2025, week 33. 10 singles

Summer is not over, definitely not, but my holiday is. It's time to catch up on all those singles released in the past few weeks. A lot missed out, because they were released too long ago. A few are here anyway, because of my personal choice. A few even skipped the line, because an album is coming up soon. In other words there's enough to discover, once again, finally. Enjoy!

Who’ll Stand With Us? Dropkick Murphys

What is it that I want to hear from Dropkick Murphies (Quincy, Massachusetts ,1996)? Some serious Irish folk based punkrock, major party enthusiasm and anthems to sing along to, perhaps even supporting a just cause. Who'll Stand With Us?, a single from the album 'For The People', qualifies on all fronts. The band may be going into its fourth decade soon, it has lost nothing from the enthusiasm I encountered on a punkrock compilation album around 2001 and the album the song belonged to, 'Sing Loud Sing Proud'. It's a while since I stopped following the band. This single shows that I am ready for some more Dropkick Murphies alright. Reading up on the band on wiki, I found out how big this band is in the U.S.. But then, if I remember correctly, I saw the band advertised on Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome and that is quite different from Paradiso or Melkweg where I saw the band in the 00s. To my surprise, yes, but well-deserved no doubt.

Make It Work. Chantal Acda

The name Chantal Acda can be found on this blog since 2016 and in several musical configurations. With Make It Work she returns as a solo artist, yet things are different. She prepared and recorded her upcoming album 'The Whale' (29 September) with her touring band and yes, that makes the song on the one hand typically Chantal Acda but on the other far more solid. At least where this single is concerned. In her own way Chantal Acda is rocking and loud. The intro is already overwhelming and then it all drops away for a soft electric guitar and the familiar voice. The song is fleshed out ever so slowly, creating a tension that anyone understanding how songs are build up knows it has to be released. Slowly but surely that tension is built and built towards a magnificent ending in which the band is allowed to go full out. Make It Work is a magnificent single.

I Think It's Time To Leave ... EP. Already Dead

Two years ago I wrote a review on Already Dead's second album 'Something Like A War'. My infatuation with the band started with that immense wall of a single 'The Spirit of Massachusetts Avenue'. One of the best punkrock singles of the past years out there in the wild. You are reading up on the second Boston punk band this week and rightly so. It's time for the former band to provide Already Dead a support slot, if it hasn't already. Were I a lazy person and sometimes I am, I could copy/paste my previous review but will not. It would sell the band short. The energy oozing out of its latest EP I Think It's Time To Leave ... deserves attention. Five songs, five bursts of energy without relenting for a single second. Already Dead pushed in the peddle to the metal and stuck a stone there to be certain. And yet, listen to 'Nothing Wrong' and hear what the bass is adding to the song. Superior melody, once again. Five songs, ten minutes, after which all concerned have to take a deep breath to quote Dan Cummings from the song. This is the real thing alright. If Dropkick Murphies don't get them to Europe who else will?

Wild Horses. Wolf Alice 

Only two weeks to go and the new Wolf Alice, after four years of waiting, will be released. It's latest single announcing 'The Clearing' is a surprise as Ellen Rowsell is not the lead singer on the single. It's drummer Joey Amey who takes most of the lead and also wrote the song. The song is a dreamy one, which we have come to know from Wolf Alice, but at the same time it is a very much solid song. It's a big song. It has a very solid basis over which the two sing their lyrics. Not that it is a wall of sound in the Phil Spector way, it's more in the dense way the instruments are mixed, pumping up their respective presence. Just like Wet Leg's first single 'CPR' of its new album, I did not like Wolf Alice's first one. Also here my ears must have been screwed on wrong when listening. It is all going to turn out alright. Especially with Wild Horses as this is a great driving song that just propels itself and its listeners ever forward. Wolf Alice is back and how.

Wound Up Here (By Holding On). Wednesday

For a few albums now Wednesday can be found on this blog and having listened to the first singles my impressions is that chances are etc., as they say. Wound Up Here (By Holding On) is dirty, alternative rocker in which the band goes in search of the acceptable corners and edges of the genre and then bend them to its liking. Wednesday is not afraid to tip them over as well, as anyone having listened to the previous album 'Rat Saw God' can attest to. The song sounds dirty in the intro but when the first verse starts, things can still go both ways. Wednesday keeps things under control. If anything this song shows that the music made by alternative rock bands from New Zealand are not totally isolated. Wednesday (U.S.A.) and The Beths (N.Z.) to name one, are nicely aligned I'd say. When Kathy Harzmann has finished her lyrics, she and fellow guitarist MJ Lenderman just let it rip, leading to a great, orgiastic explosion of sound. The kind a song like Wound Up Here (By Holding On) deserves.

Mother, Pray For Me. The Beths 

In week 27 of this year there was quite a round up of bands in the singles section. Many a favourite of this blog could be found there and this week it's quite similar. The Beths are in both posts and with a very different song than I have come to expect from the New Zealanders. You hear Elizabeth Stokes sing to her mother who is asked to pray for her. She's accompanied by a fingerpicked electric guitar. An electric organ joins in giving the song s churchlike quality. Underneath a bass plays a very simple pattern. It is enough. Stokes gives the song exactly the right emotion, more observation of a situation than deep emotional involvement. It's a story about a relationship that does not seem right, but is what it is. The prayer is welcome though. Totally different, yet beautiful. Album 'Straight Line Was A Lie' is out on 29 August. It's going to be a busy day.

Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em. Garret Vandermolen

What a haunting song Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em is. It is also a great song. Garret Vandermolen is exploring the inside of his head here, dealing with depression and the isolation coming from it. It is a confrontational song and not just because of the subject. Musically it isn't your everyday song as well. Built around several guitar parts, including an effect tool here and there, that all add to the suspense. Percussion joins and then a bass guitar, before the drums kick in. It is all played by Vandermolen, who at some point decides to let it all go, all instruments and vocals. "No one know how I feel right now". That is totally true and that hasn't changed because of this song. What his unfortunate experiences did give the world is a great rock song. Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em is a must hear song.

Queen Dynamite. The Cornfed Project

Rawk and then roll some more. Fullerton, California's The Cornfed Project continues where bands like Aerosmith and more locally for them Dirty Sweet have given up the ghost. The band debuts on the blog with a song that rocks in the best U.S. tradition. A really rough edge to the music and Matt "Cornfed" Wheeler matches what happens in the music with his voice. Listen a little deeper and you will find influences from The Who and The Rolling Stones as well. It's all irrelevant, as The Cornfed Project builds its own party and no little. Drums and bass are such a solid basis. I'm sure their parts already create a great song. Add the layers of guitars, including the lead lines and a guitar solo that is simply on fire. Wheeler and backing vocalists only have to give it their best to arrive at a perfect rock song. You may have heard it all before, but not dancing to this tune is out of the question. In fact it's mandatory.

Spartak. Shame 

Shame's latest is a single of classic length, 2.38 minutes, yet seems so much longer. It is also a song in which the band lets singer Charlie Steen take the lead for 100%. The band does everything to make him shine. The sound is so rich, as there is a lot going on underneath Steen's voice. In a way that seems to contradict my observation but listen to Spartak and you'll find out it is correct. The music does not draw away attention to Charlie Steen's almost deadpan delivery, because no matter how, yes, even frivolous, the accompaniment is, he remains in the absolute middle of Shame's latest single. It's a good question how the band plans to play this song live, as there's layers of guitars and keyboards. But Shame "will know better than me", I'm sure. Spartak is an exciting and interesting song at the same time, which is a bit surprising, as more often than not the songs by Shame I really like are in the former department of its genre.

Human Bean Instruction Manual. Pickle Darling

I can't help but mentioning Dutch band Moon Moon Moon because New Zealand's Pickle Darling is so close in music that to all appearances it looks like Lucas Mayo and Mark Lohmann have an antipodean, mid-Earth connection from their respective bedrooms where their music is created on a laptop of pc. Let me add the U.S. duo Carol Cleveland Sings here as well. On Human Bean Instruction Manual Pickle Darling moves beyond what is the contribution of a human "bean" in music. The simple keyboard that drives the song is pimped up and distorted, almost beyond recognition, while the voices are so machine manipulated, there's not that much human left. Human Bean Instruction Manual starts out as a regular song, with minor effects, okay, let's say Sparklehorse on its first album. Slowly things change into the second part of the song, but believe it or not from all the electronics pure magic and beauty escape. In all these effects the sun, albeit a very artificial one, is shining and warming my bones. Pickle Darling has done it again. Album 'Battlebots' is out on 5 September. Interesting title by the way, as it may portray humanity's future. A.I. receiving a manual to deal with us?!

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

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