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Nicolas' Cave. Fence
Yesterday, I wrote about Angine de Poitrine and, no, it does not get that weird, but Belgian band Fence does give the listener quite some changes in exchange for sharing his/her time with Nicolas' Cave. Things may kick off with a recorder in a quite relaxed way, that is also about where normalcy stops. Fence uses every opportunity to push the song in another direction, to come back to the recorder accompanied by an acoustic guitar at the end, as if nothing happened in the four plus minutes in between. In 2023 I wrote on the single 'King To The Blind'. Based on my words there, there's not a lot to compare to. Fence jumps as it were the fences in between back gardens to find a completely other one with each jump and reports back on each one. If anything, it makes for very interesting listening and at times even good listening. Album 'Nobody Gives A Fuck' will be released this fall.
The second single from the upcoming Railcard debut album 'Two Steps At A Time' (18 September), presents me with a dreamy alternative pop track, with a trumpet that hovers between parts of the tune. With the organ and the way of singing, it is part of the dreamy part of the song. The other part is about as direct as songs come. There's nothing dreamy about the drums, bass and guitar work. Railcard may be a new band, it's members have all been around for quite some time as members of Heavenly, Death in Vegas and Dolly Mixture. The members met at a live show and decided to start working together. The recorded EPs were glued together to 'Two Steps At A Time', which the world can hear next month.
Due to my summer break I missed a single, but Reluctant Bob & the Lonely Lovers is becoming a fixture in the singles posts on WoNoBlog. Although not entirely identical, the set up of the music is comparable to DYI Dutch artist The Slow Clock and the deadpan delivery (and female vocals singing in the exact opposite way) of Gruppo Sportivo. Two references that ought to make any lover of alternative pop music prick up their ears and speed to their favourite digital outlet to start listening. Carry On Without Me has a kind of class that is also found with an artist like eels, but that is all offset by the female vocalists. This song may seem like a hodgepodge of influences, but that should come with quality that makes it interesting on its own accord. Believe me Carry On Without Me has just that, abundantly.
Nous Deux is Foglights' debut EP. The duo exists of Eva Cords of The Cords and Archie Ingram of Stone Anthem. Both have released their debut albums within the past 10 months and already venture out as a(nother) duo. The songs on Nous Deux are all slow and of a dreamy psychedelic nature. I think that fans of the band Mazzy Star would refer to its music as a comparison. As it mostly passed me by, I'm not certain if I can. For me I'd keep it to the dreamy pop songs of The Velvet Underground, like 'Sunday Morning', 'Candy Says' and 'Jesus'. You'll hear guitars and an organ, but no bass and no drums or any other percussion. It sets the music of Foglights apart from almost all other bands. Still, put on Nous Deux a few times and you'll discover the addictive qualities of the duo's music. A string section might be added for special effects. It remains uncanny how a song created from fairly minimal effects can get to you in a serious way. The music and voices are mixed in such a way that a very full sound is created, with voices coming from all sides, like Eva Cord's pa pa pa's do in 'The Day The Light Stayed'. I had not heard of Archie Ingram, but based on Nous Deux, it might be worth my while to check out his debut as Stone Anthem, 'Solux Rex'. It took me more than one listen session to warm to Nous Deux but after that there was no holding back.
The Morning Line, yes, the band's been on the blog before with two singles in 2023. At the time I thought the band to be from Boston, but it isn't (any more?). It's from northern California. At the time it released its record on the Red on Red label of the late Justine Covault, in 2026 the upcoming album will be on Big Stir. The sound has not changed. This is American rock with a countryrock flavour. Familiar in sound, yet can go down so well. The band around Stephen Smith does things very right here. A golden melody twists itself around the gently rocking sound, in a way many bands aspire to. So, don't expect music that is original in sound, instead enjoy something new with a familiar sound.
Wout de Natris - van der Borght
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