steve French with the track 'Blue Hawaii' bringing back the memory. Thank you for that.

The indierock side of Steve French with some postpunk flavours dominates the biggest parts of Painted Sea, Pained Stars. No song is just straightforward, there's always a twist here, a turn there, the curve ball thrown in to prick up the ears or to give a jolt. It remains melodic but never in expected ways. Exactly what makes the Dutch alternative / postpunk rock scene so good. Steve French claims its position here no little.

Summing up, the more mature approach suits Steve French really well. The band fits right in with what is happening in this country and found its own voice along the way.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can order Painted Sea, Painted Stars here:

https://excelsior-recordings.com/products/steve-french-painted-sea-painted-stars 

The Rideout. The Chelsea Curve

With the avalanche of albums reaching me every week, it is extremely hard to catch up on albums that are released during a holiday and other periods of time where listening and writing are hard to do. Based on listening to the single 'Ride' by The Chelsea Curve, I knew it was time to make the extra effort.

'Ride' is a such an energetic song. The Boston band is rocking in a serious way, without forgetting that a golden vocal melody is the thing of miracles where hit songs are concerned. Whatever the influence of The Radio Indie Alliance Top 100 is I can't tell you, the fact that 'Ride' recently was its number 1 does tell you something. 'Ride' is the kind of song that deserves being a number 1. Most likely the current number 1 in our Top 40 doesn't, as far as I'm concerned.

Like me, The Chelsea Curve is a remnant of the past. From the time when Blondie managed to top the charts with 'Denis' and the albums 'Plastic Letters' and 'Parallel Lines'. Listen to 'Kindawanna' and 'Out Of My Head' and you know more than enough. Both are songs that deserve to be hits in that parallel universe of mine and The Chelsea Curve's and that Indie Alliance Top 100.

Photo: Trebmal Photography

The Chelsea Curve is from Boston and consists of Linda Pardee (bass, vocals, keys), Tim Gillis (guitars, vocals, keys), and Bruce Caporal (drums and percussion). The Rideout is the band's second album after 'All The Things' (2021), that was released after eight single releases in just as many months. You'll find many reviewed in the singles' section but not the album as a whole. With The Rideout WoNoBlog makes its amends. The Rideout deserves your full attention.

Despite being a mini album of just seven songs, the energy shared with you by the band will last you for the rest of the day. In the first seconds of the album The Chelsea Curve grabs me and, the trio does not let go of me before the final note has faded away, leaving me totally fulfilled. The Rideout is one explosion of energy, contending for the Blondie crown. If you plan to listen to one powerpop/rock album this year, The Rideout should be your record of choice.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order The Rideout here:

https://thechelseacurve.bandcamp.com/album/the-rideout 

Path Of Totality. The Montvales

Het Amerikaanse duo The Montvales doet op het derde album Path Of Totality alles goed en overtuigt met een mooi rootsgeluid, lekker in het gehoor liggende songs en prachtig bij elkaar kleurende stemmen.

Ik had Path Of Totality van The Montvales bijna over het hoofd gezien, maar het nieuwe album van Sally Buice en Molly Rochelson is me inmiddels heel dierbaar. Path Of Totality van The Montvales klinkt op het eerste gehoor als een wat traditioneler aandoend rootsalbum, maar de songs van het tweetal uit Tennessee hebben ook iets lichtvoetigs en een randje pop. Het zijn songs die zijn ingekleurd met vooral snareninstrumenten, wat een aangenaam en smaakvol geluid oplevert. Het is een geluid dat verder wordt opgetild door de mooie stemmen van Sally Buice en Molly Rochelson, die elkaar prachtig versterken. De prima songs op het album maken het helemaal af. Topalbum.

The Euro Americana Chart, een maandelijkse lijst met de beste rootsalbums van de maand volgens een stuk of 70 reporters, biedt absoluut ruimte aan vrouwelijke muzikanten, maar wordt het grootste deel van de tijd aangevoerd door mannelijke muzikanten. In april was het anders en stond het nieuwe album van The Montvales bovenaan de lijst. 

Het is wat zuur dat ik als groot liefhebber van vrouwenstemmen juist dit album heb gemist in de week van de release, maar dankzij The Euro Americana Chart heb ik het album gelukkig toch nog redelijk op tijd ontdekt. The Montvales is een duo uit Knoxville, Tennessee, dat bestaat uit Sally Buice en Molly Rochelson. Path Of Totality is het derde album van het tweetal, maar ik was de naam The Montvales tot de publicatie van The Euro Americana Chart van april volgens mij nog niet eerder tegengekomen. 

Ik ga Sally Buice en Molly Rochelson vanaf nu wel in de gaten houden, want Path Of Totality is een erg goed album. Dat is voor een belangrijk deel de verdienste van de stemmen van Sally Buice en Molly Rochelson, want zeker bij eerste beluistering springen die het meest in het oor. Het zijn stemmen die elkaar prachtig ondersteunen, maar die elkaar ook versterken. 

Het zijn stemmen die duidelijk van elkaar verschillen, maar ze kleuren echt heel mooi bij elkaar. Ook wanneer Sally Buice en Molly Rochelson niet tegelijk zingen is de zang op hun album echt bijzonder mooi, maar als de stemmen samensmelten gebeurt er iets bijzonders. Bij het soort harmonieën dat is te horen op het album van The Montvales gaat de zang vaak voluit, maar Sally Buice en Molly Rochelson zingen ook fraai ingetogen, wat de schoonheid van de zang ten goede komt. 

Het nieuwe album van het duo uit Tennessee moet het niet alleen hebben van de vocale kracht van de twee, want ook de muziek op hun nieuwe album is heel mooi. Sally Buice speelt zelf banjo, terwijl Molly Rochelson zorgt voor een deel van het gitaarwerk. Het snarenwerk van de twee wordt aangevuld door een handvol extra muzikanten, die onder andere bijdragen van de pedal steel, mandoline, viool, bas, drums en nog wat extra impulsen van gitaren en de banjo toevoegen aan het verzorgd klinkende geluid op Path Of Totality. 

Het is een geluid dat goed past in het hokje Amerikaanse rootsmuziek met vooral invloeden uit de folk en de country, maar veel songs van het tweetal hebben ook iets lichts door ook een vleugje pop toe te voegen aan het geluid. Ik werd in eerste instantie vooral gegrepen door de zang van Sally Buice en Molly Rochelson, maar wat klinkt het nieuwe album van The Montvales lekker. 

Dat ligt niet alleen aan het fraai snarenwerk dat domineert in de muziek op het album, maar ook aan de lekker in het gehoor liggende maar ook aansprekende en vaak voorzichtig aanstekelijke songs van The Montvales. Het duo uit Knoxville heeft een album gemaakt dat in de smaak zal vallen bij liefhebbers van wat traditioneler klinkende Amerikaanse rootsmuziek, maar Path Of Totality is ook een album dat een breder publiek aan moet kunnen spreken, wat misschien ook wel blijkt uit de hoge notering in The Euro Americana Chart van deze maand. 

Ik heb het album zelf ontdekt via deze lijst en wat ben ik daar blij mee. Path Of Totality van The Montvales heeft immers alles wat nodig is om uit te groeien tot een van mijn favoriete albums van 2026, al is het jaar nog lang natuurlijk.

Erwin Zijleman

 

Je kunt The Path Of Totality hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://themontvales.bandcamp.com/album/path-of-totality 

made it!. lucky break

When lucky break made its debut on this blog with a review of the single 'Camp Song', I wrote:

"Believe it or not, I can, as it were, hear Tammy Wynette sing Camp Song, but also R.E.M. Now that is what I call a hybrid".

Having familiarised myself with her album made it! I can state that this feeling of listening to a hybrid album has not leave me. Despite rocking out as well, the mood at times switches between country and indie, especially because she is able to sing in an indie and a country kind of way. I will not go as far and write that this artist cannot make up her mind on what it is she wants to be, that she's comfortable somewhere in between seems obvious.

lucky break is Emma Gerson who has an East and West Coast background. After a short stint in the music industry, she felt she wanted to be a musician first and that resulted in the EP 'Biggest Thing' and now in her debut album made it!. On the album, she worked with Elliott Woodbridge, friend and co-producer. Gerson played the acoustic guitar and Woodbridge all other instruments.

That country feel aside, it's obvious that Emma Gerson grew up with a solid dose of indierock. This music form is the bedrock of made it!. lucky break is not afraid to rock and move from the light to the shade and back. Take Darklight for example. The soft toned verses are painted over in dark overtones when the chorus gets there. Listen to the two opening songs and you hear she's pretty convincing in songs that may alienate pure pop lovers but please the more alternative pop-rock fans.

Promo photo

A third element in lucky break's music that struck me, is her closeness to the indie female singers coming out of New Zealand like Vera Ellen, Aldous Harding and Ernie Ball. On made it! the indie, alternative rock and folk elements are mingled just as easily. It makes made it! stand out for me just a little bit more. And, makes the album so much more varied. The playfulness of 'Red Balloon' is a good example of such another tone compared to most other songs on made it!.

made it! is a debut album, but as a whole it is a mature album by an artist who seems to have a clear view of where she wants to go. So don't take my primary observation too serious. lucky break is indie/alternative enough to be taken seriously and allows in other elements that may make her attractive to a lot more music fans. Time will tell if she will make a choice or is able to keep walking on that thin line in the middle. In the meantime let's enjoy this good debut album.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

 

2026, week 20. 10 singles

Today you will find a bunch of octogenarians in the singles section and all with songs that are vibrant and full of life totally belying their age. At that age one can know what will be the last you'll do. If this over time will be proven to be the last, all can be tremendously pleased with these efforts. To compensate there a few very new names as well, some even debut records. In other words, more than enough to explore and enjoy!

Rome. Brook Fox

And yet another debut on the blog. He is an indie-pop/rock artist from South-West Wales who knows exactly how the light and the shade works in his music. My take is that his main influences come from the post-grunge era with bands like Creed and that band with the hit 'Outside' that I keep forgetting the name of, Staind? Brook Fox' own contribution is the pop element he throws into the mix, making Rome far less darker than the bands I mentioned. That said, he knows how to make his band rock and handles the light and the shade to perfection, giving an audience a moment to rest before everyone can explode into the song once again. Rome is aimed for festival fields in the way it is set up and it is working as far as I'm concerned.

Still In The Race EP. RubinCarter

RubinCarter is Queen's Pleasure drummer Sal Rubinstein turned singer-songwriter. After the release of singles announcing his debut EP, we can listen to the whole work. The songs started in his bedroom playing an acoustic guitar just for his own pleasure. Slowly but surely he realised these songs should be heard by more people. With help from his friends the songs and RubinCarter took shape. Ruben Carter became a famous name because of the Bob Dylan - Jacques Levy composition 'Hurricane', more than because of his boxing career and trial. Do not expect Bob Dylan style music here. The EP kicks off with the alternative rock track 'Unentertained'. A song that goes for the big sound, with a huge lead guitar and background vocals. The exact right song to put on pole position, because it is the kind of song that can define a career. In theory 'Unentertained' is a song to play in a stadium and to have that as your first song on your first EP is an asset. With 'Frame' the mood goes down, but again RubinCarter shows to know what it takes to arrange a song in such a way that it catches the ear. Going deeper into the EP, it becomes clear Sal Rubinstein is showing us what he is capable of. His goal was not to create a musically consistent EP. 'April' is a ballad with a fingerpicked acoustic guitar. It is not my favourite song on the EP but it certainly shows courage to present such a different song. 'Still In The Race' is also a ballad but of a different sort. The slide guitar gives the song a distinct rock feel as does the main riff. So is the final song, 'Money Machine'. Setting the easy scoring opening rock track apart, 'Money Machine' is the song that impresses me most. It has this easy going vibe, while at the same time being able to make a great impression on me. Without making a grand effort during the first impression, 'Money Machine' is the kind of song that slowly but surely turns into a anthem.  A modest one but an anthem nonetheless."Lalala" sometimes is enough to do the trick. RubinCarter is a name to watch alright.

ESO. The Bernadette Maries

The Bernadette Maries from Brussels return with its second single. ESO is a song with two faces. It all starts out as an alternative rock song. In fact I can call it grunge without any qualms. Nirvana is all over the intro. The light and the shade between verse and chorus? Check. The two guitar line up is used to create a lighter mood and a darker one. Before the two minutes mark things change. Let's call it psychedelic, that interlude. Not that the world becomes all wobbly and out of focus, it still qualifies. The drums come in with a high and fast rhythm after which singer/bassist Daria takes over the lead vocals. By then the song has been totally set on its head. I have to admit, I like the first part better, yet surprising it is. Two singles down, upcoming album 'Soft' is an album to look out for. We have a, hopefully, glorious summer in front of us first, as the release date is set for 18 September.

Ride. The Chelsea Curve

Click The Chelsea Curve in this blog's search engine and one single after the other pops up. Promoted by the late Justine Covault, the band came into my life thanks to her and I liked the band better by the single. Come 2026 and here's the band once again with single Ride from the already released album 'The Rideout'. Like a song with a title like it should, it is about riding, a motorcycle in this case. Linda Pardee (bass, vocals, keys) and Tim Gillis (guitars, vocals, keys) are joined by their new drummer Bruce Caporal. The trio rocks in a very familiar way, more U.K. than the U.S. A band like The Who comes to mind from the time when they were able to blend pop and rock in a perfect way. Mixed a little into the background is the warm sound of a Hammond organ, but mostly the guitars, bass and drums are rocking no little. The Chelsea Curve adds some delicious pop elements in the background vocals and packs Ride with some great rock riffs as well. Do things come much better than this? I doubt it. Brilliant single.

Home To Us. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr

It's 2026 and 50% of The Beatles release a single together. In the year Paul turns 84 and Ringo 86, the two present a song that is simply great fun. You won't hear me saying this is their best work, but it is good. In the lyrics they look back at their youth, when where you lived was simply called home, no matter how you might look at the house or you think of the circumstances today. The song has a strong pop vibe with some Status Quo light overtones. The two alternate on vocals, with Ringo singing in a slightly different voice than normal, fitting Home To Us perfectly. Just close your eyes for two seconds and imagine that all four were still alive and working together. That  would have made a very decent single, ranking there with George's 'Handle Me With Care' by The Travelling Wilburys for example. In fact, I haven't heard a better song by Paul than Home To Us since I don't know when. There's a new album in the stars, ‘The Boys O f Dungeon Lane’ and its release date is 29 May.

In The Stars. The Rolling Stones

Yes, I'm a fan since like forever. No not from the beginning. I'm not that old. But let's face it, In The Stars is a tossaway kind of Stones song. Sure, it's nice and the "ooooooo" part does give it a little extra. Yet, I have 'Undercover Of The Night', 'She Was Hot', 'One Hit To The Body' and 'Rock And A Hard Place', to name a few of the average Stones singles already in my collection. In The Stars does not add a lot more. On the positive side. There is a new Stones single and yes, it sounds energetic. Andrew Watt does get the best out of the Jagger-Richard material of the 2020s and Jagger is a 82 year old force of nature. The man must be so fit that not even his voice wears down. The hard life seems to be catching up with Keith Richards. To give the song some credit, the way the song plays out, with the piano coming in, I may take a shine to it any way. The details are nicer than I thought at first. Only two more months and we'll know more about 'Foreign Tongues', including, once again, Paul McCartney.

Arrogant Boy. Deep Purple 

Established in 1968, also Deep Purple is releasing a new album in 2026, 'Splat!' and listening to Arrogant Boy, the band is in top form. The song goes off in classic hard rock, metal, symphonic rock directions as if its the most normal thing in the world. The three from the Mach II line up and most famous one, Gillan, Glover, Paice and keyboard player Don Airey around for the whole of this century, are joined by new guitarist Simon McBride. Together the rock like it is 1970 something. The guitar playing in the verses wasn't invented then though. Think Metallica or something like it. Next, Marillion comes in and a little Bowie in the singing in the "Billy" interlude part. There's so much energy here that it is inconceivable that I'm listening to older senior citizens of around 80. Arrogant Boy is pure power and more importantly, a great song.

Only Free When Sleeping. Big Special

With two records in two years and one stand alone single, the announcement of a new EP by Big Special shows that the band is in a hurry to show more of itself. 'O'Joy' will be out on 5 June. It is said to contain the songs that did not fit on both albums. Those following the band will not be surprised by Only Free When Sleeping. Vocalist Joe Hicklin does his mix of rapping/talking singing in his Midlands accent, while drummer Callum Moloney points the direction of the song through his relentless rhythm. Who does all else that we hear, I don't know. Only Free When Your Sleeping is a strong song, like the best songs of the duo are. There's always urgency that is brought across and not only because of the vocal delivery. The whole song wants its listeners to move and move some more. Yes, it's undeniable, I like Big Special, even if it is a bit outside of my usual musical habitat.

Mess. Tape Toy

Tape Toy debuted on this blog with a single of its EP 'Launch The Rocket' in January 2025. Today the band is back with the up tempo, almost creating a hunted down kind of tempo of Mess. Don't expect originality, as I've heard a song like this so many times before. What Mess does present is a truckload of positive energy, fun and little surprises all throughout the song. The song announces an as yet unnamed album to be released in September. Based on what I'm hearing here, it should be great fun. The mix of a modern sounding lo-fi song with all the modernity electronics and samples can add, presents a song that is simply filled with inventions, additions, weirdness, to return to the kind of art rock bands like The Mo and The Kewi University of Swing were already making around 1980. Then add that tempo and you have Mess. Tape Toy, a band to be on the lookout for.

Just Love. Reluctant Bob & The Lonely Lovers

Just Love is the kind of pure pop that came into fashion a long time ago and somewhere in the 1970s went out again, after bubblegum bands like The Rubettes and Showaddywaddy, who rehashed the feel from the decade before, went out of fashion. I never hear these two examples anymore. The originals from the 1960s still seem to come by and may forever come by when new generations take a look a their grandparents' records collection (or Tik Tok or Spotify of course). That makes Just Love pure nostalgia for a time long gone, but no less fun. Just listen to those guitar notes, the sweet harmony vocals, the way the piano adds to the fun. In a way the song reminds me most of The Rutles, Eric Idle's The Beatles parody. Just Love would have fit perfectly on the album, without parodying a The Beatles song in a superb way. Well done, Reluctant Bob & The Lonely Lovers.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

True. Tenderness

De coronapandemie inspireerde de Britse muzikante Katy Beth Young tot het schrijven van een aantal persoonlijke songs, die nu zijn terechtgekomen op True, het prachtige debuutalbum van haar soloproject Tenderness.

Katy Beth Young maakte samen met Rosa Slade een aantal albums onder de naam Peggy Sue, maar de coronapandemie gooide roet in het eten. De Britse muzikante schreef in haar eentje een aantal songs en deze songs zijn te horen op het onder de naam Tenderness uitgebrachte album True. Het zijn songs met veel invloeden uit de Amerikaanse rootsmuziek, maar de songs van Katy Beth Young hebben ook een Brits en soms wat steviger geluid. In muzikaal opzicht klinkt het allemaal prachtig en dat geldt ook voor de stem van Katy Beth Young, die de wat melancholische songs op True met veel gevoel vertolkt. Het levert een bijzonder mooi album op, dat het op de nog even donkere avonden van het moment echt prachtig doet. Het album had me echt binnen een minuut te pakken met zeer sfeervolle klanken en een bijzonder mooie stem. 

Vervolgens kon ik op zoek naar informatie over Tenderness, want het is een naam die ik nog niet eerder had gehoord. Tenderness blijkt het alter ego van de Britse muzikante Katy Beth Young. Ook dat is een naam die niet direct een belletje deed rinkelen, maar de onderzoeker, schrijver en muzikante uit Londen maakte met haar band Peggy Sue een album dat ik zestien jaar geleden besprak op de krenten uit de pop. 

Peggy Sue maakte uiteindelijk vier albums, maar na het positief besproken debuutalbum verloor ik de band helaas uit het oog. Ik ben blij dat ik de muziek van Katy Beth Young nu weer heb opgepikt, want True van Tenderness is een bijzonder mooi album, dat me steeds dierbaarder wordt. 

Het is een album waarvoor het zaadje werd geplant tijdens de coronapandemie, die het leven van muzikanten tussen 2020 en 2022 moeilijk maakte. Katy Beth Young zat in haar appartement in Londen en begon met het schrijven van songs. De een paar jaar geleden al opgenomen ruwe demo’s werden uiteindelijk uitgewerkt tot de songs die zijn terechtgekomen op True. 

True kreeg concurrentie van stapels andere albums en moet het vooralsnog stellen zonder al te veel aandacht. In de ene recensie die ik van het album ben tegengekomen wordt het een Americana album genoemd. Dat vind ik persoonlijk niet helemaal passen, maar ik heb geen goed alternatief. 

Invloeden uit de Amerikaanse rootsmuziek hebben inderdaad hun weg gevonden naar het eerste album van Tenderness, maar Katy Beth Young heeft er allerlei invloeden aan toegevoegd, variërend van Britse folk tot indierock. Het zorgt ervoor dat True een onderscheidend geluid heeft en dat is in het enorme aanbod van het moment winst. 

Katy Beth Young begon een paar jaar geleden met vrij ruwe demo’s, maar heeft uiteindelijk flink wat muzikanten ingeschakeld voor het debuutalbum van haar project. Gitaren spelen een voorname rol op het album en het zijn de soms wat ruwe gitaarakkoorden die meestal een prominente plek hebben gekregen in de mix, maar op de achtergrond zijn veel instrumenten toegevoegd, waaronder strijkers, synths en een pedal steel. 

Het levert een geluid op dat een groot deel van de tijd vooral Amerikaans klinkt, maar in de ruwe randjes die de Britse muzikante heeft toegevoegd aan haar geluid klinken ook wel wat Britse invloeden door. Ik vind de muziek op True echt heel mooi, maar de stem van Katy Beth Young is nog wat mooier. Het is een krachtige stem, maar de muzikante uit Londen zingt ook met veel precisie en gevoel. 

Dat gevoel heeft een oorsprong, want Katy Beth Young kreeg naast de coronapandemie nog wat meer ellende te verwerken de afgelopen jaren, wat heeft gezorgd voor flink wat melancholie in de songs. Die melancholie wordt nog wat zwaarder aangezet wanneer een compleet koor wordt ingeschakeld, maar ook als de muziek ingetogen is en alles van de stem van Katy Beth Young moet komen grijpt ze je makkelijk bij de strot. 

Een album moet in deze drukke releaseweken een beetje geluk hebben om op te vallen en dat heeft True nog niet, maar wat ben ik blij met dit ontroerend mooie en ook ijzersterke album.

Erwin Zijleman

 

Je kunt True hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://tenderness.bandcamp.com/album/true 

Train On The Island. Aldous Harding

Listening to Train On The Island I get the idea that Aldous Harding is slowly but surely retreating from music. As if she makes herself smaller by the album, vocally and musically. The only other band I know who pulled that off successfully for a few years, was The Walkabouts. That did not turn out well for the band in the end, as it got lost in silence and when it tried to find its way back, there was no audience left to sustain it. Don't worry, Aldous Harding is not there yet.

Enter Train On The Island, the fifth album by New Zealand's singer-songwriter Aldous Harding. I was attracted immediately to the released singles and the album goes down really well with me. But, I can imagine an average listener asking me 'is anything going to happen today?' Yes, it is, but you have to be quiet and pay attention.

(Almost) all is subtlety on Train On The Island. In that Ms. Harding moves closer to the magical environment her countrywoman Reb Fountain creates on her records. The music is slow and so subtle. The rewards are in the little details that are interspersed between the at times elementary chord progressions. The second reward is Aldous Harding's voice that slowly but surely (and softly) mesmerised the listener. All hurry and urgency has left her it seems. The title song is the ultimate example I can give you. This could have been a Reb Fountain song, sure. But the little rewards are in the wizardry that moves in and out of the song, as if she asked Gary Lucas to play like he did on a few songs on 'Grace' and in her background vocals.

I could use all the songs as examples as well, because they all have parts that stand out, if you listen closely. Don't and you will only hear a slow moving album that could even become utterly boring. Train On The Island is an ever so soft album, but to make it come alive it should be played louder in the room or with a headset on. This way it opens up and shows its full colours. Just like half way the album opens up more as well for two songs, defying the quieter parts.

My first impression is that Train On The Island is a far more interesting album than Ms. Aldous previous effort, 'Warm Chris' (2023) and can be placed on the same height as 'Designer' (2019). She worked once again with producer John Parish in Wales, just like her previous three albums. Together they have created a sound that can today be called Aldous Harding's sound and it is a sound I have come to like.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Train On The Island here:

https://aldousharding.bandcamp.com/album/train-on-the-island 

Gaze At The Raisin. The Slow Clock

Is it three years already since 'Interpretative Dancing'? Time flies when life happens and often is fun. A new The Slow Clock album is always something to look forward to. Harmen Kuiper's home project, a modern form of lo-fi, i.e. the concept of recording DIY at home with a far better sound, has a fifth iteration and once again takes me through a whole range of styles, emotions and voices. Once again he works with singer-songwriter Amarins Romkema who assists on co- and background vocals, making the album even more varied in sound.

With Gaze At The Raisin, a pointer to raisin therapy no less, The Slow Clock presents itself as an alternative pop band. No one loving modern acts like Raye or Olivia Rodrigo will recognise the pop in this music, yet it is there. Built up from the rhythm of a drum computer, different kind of songs are presented. Some can be compared to the likes of, here they are once again, Pickle Darling and Carol Cleveland Sings, others have a more pop feel as soon as more estranging elements are left behind in the recording bedroom.

Things on this album start with 1960s (psychedelic) pop. Kuiper is an obvious fan of psychedelic pop tracks of the age. He plays elements from this music over the electronic rhythms. He may turn them inside out and/or upside down, connaisseurs like me recognise these elements immediately. The next level The Slow Clock adds is a more alternative feel. One that makes a pop tune less recognisable. Treat a voice a little electronically, use notes that will make the listener listen again to truly understand what is happening here (or turn them off immediately), bring in electronics. The result is songs that do not bring instant satisfaction but are far more fun to listen to.

At the same time it is clear that a lot of work went into the arrangements of the songs. They all work, have surprising elements or turns and satisfy in the end. Melodies and counter melodies can be found. Elements that usually are not associated with lo-fi music. A laptop and a recording programme offer infinite options just like the most expensive recording studios do. Harmen Kuiper uses all the options modern technique offers him, successfully.

I will refrain from singling out individual songs. It is not so relevant if one songs has a great guitar riff or has a corny synth sound and another seems inspired by Personal Trainer, etc. What the main message is, that Gaze At The Raisin has this pop feel that makes me feel good, while listening to the album. That message should be enough to make you take a listen right now. Too bad though that The Slow Clock only play live shows in Los Angeles.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Gaze At The Raisin here:

https://chinup.bandcamp.com/album/gaze-at-the-raisin 

Misty Mountain. Sophia Yau-Weeks

Sophia Yau-Weeks is een debuterende muzikante uit Oakland, California, maar ze heeft met het echt in alle opzichten wonderschone Misty Mountain een album gemaakt dat geen moment klinkt als een debuutalbum.

Al sinds mijn eerste kennismaking ben ik compleet ondersteboven van Misty Mountain van de Amerikaanse singer-songwriter Sophia Yau-Weeks. Het is nauwelijks te geloven dat ze pas een paar jaar geleden is begonnen met het schrijven van songs, want Misty Mountain is een album van een bijna ongekende schoonheid. De muziek op het album is bijzonder mooi, de productie is prachtig, de songs zijn intiem en stuk voor stuk indringend en dan is er ook nog eens de stem van de Amerikaanse muzikante die je continu in vervoering brengt. Het debuut van Sophia Yau-Weeks was voor mij direct goed voor kippenvel en mijn bewondering voor dit betoverend mooie album is alleen maar groter geworden. Wat een ontdekking!

Mijn rondje langs de nieuwe albums op het Amerikaanse muziekplatform bandcamp zette me bij toeval op het spoor van het debuutalbum van de Amerikaanse singer-songwriter Sophia Yau-Weeks. De teksten waarmee muzikanten zich op bandcamp introduceren zeggen meestal niet al te veel, maar de tekst van Sophia Yau-Weeks is behoorlijk informatief: “Sophia Yau-Weeks is a singer-songwriter based in Oakland, CA. Now back in her hometown after a two-year-stint living in London, Yau-Weeks is releasing her debut record, Misty Mountain. This vulnerable body of work, which was recorded to tape at Tiny Telephone Oakland, is rooted in slowness and introspection. The album was co-produced with Maryam Qudus (SPELLLING, Gracie Abrams, Alanis Morissette)”. 

Wat ik op basis van deze introductie nog niet wist is dat de Amerikaanse muzikante min of meer werd gered door de coronapandemie. Door de coronapandemie ontsnapte ze aan de druk die eerst moest leiden tot een bestaan als een professionele violiste en later moest resulteren in een geslaagde academische carrière. Sophia Yau-Weeks zocht haar geluk in Londen, waar ze haar droom om zich te ontwikkelen tot singer-songwriter najoeg. Het is een droom die is uitgekomen met de release van haar debuutalbum Misty Mountain. 

Door mijn enorme liefde voor vrouwelijke singer-songwriters beluister ik alles wat los en vast zit in het genre. Dat heeft me de afgelopen jaren heel veel albums opgeleverd die me zeer dierbaar zijn, maar ik kom niet vaak albums tegen die me zo betoveren als het debuutalbum van Sophia Yau-Weeks. 

De muzikante uit Oakland schreef de songs voor haar eerste album in een voor haar zware periode, en dat hoor je. De songs op Misty Mountain zijn aan de donkere kant en daar hou ik meestal wel van. De songs van Sophia Yau-Weeks zijn niet alleen donker, maar ook zeer persoonlijk. De Amerikaanse muzikante vertolkt haar songs bovendien met heel veel gevoel, waardoor ze echt keihard binnenkomen. 

De opvallend intieme songs op Misty Mountain worden nog wat mooier door de stem van Sophia Yau-Weeks en voor mij is het een van de mooiste stemmen die ik in tijden heb gehoord. Het is ook een zeer karakteristieke stem, wat de zang op Misty Mountain nog wat mooier maakt, zeker als de stem van Sophia Yau-Weeks in meerdere lagen uit de speakers komt. 

Het is een stem die wordt omgeven door een zeer smaakvolle instrumentatie, die in de basis bestaat uit fraai gitaarspel. De gitaarakkoorden worden gecombineerd met strijkers en met atmosferische klanken van synths, al worden die niet genoemd in de credits van het album. Het is allemaal subliem geproduceerd door Sophia Yau-Weeks en Maryam Qudus, die samen tekenen voor een geluid vol contrasten. 

Misty Mountain schakelt continu tussen breekbare en sobere klanken en beeldende en vollere klanken. het album beweegt zich hiernaast net zo makkelijk tussen echo’s uit het verleden van bijvoorbeeld de Laurel Canyon folk en de psychedelische folk als tussen echo’s uit de indiefolk van het moment. 

Direct bij eerste beluistering werd ik gegrepen en betoverd door het debuutalbum van Sophia Yau-Weeks en iedere keer als ik naar het album luister vind ik het nog wat mooier en indrukwekkender. Het is puur toeval dat ik dit album ben tegengekomen, maar wat is dit mooi. Absoluut een van de mooiste albums van 2026 tot dusver. Ik ben echt diep onder de indruk.

Erwin Zijleman

 

Je kunt Misty Mountain hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://sophiayauweeks.bandcamp.com/album/misty-mountain 

Slow Death Of A Good Girl. Hiqpy

Why this exactly happened is not clear, what happened is. The anecdote is too good to pass up on. A few days ago, I read the review of Slow Death Of A Good Girl in 'Oor'. It was not an undividedly positive review. Hester Aalberts thought many songs on the album to be too long, unnecessarily blown up, etc. It came across a little bit like hype bashing to me, like happened often in the early 1980s in 'Oor', the reason I stopped reading it back then, to return circa ten years later. Up front I have to admit that during the experience below, I was writing a text and not really paying attention to the music most of the time.

Soon after turning on Slow Death Of A Good Girl, I had to agree with Ms. Aalberts for more than 100%. There were these noise eruptions drowning Hiqpy singer Abir Hamam out totally and why every time a song seemed to be over did this male singer come in? For a second I thought: are there two albums playing at the same time? But somehow it seemed to fit and I was intrigued by the way this music unfolded (while not paying true attention). There would definitely not be a review, that much was certain.

When I had finished writing the text, I wanted to go downstairs to have lunch and switched off Spotify. The aggressive music and singer continued and I still have no clue what it was and why it was playing. I must have clicked on a link or something that started playing by itself. Listening to Hiqpy alone later that same day, gave me a totally different experience and left me wondering about Hester Aalberts' review, as under the current circumstances, I'm not hearing what she heard.

But what do I hear? Hiqpy became a hype because the band was gathering positive reviews, interviews in newspapers and magazines before a single song was released, all based on live shows and a few songs played lived on radio shows. That period was expanded way beyond what any other band would consider commercially smart. Well into 2026 that album is finally there, with a fear of having waited too long, expectations rising too high. Not for me, as I managed to forget about the band with ease and then read the album is there, so started listening.

Based on a first impression, it's clear the wait was well worthwhile. Slow Death Of A Good Girl is a solid, at times even huge album. There was time and finances involved that allowed the album to be as big as it is. With a producer, Danton Supple, of name and fame (Coldplay, U2, Elbow) on board, nothing was left to circumstance and luck. The sound is of a stadium performing band. Hiqpy will not have the routine for that yet and will have to build its name further.

Hiqpy is, besides singer Abir Hamam, guitarist/singer Vincent ter Velde, bassist Tom Radsma and drummer Kasper de Boer. The first three started the band during their student days at the Amsterdam conservatorium. Drummer Kasper joined later. From there things went fast and slow.

The band that springs to mind most for me, is Wolf Alice. The music is quite compatible, as is the singing of the two ladies involved. This U.K. band could be a nice example for Hiqpy. Build a fan base and make each next album one step up the ladder and with each tour move into a bigger venue. Hopefully, Abir Hamam is able to grow with the venues, where Ellie Rowsell appears to have a hard time adapting. Based on what I'm hearing now this could be a feasible scenario.

Where I have a harder time, is that after several listening sessions, still not a single song has stuck in my brain. Don't get me wrong, I like what I'm hearing but where is the recognition that usually is there after two, three listening sessions? And I'm far further than that. This makes me wonder if Slow Death Of A Good Girl is a must have album for me. I will give it some more time, but have not bought the album yet.

So, at the end of the day, I am somewhere in between. Hiqpy has produced a huge album, that as far as I'm concerned is not bothered by an unnecessary "peacock tail", to quote Ms. Aalberts. In its genre it is a great sounding album, but are the songs as good as they seem? Time will tell, but there is reason for a slight doubt. On the other side. Despite liking Wolf Alice's first two albums, including a great live show in Melkweg, I only became a real fan with album three and four. I still cannot sing a single song from the first two. In other words, there is more than just hope for Hiqpy.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

Mountaineer live with The Amelie Spinks Trio. De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam, Friday 8 May 2026

Photo: WdN-vdB

I seldom travel by bus between cities but when a band plays in De Nieuwe Anita in Amsterdam I can travel almost door to door on one bus. Once again Mountaineer held its album release party there and once again I was surprised by how weird the stage set up is and by how friendly the environment of the venue is.

Mountaineer, the band around Amsterdam based singer-songwriter Marcel Hulst, released its third album early April. You can read my review here: https://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2026/04/country-dragon-mountaineer.html. Again it is a listening experience that is rich, relaxing and soothing. Also, it is far more professional in sound than ever before.

The band on stage was a seven piece with familiar and new faces. The pedal steel guitar and Mellotron synthesizer were additions that enhanced the music and translated the studio sound into a live situation. Having studio owner Diederik van den Brandt (Aidan and the Wild) as lead guitarist, also made quite the difference. A deeper country feel has come into the sound of Mountaineer because of it.

I would not call the songs of Mountaineer country, but the music is steeped in Americana of all sorts. All these elements taken from singer-songwriter, folk, indie, country, etc. translate into Mountaineer songs. Soft-spoken, melodic, modest, honest songs that demand listening. At home and live. The fact that the stage manager and sound man of De Nieuwe Anita took it upon himself to demand quiet before the support act started, said enough (and that he did not trust the audience). "If you want to talk, go into the bar area, set nicely apart", he told the audience. The Dutch disease was mostly absent this night, but in general I've noticed of late that WHO has succeeded in quelling the epidemic over here. It took a long time though.

Mountaineer was totally on top of its game. The songs sounded great, the sound mix was perfect and the  audience close to if not totally devoted. This was all fans, friends and family and it showed. The new songs were very well received and hearing 'Ohio' once again perfect bliss. I will say it again, Mountaineer is a band deserving a far wider audience. The final song brought the release the band obviously had fun with getting to. A true climax to a perfect evening.

Photo: WdN-vdB

Yes, a perfect evening with The Amelie Spinks Trio opening for Mountaineer. A new name to me and I found a very international band. Amelie herself sported a Flying Nun t-shirt. I noticed traces of a Down Under accent in her voice, the two together hinting at New Zealand. With Swedish contrabass player Anja Gottberg and guitarist Adrian Bifano she plays a very, very quiet form of folk, slowcore, singer-songwriter, country, indie kind of music. Music that takes dedication to listen to. Mission accomplished as the audience was won over one song at a time. It was just beautiful what the three shared with us. Some originals and some covers from a recent covers album, called 'a girl of constant sorrow', the trio released. During the show, I was trying to think of comparisons. That brought me to Drugstore, a long since gone trio from the U.S. supporting Jeff Buckley in Nighttown but also Low came to mind as did other artists I simply forgot the names of.

Comparisons galore perhaps, but that took nothing away from the experience in De Nieuwe Anita. The Amelie Spinks Trio has got its act together and quite obviously impressed the audience that had mostly come for another band. That shows that things are moving in the right direction for them.

Finally, once again, we had to leave for the last bus but did not really want to leave. The DJ of De Nieuwe Anita had us moving. I may have been the only one dancing that was around when most of the oldies played were released and was dancing to the other ones from the 1980s at the time of release. DJ Barry Stiletto has all the original singles and obviously loves playing them for a far younger audience. And for my Karen and me. For next time, there are night buses now. We just have to cycle first, so that we don't have to walk the rest of the way home.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Mountaineer's albums here:

https://mountaineer-music.bandcamp.com/album/country-dragon 

And The Amelie Spinks trio here:

https://ameliespinks.bandcamp.com/album/a-girl-of-constant-sorrow 

Nothing's About To Happen To Me. Mitski

Mitski lijkt op ieder nieuw album alleen maar beter te worden en dat is ook weer het geval op het in februari verschenen Nothing's About To Happen To Me, dat deels bekend, maar toch ook weer anders klinkt.

Mitski eindigt met haar albums steeds net wat hoger in mijn jaarlijstjes en die lijn kan ze wel eens door gaan trekken met haar nieuwe album. The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We haalde in 2023 de top 10 van mijn jaarlijstje, maar het deze week verschenen Nothing's About To Happen To Me vind ik nog wat beter. De zang is echt prachtig, de muziek verschiet keer op keer fraai van kleur en de songs zijn reuze spannend. Het klinkt onmiskenbaar als Mitski, maar de muzikante uit New York verlegt ook dit keer haar grenzen met een combinatie van sfeervolle country, rijk georkestreerde pop en een vleugje indierock. En Nothing's About To Happen To Me wordt voorlopig alleen maar beter. 

De eerste drie albums van Mitski (Miyawaki) trokken nog niet heel veel aandacht en ontsnapten ook aan mijn aandacht, maar sinds Puberty 2 uit 2016 bouwt de muzikante met Amerikaanse en Japanse wortels succesvol aan een indrukwekkend oeuvre. Puberty 2 vond ik goed genoeg voor mijn jaarlijstje en ook Be The Cowboy (2018), Laurel Hell (2022) en The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We (2023) schaarde ik onder de beste albums van de betreffende jaren. 

Het zijn albums waarop de muzikante uit New York steeds weer een andere kant van zichzelf laat horen en net zo makkelijk indruk maakt met Amerikaanse rootsmuziek of toegankelijke pop als met stekelige indierock of synthpop. In het voorjaar van 2024 zag ik Mitski in Carré en liet ze horen en zien dat ze ook op het podium een fascinerende muzikante is. 

Alle reden dus om met hele hoge verwachtingen uit te kijken naar haar achtste album. Nothing's About To Happen To Me gaat in de eerste track verder waar The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We in de herfst van 2023 ophield. Het is een track die wordt gedragen door invloeden uit de countrymuziek en die opvalt door zeer sfeervolle pedal steel klanken en door de mooie stem van Mitski. 

Aan het einde van de track worden de ingetogen klanken vervangen door rijke orkestraties en weet je weer dat de muziek van Mitski net zo vaak van kleur kan verschieten als een hyperactieve kameleon. Dat blijkt direct weer als ze in de tweede track opschuift richting in de indierock waarmee ze ooit doorbrak, maar ook deze track eindigt met bombastische klanken. 

Ik vind Nothing's About To Happen To Me op zijn mooist wanneer Mitski ingetogen zingt en zich omringt met sfeervolle klanken een vleugje country, zoals in de derde track en in veel tracks die volgen. Haar stem klonk wat mij betreft nog niet eerder zo mooi als op haar nieuwe album, maar ook in muzikaal opzicht is Nothing's About To Happen To Me van Mitski een prachtig album. 

Het is knap hoe de muzikante uit New York haar geluid steeds verder verfijnt, want nog niet eerder klonk een album van Mitski zo mooi en zo veelzijdig. Het is prachtig hoe het album steeds weer schakelt tussen door Amerikaanse rootsmuziek beïnvloede klanken, fraaie orkestraties en opeens aanzwellende gitaren en bij Mitski klinkt het altijd logisch en functioneel. 

De band waarmee ze inmiddels een aantal jaren tourt tekent voor de muziek op het nieuwe album, terwijl Drew Erickson, met wie Mitski al eerder werkte, de orkestraties voor zijn rekening nam. Ook voor de productie kiest de Amerikaans-Japanse muzikante voor de inmiddels bekende weg, want ook Nothing's About To Happen To Me werd weer geproduceerd door Patrick Hyland. 

Het vertrouwen op vaste waarden zorgt er voor dat de muziek van Mitski op het nieuwe album vertrouwd en ontspannen klinkt, maar ik hoor ook dit keer groei in de muziek, de zang, de songs en de fantasierijke teksten. Nothing's About To Happen To Me is een album dat de ruimte elf songs lang op aangename wijze verwarmt, maar het is ook een album waarop veel valt te ontdekken. 

Ik begon met hoge verwachtingen aan het nieuwe album van Mitski, maar deze werden direct meer dan waar gemaakt. Ik ken de muziek van Mitski inmiddels een jaar of tien, maar ik was nog niet eerder zo onder de indruk van haar muziek als bij beluistering van het geïnspireerd klinkende Nothing's About To Happen To Me en dat is een indrukwekkende prestatie.

Erwin Zijleman

 

Je kunt Nothing's About To Happen To Me hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://mitski.bandcamp.com/album/nothings-about-to-happen-to-me 

2025, week 19. 10 singles

After two weeks of a well-deserved holiday on the beautiful island of Sicily, in full bloom, with the heady scent of orange blossom as the most apparent manifestation of that bloom, WoNoBlog returns with its overview of 10 recent singles and EPS. You'll find totally new names, recent, older and two very old names in this list, including the contender for the oldest band in the world. I'm sure you can guess which one. Anyway, we're back, so it's time for you to explore some new music, enjoy!

Easter Lily EP. U2

Only a few weeks after U2's previous surprise EP there already is another one, Easter Lily. And I have to say, I like it. I don't think I've ever heard the Dublin band, now active for well over 40 years play so relaxed and down to earth. There's is no effect that makes the sound bigger than needs be. Of course, at heart there's Bono's voice and The Edge's guitar that are recognisable out of thousands. What the band avoids, is the stadium grandstanding, where it often hid behind. Easter Lily contains songs that, for U2, are simply naked. Opening song 'Song For Hal', may contain several guitar overdubs, it is a song, that somehow gives me the idea that it could have been sung by Frank Sinatra. It has that kind of quality. What Easter Lily shows, is that U2 is able to avoid being U2 too much. In a way it is like The Rollin Stones' blues album from 2016, 'Blue & Lonesome', but filled with original U2 songs. This EP shows that U2 can write interesting songs without the endless effects. It is a U2 I like far better I notice. Of course, the band has scored huge hits and they are fantastic, but still I got bored with them, even at a live show in 2005. With Easter Lily U2 keeps me attentive and appreciative for six songs. It may well be be a record.

Gold Things. Office Dog

Office Dog from New Zealand is on route to the release of its first album after releasing its EP 'Doggerland' in 2024. 'Prime Corner' will be released at the start of New Zealand's winter and our summer. With Gold Things the band makes a statement with a song that has some ragged edges. Gold Things is not a song that will please the masses but may make fans of alternative rock with a dirty edge quite content. Here's a first one for starters. Kane Strang sings in part with a deeper register, which restrains his range. As soon as he lets his voice go, the song is kicked in the proverbial butt and starts to bloom because of that kick. Just listen to that instrumental part as well. The trio really makes the most of Gold Things.

If You Change. Widowspeak

The last three Widowspeak albums have all found their way to this blog and listening to If You Change, the band's recent single, it will not come as a surprise when around 5 June new album 'Roses' will receive a warm welcome here. For me, Widowspeak entered my life actively with its 2020 album 'Plum'. 2018's 'Expect The Best' was reviewed by Erwin Zijleman. If You Change is a relaxed kind of song, with a The Byrds/Roger McGuinn/Gene Clark vibe around it that makes it almost anachronistic in 2026. Next to this Rickenbacker sound comes the dreamy quality of singer Molly Hamilton's voice. I'm certain Erwin will come up with the Mazzy Star comparison, as he often does, but that is a band I've missed at the time. If You Change is beauty caught in music but beware, like in the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, in Dutch 'Doornroosje', there are a few thorns involved in the music.

Rough And Twisted. The Rolling Stones

For some weeks it was clear that something was up. No Hackney Diamond adds this time but something with The Cockroaches. All speculation can be tossed by the wayside, the band has announced its 25th studio album in 64 years (!). It's called 'Foreign Tongues' and will be released on 10 July. Although it looks like its touring days are over, in the studio The Stones can sound as dirty as ever. With this bluesy track the ball is opened and it is dirty, greasy and rocks like there is no end of the line even at 80+. Riffs fly and Ronnie Wood plays a very mean slide guitar. Jagger seems not to age where his voice is concerned. Compared to all his contemporaries he's simply amazing. There's no ware and tear there in any way. Producer Andrew Watt again makes the band sound so urgent, so direct, so in your face. Just like 'Angry' in 2023, Rough And Twisted is a great introduction to what is to come in 2026.

Is This All There Is? EP Anna Calvi

Anna Calvi returns to the blog with a new four song EP. The single 'God's Lonely Man' was already reviewed a while back. Iggy Pop sings with Calvi and more or less takes the lead, with Calvi vocally circling around him like a dervish. The song has a deep and dark organic beat, that fits Iggy really well. Like I wrote then, the song could have been on 'The Idiot' and 'Lust For Life'. It makes for an ideal opening song for Is This All There Is? 'I See A Darkness', a cover of the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy' song, is an extremely dark song in a duet with Perfume Genius. In that darkness Calvi manages to create some great musical moments that sound like a volcano erupting over which Perfume Genius hovers while Calvi at times sounds like a ship's horn in the fog. 'Computer Love' is a collaboration with Laurie Anderson, that in part sounds just like I would expect a Lauri Anderson track to sound, just somewhat less electronic. The way the song moves towards its end, sounds almost like opera, bringing the digital and human together. I may actually start to like the track. The final song is a collaboration with The National's Matt Berninger. Berninger grumbles himself through the title song in a very natural way. The contrast with Anna Calvi is just nice, not unlike Phoebe Bridger's contributions to The National's last two albums. The two make 'Is This All There Is?' come totally alive. I understand this is the first of three EPs, so lay it on me, please.

Screams. Blood Red Shoes

When did Blood Red Shoes enter my life?, I mused while listening to Screams for the first time. It may well be 18 to 20 years ago. Time flies when you're having fun and the fun continues. Just like U2 at the top of this singles post, Blood Red Shoes goes back to the bare essence of being a duo band. Gone are the electronics and extra hands found on the previous two records. Screams is a good old honest song but with a load of quality. Steven Ansell may be drumming in the video like a clown would in the circus making it seem like we all cold do his part. In the meantime the drum part is extremely effective, while Screams has a great melody making it a joy to listen to. The harmonies Laura Mary Carter sings are spot on, just like her elementary sounding guitar part and solo is. So, no excitement, all quality. And en passant, my question whether Ms Carter's solo album brought the end to Blood Red Shoes was answered in the way I hoped. Screams!

G.O.D. And The Broken Ribs. Jack White

Jack White and I go back even further than the previous entry. That came with the 'Fell In Love With A Girl' song by The White Stripes. Of course 2002 does not match U2, let alone The Rolling Stones. I have to admit that I sort of skipped all White has released after the rather disappointing 'Blunderbuss' album. I never play the older stuff any more, so perhaps it's best to leave things be. Then I read about two new songs being released simultaneously and decided to try one anyway. G.O.D. And The Broken Ribs was the song of choice. It sounds instantly recognisable. Jack White is back in a The White Stripes mode and it fits him very well. The excitement is there, just like his panache. I notice the fun I have listening to this song. So, who knows, I may want to hear more anyway. 

Ready To Run. Samantha Harlow

Time for a new name on this blog. Samantha Harlow is a name I've never encountered before. With Ready To Run she presents a song that is total disagreement with the cover art, where she presents herself as a female Frankenstein from a 1920s silent movie. A role that could have been played by her namesake Jean Harlow, a movie star from the late 20s and 30s, who tragically died from kidney failure at the age of 26. The music is all but scary. Samantha Harlow is not in a hurry. On a slow Latin rhythm she sings her song like Emmylou Harris once did in a song called 'Mr. Sandman'. There is another link with a world long gone, The Andrew Sisters. The music itself sounds very modern because of the way it was recorded, full and majestic. The combination may not be my daily cup of tea, but every once in a while a cup of Assem or Darjeeling tea goes down well, just like Ready To Run does.

Tied. Caitlin

Due to personal circumstances I'm running rather behind on music and the relentless releases do not allow for a lot of options to catch up. Caitlin's EP 'Guardrail' is already out for a month and here I am reviewing one of its singles. Like Samantha Harlow above, Tied is a very quiet affair. Caitlin's driving force is her dreamy sounding voice that seems to hover over the music, that absolutely is in 100% support of her singing. The result is an indie track that does have an exotic flavour. At heart Tied is an acoustic track with a drummer who is not afraid to give an unexpected accent here and there, making me prick up my ears some more. The electric guitar solo is mixed somewhat into the background, for a second one mixed in nearer towards the end and ending the song. After 'You’re Only Good To Calm Me Down', Tied is the second song coming of 'Guardrail' that goes down pretty well with me.

Cigarette. Berm

Listening to Cigarette, I can't shake the idea that the singer is overdoing his voice to give it an Eddie Vedder kind of sound. Listening to Cigarette, the song is so serious that this simply cannot be. What to call it the genre? Alt-folk? Something like that I guess. Berm, Dutch for the soft shoulder of a road, makes its debut on the blog. The band is from Worcester, Massachussetts and has released its debut album 'highway through the trees' on 24 April. The band's approach to its music is extremely down to earth. Don't expect anything frivolous on Cigarette. If anything is, it's in the few keyboard notes played throughout the song. The song works its way slowly towards the end, without any significant changes and yet. It keeps me listening to it almost mesmerised by the repeated note progression.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

It's The Long Goodbye. The Twilight Sad

Yesterday and today I have paid and am paying attention to two bands that in my mind are connected because of the kind of music they make, The Boxer Rebellion and The Twilight Sad. Although there are noticeable differences, both play music containing pathos and both have one foot firmly in the 1980s rock of bands like U2, Simple Minds and Big Country. Besides, both were on my long list but did not make it to the blog after their albums' release but do after the CDs were sent to me and I started playing them a lot. So let's take a closer look today at The Twilight Sad.

I can imagine people asking me 'how can you compare these two bands?' Well, just because of what I've written. It is all in the pathos in the music and the dreamy quality that is part of both band's music. That said, The Twilight Sad goes for the big picture, for having a sound that can fill stadiums and arenas. Everything is at least two notches larger. Songs on It's The Long Goodbye simply explode.

This is not the full picture though. As a listener you have to keep your focus, as behind and around the bombastic guitars lie the details that make It's The Long Goodbye a rich listening experience. The Twilight Sad knows how to make a song more interesting and a lot of these facets come from added keyboards.

The Twilight Sad started as a band in 2003 and with It's The Long Goodbye releases its sixth record. In 2026 it is only a duo, James Alexander Graham, vocals and Andy MacFarlane, guitars. In the studio they were joined by David Jeans on drums and Alex Mackay on bass. Add some help from long time friend Robert Smith of The Cure in a few songs and we're there. Together they are able to puff up the songs in a grand way.

Photo: Abbey Raymonde

In the above I've made some comparisons to some great bands from the past and The Cure can be added to that list. The Twilight Sad is able to come across larger than life on record. (I don't know about live, as I never saw the band play.) In the 1980s I was often annoyed with an album after a few songs by the mentioned bands; and still am when playing the records of old. The Twilight Sad avoids this trap. And now you will ask me what is the difference? Unfortunately, I have to come up short for an answer. All I can say is that these songs do not bore me in any way.

With 'Dead Flowers' the album is half way. The song already starts out with a lot of noise and gets bigger and bigger for the whole of the seven minutes it lasts and I'm on board for the whole of the way. Hear the Simple Minds styled keyboards and all they do is make the song better and better. Next up is the single 'Waiting For The Phone Call' that alerted me to what was coming. Robert Smith adds some guitar playing. At the time I wrote "this song will eat you alive" and I notice it still does. Okay, Graham sings a little like Morrissey here but that's easily forgiven, given the force 'Waiting For The Phone Call' is.

In other words, where circa forty years ago I had switched off an album by then to play the other side at a later date, I'm rolling full steam ahead with It's The Long Goodbye ('Designed To Lose'!, Attempt A Crash Landing - Theme'!)). Maybe bands are just better today albeit far less original, as yes, I have heard this kind of music before. With the difference that I simply like it so much more in 2026.

(And then I notice that my download has the order of songs wrong. It doesn't take away anything from the power I've experienced listening to It's The Long Goodbye.)

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order It's The Long Goodbye here:

https://thetwilightsad.bandcamp.com/album/its-the-long-goodbye