The best albums 2000 - 2024, 3 of 10

And onwards we go, slowly climbing up to the top of this list. Once again you are presented with a varied set of albums, not ten this time but 12. You find out at number 26 why that is.

30. Another Place. Maggie Brown (2017)

Did we stop yesterday with Elenne May, here's another band from Amsterdam that is far more obscure than it deserves to be. Maggie Brown released a perfect album in the form of Another Place. Although I like all its songs, songs that seem to have touched me on another level, there's one that really makes the great. 'Hail To The Rain' is the kind of song that a band comes up with, if it's lucky. Only the truly great artists have more than one. Maggie Brown has one at this point from its second album and latest to date. There are more very good songs on Another Place. Check the album out.

29. Wild God. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (2024)

Will the album really stay as good as I think it is right now? I was listening to it for the first time with two dark Kasteel beers in me on a Friday early evening, with my love cooking in the kitchen. Playing it loud with closed eyes, positioned ideally between the two speakers, I was proverbially swept off of my feet. But not just me, from the kitchen came "who is this"? and we played Wild God again over dinner. As I wrote before, I had nothing by Nick Cave before 'Push The Sky Away', see elsewhere in this list, and liked every album since then. Wild God tops it all. It may be over the top, or whatever people say/write about it. This is simply fantastic. Time will tell where we truly wind up. For now this is really, really good and touches me on a host of levels.

28. De Vuelta Y Vuelta. Jarabe de Palo (2001)

'La Flaca' may be my discovery of the Barcelona band, De Vuelta Y Vuelta is my favourite album. Here it all comes together. All the potential presented perfectly. The albums that followed all delivered but never again like this. All the different influences come together and gel like the band must have intended it before but perhaps was not yet able to achieve. Here it could and it shows. Guests bring in influences from rap music and even from Italy. In Rome in 2001 the album lay there in the Italian version, where the band had broken already. With an album like De Vuelta Y Vuelta I found it really does not matter that I do not understand more than a few words. The music tells it all. Always forward is the message I got from it. I took it to heart.

27. Iris. Reb Fountain (2021)

I came on board with her eponymous album not long before the release of Iris. It did not make this list, but would have been somewhere between 125 and 100. Iris is more varied, better and more mysterious. Reb Fountain shows more sides of her musical self, goes deeper musically and within herself it seems. I can listen to all the songs on Iris for a long time. The American born singer-songwriter from New Zealand is a late bloomer. She found her voice later in life but it comes across all the stronger. Iris is a real top album.

26. Violeta Violeta Volume I, II and III. Kaizers Orchestra (2011 - 2012)

I'm cheating a bit here, but Violeta Violeta is a pop opera released in three parts over the period of one year. Should I have to choose an individual spot for each album they would be around here anyway. So why not allow for room for two other albums? On Violeta Violeta Kaizers Orchestra really goes all out. Despite the fact that you'll find some smaller songs like 'Hjerteknuser' on I, there are also several huge songs with an orchestra and choir. Songs do not come more pompous than 'Begravelsespolka' on III, nor often as good as this song As I understand the final shows were in Oslo with all these extras on stage. I never saw nor heard it. And then the band broke up, with me missing the show due to illness when this was announced. I always had the albums for consolation. There is more Kaizers Orchestra to come.

25. Accelerate. R.E.M. (2008)

Accelerate is one of R.E.M.'s later albums, though not its final as I thought. On Accelerate the band rocks once again and is in great form. Every song is what it should be. Yes, the band released several other nice records between 2000 and 2011 but not as good and consistent as this one. Accelerate is the only one deserving a spot on this list. By now retired for well over a decade, we still have the records. I played this one for the first time in a long time because of this list and was so pleased to hear it once again. I must have played it often at the time, as all song rang bells and brought back the lyrics immediately.

24. Big Love Blanket. Personal Trainer (2022)

Big Love Blanket is an album that grew on me. With every spin it became better. It was far too low on my 2022 list, in hindsight. Personal Trainer is the third band Willem Smit is frontman of and he's still some time away from becoming 30. Paleo Superspeed Donkey, Canshaker Pi both bands had their moments. It really came together for Smit in Personal Trainer, with bassist Ruben van Weegberg always at his side. Smit is able to play more with his alternative rock music, making it more playful and serious at the same time. This all came together on Big Love Blanket and especially in the few truly fantastic songs it has on it. They are party songs that can get any crowd moving. One of the best albums to come out of this country for sure. The bands second album, 'Still Willing', is still growing on me. Too slowly to receive a spot on this list.

23. Hoogriet. De Kift (2020)

Here's the Covid album of De Kift. It was presented online from an empty Paradiso. It is the only album show I've missed since 1997 or 98. Hoogriet is the album on which De Kift reached its pinnacle musically. Although over time 'Niemandsland' may prove even more impactful because of the theme, musically it will not. Delicacy meets roughness here and this includes songs to dream away to. De Kift is one of the most alternative bands I know, because nothing is "normal" with De Kift. Not the music, not the atmosphere, not the instruments used, nor the presentation. With De Kift it is impossible to predict what comes next. The surprise is always total and overwhelming. We are ageing, slowly but surely, the experience does not alter. De Kift is a great band and am glad to see it has moved back into the bigger halls of the venues once again. It deserves it. De Kift is not easy, but certainly unique.

And to think that the album containing the band's best song, 'Bal', has not made it to this list. If there ever was a song containing the essence of the band it is that song called 'Bal'. "Feeste, feeste, feeste", in all seriousness.

22. Mutter. Rammstein (2001)

I discovered Mutter several years after its release through the son of the singer of the band I was in at the time, Flopsband. My circa eight year old son discovered one of the songs somehow, perhaps 'Ich Will' through a tv commercial. I took to Mutter immediately. The melodies on the album are so strong. They mostly come from the keyboard of Christian Lorenz. The rest of the band goes for the rhythm and the deep end. In front is the imposing hulk of singer Till Lindemann, who on stage is larger than life and then some more. This album is full of great songs and is simply the band's best. Without competition in sight.

21. Parachutes. Coldplay (2000)

Another album from the first year of this century. Coldplay is a band I've totally lost sight of since 50% of 'X&Y'. What I wrote of a song like 'Fix You', now the band's most popular song it seems, totally came true and exemplary for nearly all songs I've heard since: boring. To think that things started with this incredibly strong and beautiful album followed by that powerful second one. On Parachutes the band sounded fresh, all but a formula. It was full of ideas that worked out so well. Whenever I hear, 'Yellow', 'Trouble' or name one of the others, I'm back immediately, enjoying the memories of the songs on Parachutes. How can things go so wrong for a band and yet become the biggest band on the planet in the 2020s? At least I have Parachutes, 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' and an half of 'X & Y'.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

The best albums 2000 - 2024, 4 of 10

Today we go from number 40 to number 31 with half of the albums being not from the U.K. or the U.S. which may be quite unique for this list.

40. Hoofdkaas. De Kift (2008)

And then you find that one of your favourite albums by De Kift is already sixteen years old. What stage decoration was Hoofdkaas presented in? The water organ, the percussion vehicle that drove up to the stage with the band as a marching band behind it? Fact is that musically Hoofdkaas was another step forward for the band originally from Oost-Knollendam. An ever evolving collective that continues right up to today. The band is never afraid to experiment and collaborate. With the title song and the way it is presented live by drummer Wim ter Weele, De Kift added one of its most beautiful songs to its oeuvre. It is certainly one of the most beautiful songs of the century so far.

39. A Certain Trigger. Maxïmo Park (2005)

Another band that never lived up to the promise it made with its debut album. Everything after simply wasn't as good as this. Maxïmo Park followed into the shoes of bands like Franz Ferdinand and Dogs Die In Hot Cars and played up tempo post punk. This album contains some classic songs the band produced. On top of these is 'Apply Some Pressure', without a doubt the song it will end shows with until the day it calls it quits. The energy, weirdness and spunk of just this song is sufficient to deserve a spot on this list. The rest of the songs assures this position.

38. Jump Rope Gazers. The Beths (2020)

So many bands and artists from New Zealand crossed my path since I discovered the newsletter of Auckland's Flying Nun record store. Though not on the store's record label, Flying Nun Records, the band came to me that way. Alternative rock with a twist like they only seem capable of in New Zealand. As I wrote a few times, there's something in the water there that everyone else in the world misses out on. The band around singer and songwriter Elizabeth Stokes blows up her songs to giant proportions without losing sight of what is important, the song and the singer. Guitarist and producer Jonathan Pearce can play solos as if he flies totally of the rails only to land on his feet within the song once again. And then the album contains 'I'm Not Getting Excited', one of the best songs of the past years, as a bonus.

37. Where The Spirit Rests. Chris Eckman (2021)

Chris Eckman had released some solo albums through the years, but they never made a real impression on me. And then came Where The Spirit Rests. I was once again swept off my feet by the power of his songs and voice. It had been close to ten years, collaborations aside, that he released new solo work. It was well worth the wait, because Where The Spirit Rests is great and beautiful album. Eckman's voice resonates deeply into my brain. The accompaniment is sober. There's nothing more than strictly necessary and it is enough. This album was a great return to form.

36. Always Ascending. Franz Ferdinand (2018)

To this day Always Ascending is Franz Ferdinand's latest studio album. The title and opening song is so incredibly strong. It was a return to the band's best songs from the first years of its career. The rest of the album is almost just as good, until the final few songs. Otherwise it would have been a Fra Fer classic. I went to see the band for the second time live, which was great fun. The band delivers new songs in a slow fashion but when it does, it delivers the right kind. The fact that only 'Tonight: Franz Ferdinand' is missing in this list, tells all, doesn't it? FraFer is always ascending/delivering alright.

35. Koper. De Kift (2001)

And once more De Kift. The album Koper has a song called 'Nauwe Mijter' on it, a song that is so extremely good that it deserves a spot even if the rest was not up to par. The rest is, rest assured. Again with art work that is different from everything regular bands make. It is not even complete. You could order extra cards to complete it. (I never did.) Koper was the first De Kift album, I liked as a whole. Its predecessor 'Vlaskoorts' contains a few of the band's most beautiful songs, but is not a great album as a whole. Koper is. Several things seemed to get together for the band at the time. although it would be a few years before ti became this good again..

Nice to know. Coincidentally Franz Ferdinand and De Kift are underneath each other in this list. Do you know they released a single together? Both bands play a song of each other on this single. You may still be able to order it on De Kift's website.

34. Adelantando. Jarabe de Palo (2007)

I was shocked when I saw Pau Dones in a new video just before Jarabe de Palo released what turned out to be its final album. A few weeks later he had succumbed to cancer. That was 2020. Let's go back to happier times when the Barcelona band released its 2007 album Adelantando with its happy and energetic songs bringing together Spanish, Latin, rap and rock music in its own perfect blend. Jarabe de Palo was on the top of its game and playing live in my country every once in a while. I love all of the band's albums but some are far better than others and Adelantando is one of them.

33. From A Basement On The Hill. Elliot Smith (2004)

Another artist who is dead. Elliot Smith died under circumstances that will never be totally cleared. Although many people will point to his late 90s album as his best, for me it is From A Basement On The Hill. Admitted, the album last two, three songs too long, but before that moment, there is so much ear candy. On top of it all the album contains his best song: 'Pretty (Ugly Before)'. At a certain period in my life it spoke volumes to me. It all came out well though, but my heartstrings are still touched every single time I hear this song.

32. Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Lana del Rey (2023)

Ms. del Rey's latest album and as far as I'm concerned her best to date. The spoken word interludes aside, she has never sounded so good over a whole album. She seems to bare it all in a few of the songs. They are not just mysterious but full of emotions and that combination is one she hadn't presented before. The cool, calm and collected Lana del Rey was left behind in that tunnel. Cracks appeared in the facade she always kept between herself and us. We are all better because of it. This is sheer beauty from a superstar, one of the biggest of the past fourteen years.

31. Veggie Patch In The Desert. Elenne May (2016)

Elenne May came into my life with an email asking me if I wanted to listen to the band's new EP, one of three that would make up this album over time. It turned out to be its the final album, as what should have been its last album was never recorded and left behind as a live performance an five digitally released songs. Veggie Patch In The Desert is an album that takes the listener through a host of emotions with songs that are all very much worthwhile listening to. I have seen the band live several times, including twice in my living room and this album came alive every single time. And then it was all over two years ago. A real shame as there was so much talent combined here. Unfortunately, too little people took notice.

Wout  de Natris - van der Borght

The best albums 2000 - 2024, 5 of 10

We are half way and start with number 50 ....

50. Remedies. Soup (2017)

Symphonic rock, alternative rock, progressive rock? What to call Remedies? A little of all is my best guess. It's easier to conclude that Remedies is the album with the best cover art of the century so far. Claiming it can't be far from the truth. Norwegian band Soup explores its compositions and follows the chord progressions into every hidden nook and cranny, resulting in an album that keeps surprising, even after many listening sessions. The light, the dark, life and death, love and sadness it all comes by, showing all the different phases of each. I have no idea what came after but with Remedies Soup made a great impression on me.

 

 

49. Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. Franz Ferdinand (2013)

As I wrote recently, you had not seen the last of the band. With Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action the band set another great step in its career. With songs like 'Love Illumination' and 'Bullet' you can't go wrong. FraFer swings no little here and was still together in its original line up. This would not last much longer. For some time now there's only two left, Alex Kapranos and bassist Bob Hardy. Like many bands from the second punkfunk era, the band is great at making songs that are not easy sound like they are. FraFer finds the melody that can be sung along to with ease while the notes and chords played do not sound like the most obvious ones. That starts with the opening song 'Right Words' and ends with the last note on the album. Although the band never got as big as it promised at the start, it is still popular to this day.

48. Niemandsland. De Kift (2024)

Another album that time will tell how good it really is, but I'm impressed alright. Niemandsland is an album where De Kift goes off the deep end. All the anxiousness and fears of 2024 have gone into it. The environment, war, pollution, extinction, sorrows and woe, singer and text assembler Ferry Heijne has found pieces of text from all around the world to share his message. The band obliges fully but has never sounded more subdued than here. Niemandsland tells of the world crumbling apart with nothing we can do, as it is the hot shots of this world determining what it is that happens to us. Niemandsland is, even for those unable to understand Dutch, an album to take to heart. And the artwork you see here? It is 100% unique. There's not one the same. Only the concept and shape is.

47. Ompa Til Du Dør. Kaizers Orchestra (2001)

It was at least a year later before I learned of Kaizers Orchestra, but I can still see myself sitting in the record store on a Friday or Saturday afternoon, when I saw one of the fathers from school walk in. Whether he did anything with my advice I don't know, fact is, I was jumping up and down on my stool listening to the album. Kaizers Orchestra is one of my favourite bands of this century for certain. The Norwegians blend everything from rock and punk, to Balkans, gypsy music and Tom Waits and not to forget De Kift. Kaizers Orchestra is the punk version of De Kift. Everything is sung in the band's local dialect from Bergen. This album was followed by 'Evig Pint', that only just did not make to this list. Many other albums did as you will find out. The promise made in the album's title, unfortunately was not lived up to when the band broke up in 2013.

46. Uut De Bron. Broeder Dieleman (2015)

By far the most experimental album on this list, my co number 1 of 2015. Co, because it should not be there in a musical sense. This was all about experiencing pure senses as Tonnie Dieleman, who is Broeder Dieleman, mixed so much into his music. Sound scapes, atmospherics and spoken word, in which he tried and succeeded to capture his heritage of the Zeeland towns, marshes, religion and people. This is not music perse but so much more and so impressive. His other albums are not here but they are all very much worthwhile.

45. American Idiot. Green Day (2004)

With 'Dookie' American Dream is the album of west coast punkers Green Day. The band's reaction to George Bush JR's presidency. One hit after the other came off the album making it without doubt the band's most successful. The album that makes Green day fill the biggest venues and being the main act on festivals to this day. It is also the band's most ambitious album and that paid off. It proves that punk can be more than either just anger or having a good time and pogo the night away.

44. I Am The River, The River Is Me. Jen Cloher (2023)

I was surprised I did not let 'Jen Cloher', her eponymous album, make this list. Choices are tough, I can tell you. Her latest album is played regularly to this day. After her breakup with indie darling Courtney Barnett, conspicuously absent here, she went back to her New Zealand roots and returned with this even better album that shows so many sides to her musicality. In that she's so much better than Ms Barnett. The Maori chants really enrich some songs but overall I Am The River, The River Is Me is a very strong album.

43. Forever. Cracker (2002)

Cracker still exists yet seems to have faded away completely. The band's list of great albums stopped with Forever in 2002. The mix of country(rock), pop and music somewhere in between the two, that is part serious and part in jest, is of the kind that makes me want to sing along. For the whole of the time. I hadn't played the album for some time, as I always put on Cracker's first three albums. When I did, I found there was not one song I could not sing along to and enjoyed them so much. I was lucky to be able to have seen them twice live in small venues, incredibly loud, okay. Live the band is totally professional. The albums show the band's other side, the fun stuff.

42. Aces Eights & Heartbreaks. The Shang Hi Los (2023)

Rock and roll from 2023 that could have been made anywhere in the past 50 years. Boston bands and singers move in and out of bands and collaborations and The Shang Hi Los is one such constellation. The best I've heard to date. With an opening song like 'Takes One To Know One' a slot on this list is already guaranteed. With the songs that follow the rest is a piece of cake. The voices of Jen D'Angora and Dan Kopko seem to have been made for each other, while together they make great records. Kopko's band Watts came close with its latest album, in this constellation things are simply better.

41. A Band In A Box. Zita Swoon (2005)

A live album and the only one in this list. Zita Swoon is (was?) a Belgian band around singer-songwriter-guitarist Stef Kamil Carlens. Zita Swoon has a drummer who seems more like a mathematician than percussionist. A band that makes square songs round. That makes difficult things sound easy and even more importantly beautiful. Supported by a host of great musicians, among whom the late Tom Pintens, and three female singers, the songs on A Band In A Box surpass the original versions. Although a live album, recorded without audience, it is the distilled version of all the albums that came before and the highlight of the band's oeuvre.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

De Kift live. Patronaat Haarlem, donderdag 14 november 2024

Photo: Wout de Natris

Op de releasedatum van het nieuwe album 'Niemandsland', zie onze recensie van 14 november, presenteerde De Kift het album in een bomvolle grote zaal van het Patronaat in Haarlem. Het publiek was er duidelijk klaar voor en de band ook. Na jaren van voorbereiding is het dan zover, de nieuwe muziek kan live worden gespeeld. Spannend, zeker, maar al gauw kwam de zekerheid in het spel.

Zoals ik schreef, is 'Niemandsland' een zeer ingetogen plaat. Al het kenmerkende geschetter van het koper en de uitbundige woorden, zang en gebaren, zijn vrijwel afwezig. Het is een plaat die de aandacht vestigt op de verstilde schoonheid van al hetgeen dat van zichzelf niet mooi of schoon is. Een plaat die zich verzoend lijkt te hebben met de ondergang van de mensheid, waar niets meer te redden valt.

Zo was ook de sfeer op het podium. Weg waren de grote gebaren. Als bassist Mathijs Houwink de meest "woeste" man op het podium is, tijdens wat veel weg heeft van een bassolo, dan zegt het alles. Wat we te horen kregen, klonk ingetogen en was gericht op schoonheid. De Kift staat bekend om zijn hoekige en dwarse muziek, gecreëerd door soms onnavolgbare maatsoorten, waar eerlijk gezegd zelfs voor iemand die veel muziek luistert en zelf speelt, zoals ik, soms geen voor- noch achterkant aan te ontdekken valt. Maar wat bovenal opvalt in een paar nummers; het lukt De Kift om iets wat heel veel en onregelmatige hoeken heeft, perfect rond te maken. Dat is de beste omschrijving die ik kan verzinnen. Meer dan eens stond ik verwonderd en bewonderend te kijken. De Kift is een band die een, twee, drie, vier, kan aftellen, zoals alle bands doen en daarna losbarsten in een ritme waar die een, twee, drie, vier vast ergens diep onder verstopt zal liggen, maar wat het wel is? Zelfs tijdens een nummer wijzigt het. Ik probeerde percussionist Marko Heijne te volgen in een van de oudere nummers, maar het lukte me niet. Ik ga ervan uit dat hij wist wat hij deed. Accenten verschuiven per maat, zoals volgens mij ook één keer in de achtergrondzang.

Schoonheid ligt in de klanken van een xylofoon of een steel drum. In de menselijke metronoom die gitarist Pim Heijne is. In prachtige drie-, vier-, vijfstemmige samenzang en in de vele, vele toeters die in continu wisselende samenstelling gespeeld worden. Wat wel echt nieuw was, was de saxofoon van Roos Janssens. Dat geeft een geheel ander geluid aan de blazerssectie van De Kift en is een verrijking. Net als haar zangpartijen dat zijn. Janssens geeft een geheel andere toon aan De Kift en die mag er zeker zijn.

Photo: Wout de Natris

Nadat het applaus voor 'Niemandsland' in ontvangst was genomen, werd er een greep uit ouder werk gedaan. Zelfs tijdens het applaus werd er aan een distortion apparaat gedraaid. Dat kan eigenlijk maar een ding betekenen en inderdaad: "feeste!" De groene gitaar kwam naar voren en de enorm harde riff werd gespeeld. Ferry Heine kon eindelijk zijn ADHD kant los laten gaan en drummer Wim ter Weele zijn Braziliaanse carnavals trommels om hangen. Iedere keer als ik 'Bal' hoor verschijnt er een lach op mijn gezicht. Er bestaat geen ultiemer feestnummer dan dit. Daar tegenover staat het meest melancholische nummer van De Kift, waarmee de set werd afgesloten, 'Hoofdkaas'. Het was heel grappig om te merken dat er mensen in de zaal waren die nog nooit bij een De Kift show waren geweest. Dat viel op toen Ter Weele met zijn kartonnen doos vol lege conservenblikken begon te schudden in de maat van het nummer. Woester en woester. De Kift kan beroeren tussen deze twee enorme uitersten en dat is vrijwel geen band gegeven en misschien wel niet een andere.

Sinds de kindervoorstelling over Nova Zembla heb ik met uitzondering van 'Hoogriet' alle shows gezien. Covid voorkwam dat. Samen met mijn zoon van toen vier. We zijn ruim 26 jaar later, maar de indruk die De Kift live maakt is zo constant. Het zijn de albums die steeds beter geworden zijn door de jaren heen. 'Niemandland' is daar geen uitzondering op. We zijn allemaal grijzer en ouder geworden, maar ik hoop er nog jaren bij te kunnen zijn.

De show trekt nog tot en met januari door het land heen. Gaat dat zien!

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

De muziek van De Kift kun je hier bestellen:

https://winkel.dekift.nl/

 

Niemandsland. De Kift

Niemandsland klinkt uiterst aangenaam bekend. Op Niemandsland verbaast De Kift niet meer of het moet de grotere bijdrage van zang met een Vlaams accent zijn, die prominenter aanwezig is dan ooit te voren. Verwonderen doet De Kift wel, zoals altijd. De Zaankanters weten altijd weer de schoonheid te laten zien van datgene wat niet schoon en mooi is. Muzikaal niet en qua onderwerpen niet. Het slijk der aarde komt voorbij met de spotlights vol op alle brokken en scherven van gebutste levens die daarin verborgen en -op liggen. En wat is het mooi.

Schreef ik dat op 'Hoogriet' De Kift een hoogtepunt op puur muzikaal gebied bereikte, mijn eerste indruk van Niemandsland was dat de band besloten had linksaf te slaan of zoals het zelf schrijft, terug naar de oorsprong. Echter, hoe meer ik de nieuwe plaat heb beluisterd, hoe meer ik inzie dat dit geheel niet zo is. De nadruk ligt misschien niet op een mooi geluid of de beste opname, als ooit, maar de uitkomst is dit wel. Als alles verteld is, blijft er de schittering van het zonlicht op het slijk en de scherven over, die oogverblindend mooi is.

Niemandsland roept bij mij het gebied tussen de frontlinies in een loopgravenoorlog op, of het stuk land tussen twee landen die geen vrienden zijn, zoals op Cyprus of de grens van Estland en Rusland om twee voorbeelden te noemen die ik met eigen ogen heb gezien. Het van mens- en godvergeten land, waar de natuur zijn gang kan gaan en af en toe een incident plaatsvindt.

Tekstueel lijkt op dit album het einde der tijden af en toe aangebroken. "Zijn er nog vogels gespot? Geen idee." Verwacht geen nostalgie op Niemandsland. De teksten komen zoals altijd uit de wereldliteratuur, Armando, Pablo Neruda, Herta Müller, de muziek is classic De Kift, een combinatie van veel koper maar wel iets minder puur schetterend, prachtige samenzang, minder voor de hand liggende ritmes en hier en daar een banjo. En de zang van Roos Janssens. De thematiek van Niemandsland heeft zich dus vertaald in meer ingetogenheid. Het grote gebaar, wat zanger Ferry Heijne live ongetwijfeld niet kan laten, is weg. Er zijn meer vragen dan antwoorden te vinden op Niemandsland.

Photo: Rachel Corner

Dit alles te samen maakt De Kift tot de meest bijzondere band van Nederland en misschien wel ver daar buiten. Niemand doet dit en op zo'n consistent niveau. De enige band die in de buurt komt is het Noorse Kaizers Orchestra. Polka, zigeuner, punk, oost-Europees, fanfare, dit alles zit in de muziek van beide bands. Waar de Noren qua nieuwe muziek al 11 jaar stil zijn, straalt De Kift meer en meer. Ik mag de band nu 26 jaar volgen en de verbazing en verwondering waren altijd daar. Tot Niemandsland. Daar is de verbazing ingeruild voor een driedubbele portie verwondering.

Vanavond is de live presentatie in het Patronaat. Wordt vervolgd dus.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

Niemandsland kan hier worden besteld:

https://winkel.dekift.nl/

2024, week 42. 10 singles

Today you will read a lot of new names on the blog .... that are not new names. The reason is that these artists come by with a new record for the first time since WoNoBlog exists, which is past 12 and a half years by now. We let that festive moment slip by unnoticed, I only now realise. Sure, you will have found the artists as a reference or part of someone else's story, for example in an obituary. Amazingly, they never had their own entry. Add some more newbys and you have enough to explore this week. So, enjoy!

Rats. Suzanne Vega

My only Suzanne Vega record is from the 1980s with 'Luka' on it. Based on this recollection nothing prepared me for Rats. Suzanne Vega is rocking like there's no tomorrow. In fact she is in competition with several 2020s alternative, postpunk bands. She wrote the song with her guitarist and musical director Gerry Leonard. It is such a direct song, with guitar lines all over the place. The bass is very in your face and there's this Farfisa organ that is almost irritating to listen to, as it is supposed to sound. Vega herself seems to be hanging on for dear life with this tempo. She manages very well, thank you. What I can't tell from a distance is whether the Rats are a metaphor for everything happening in politics in the U.S. these days. I can imagine it is. The song is direct enough to be an allegorical protest song. For all I know Suzanne Vega is making music like Rats for years. I am very positively surprised. Rats its a great postpunk rock song.

Disinfectant. Peter Perrett

To my surprise, I reviewed an album by Peter Perrett on this blog, 'Humanworld', in 2018. There's an older Erwin Zijleman one as well. Sorry, but I have no recollection of it at all. Disinfectant took a short while for me to catch on but after that I was hooked. The song starts slow and Peter Perrett's voice is not exactly without wear and tear of the past 45 years. Musically, the song takes off in the first chorus and never looks back. Disinfectant rocks and with that no little. If I have to compare Disinfectant to anything it is David Bowie 'Boys Keep Swinging'. The lead guitar is so fantastic on both. The kind that you want to keep going and going and stops before things become too much at some point, making you crave for more that isn't there. If anything with this single Perrett shows that age is something in the head of the beholder. Older rockers can still create fantastic songs, as Disinfectant shows to the world.

Shake EP. Sunflower Bean

Band of Skulls is dead long live Sunflower Bean? I did not see that one coming. Sunflower Bean self-produced for the first time and throws the world a loud bone called Shake. There already is a 'Death By Diamonds And Pearls', otherwise the title song could have qualified to become it. Where I wrote in my 2018 review of 'Twentytwo In Blue': "Somewhere under that sweet-voiced Ms. (Julia) Cumming there can be hints of danger in the music.", on the Shake EP that danger is in the front, middle, last row and the balcony. In the first three songs Sunflower Bean goes more than full out. Only in song four 'Serial Killer' the tempo goes down a little, the noise considerably so. The toughness remains though. It may be a ballad, the in your face approach will fool many who have a totally different concept of balladry. It is always nice to be surprised and Sunflower Bean has done so. To think I almost did not listen to the EP. Boy, am I glad I did. If I were the band I would stick with presenting the unfiltered version of itself. It suits Sunflower Bean quite well.

Secret Place. The Dogs

Detroit? That is MC5, The White Stripes and Motown of course. And since today The Dogs. I understand that the band has reformed with original members Mary Kay Dodson on bass and backing vocals and Loren Molinare on lead vocals and guitars. They are joined in 2024 by  Rob Klonel on drums. With Secret Place The Dogs have a comeback single like they should be. It rocks right into your face. The trio dare to tone down to just a tough bass, drums and muted rhythm guitar, before exploding into the rock monster The Dogs also is. Secret Place is the announcement of a career spanning album called 'Unleashed' with 24 songs on it. Rum Bar released the album on 18 October.  Secret Place reminds me of 'Kick Out The Jams', MC5's signature song. The Dogs just keep things whole and do a great job at it too. Secret Place is a delicious dirty rocker of a song.

Pétillant. The Daylillies

Three years ago The Daylilies were on this blog with 'Stockholm Syndrome', a release of Justine Couvault's Red on Red label. Over time more and more bands surface on other labels, after Justine's demise in 2023. With Pétillant The Daylilies return with a great pop-rock single. The single has a golden melody and singer Laura England Klain really is determined to show what she's capable of. Many 80s singer can be put to history when new singers have voices like England Klain's. Pétillant is the kind of song that has a varied yet great sound. With an organ that reminds people like me who lived through new wave of songs like 'Oliver's Army', 'Just What I Needed' or 'Marliese' and a guitar that is tough enough to come from any decade between the late 70s and today. Pétillant means bubbly, as in sparkling wine. The theme of the song is coming out of Covid and playing together again. This single really sounds like the joy I felt when were in a room once again making music, shield between at first us or not.

Boat Called Predator. SASSYHIYA

Another new name on this blog. I had never heard of SASSYHIYA until an email dropped into my box a few weeks ago. With the title Boat Called Predator I did not expect a rap song but what else? It turns out that the single is a pretty direct indie rock song by a female singer. SASSYHIYA ("Sassy Hiya") formed in London by singers and songwriters Kathy Wright, vocals, guitar and Helen Skinner, vocals, bass, who are partners in life as well. Together they write the songs. So far two EPs have been released. Over time they were joined by Pablo Paganotto on drums and Neiloy Mookherjee on guitar. On 8 November the debut album 'Take You Somewhere' is released. While on holiday in western Scotland Kathy and Helen were overtaken by a trailer with a boat called 'Predator' on it, leading to this energised song. At first listen Boat Called Predator appears very straightforward. Listen more closely and you'll hear the backing vocals, the guitar lines Neiloy Mookherjee adds to the song, the little handclaps and the little mysterious additions of sounds here and there. It makes for great listening.

Alone. The Cure

Believe it or not but just like Suzanne Vega The Cure makes it debut on this blog. It's last album is from 2008, four years before the start of this blog. You will find the band as a reference all over the place, but that is different. All over the summer it was clear that something was brewing, but summer is not the right season for The Cure to release albums in, isn't it? 'Songs From A Lost World' is slated for 1 November, when the last leaves are falling from the trees and the last of autumn's flowers have withered. Alone has been given to us a few weeks ago. It is a nearly seven minutes song and just before the 3.30 minutes Robert Smith comes in with his characteristic voice. The instrumental part is a huge affair. An enormous layer of synths is showered over us, with underneath the drums pounding away, an electric guitar playing its notes and a bass that is seriously low. A distorted guitar part, piano chords that move through the thickness like a cool breeze on a warm summer's evening. The Cure goes for the big effect and succeeds as far as I'm concerned. When returning on record after so many years you have to come in with a bang. The only valid question I can ask here, why does it have to sound like as if Pink Floyd came back together again?

One Woman. Eric Clapton

Even more surprising is that Eric Clapton makes his debut as well. Having released his first commercial single in 1963 or 64 with The Yardbirds, that is special isn't it? Now Clapton has not released a lot in the past years, I think, There already is a new album, 'Meanwhile', since late September. Totally unnoticed by me by the way. This single was announced about the release date of 'Meanwhile'. It is an album containing six "previously unheard tracks" and eight singles. I suppose that One Woman is a song in the first category. We hear Clapton moving routinely through a reggae-ish song, that continues satisfactorily without rocking any boats. Like many tracks on his solo albums did in the 70s and 80s and beyond. To be honest, I would have let it pass me by, had Clapton been on this blog before. But also because One Woman is a nice track. It is far from bad. The playing is impeccable. It simply never comes truly alive. My conclusion is that Eric Clapton doesn't want to offend anyone and is in total pleasing mode. The only hint at danger is a darker sounding guitar somewhere in the middle, to be mixed away as fast as possible, as if producer Simon Climie discovered it too late. Of course, Clapton's solo playing is good to listen to. Even in a track like One Woman listening to him play is a pleasure. To end more positively. The longer the song plays out, the more I get into its mood, so maybe things are not as average as they seem at first listen.

Rode Maan. De Kift

Rode Maan begint met gesproken woord, zoals alleen Ferry Heine dat kan. Onder hem een (bas?)gitaar akkoord, maar algauw valt de band in met een gejaagd ritme. Het klinkt allemaal zeer bekend in de oren. Dit is De Kift in vorm. Wel valt het op dat de Zaankanters niet proberen te pleasen met Rode Naam. Dit draait om de tekst: "de man met een wilde droom op zijn tong". Het eindigt zelfs a capella. In de tussentijd drijft de band zanger Ferry Heine op. Hij klinkt net zo gejaagd als de muziek. Haal ik het einde van dit verhaal?, lijkt hij zich af te vragen. In de aankondiging staat dat De Kift muzikaal terug gegaan is naar de begin jaren. Gezien de elementaire manier waarop met name de sologitaar klinkt, kan ik daar in mee gaan. Dat is een typisch De Kift gitaar progressie. Ondanks dat er een aantal zeer verschillende instrumenten te horen zijn, is op een bepaalde manier Rode Maan een kaal nummer, dat heel veel energie uitstraalt. De rust van het einde is bijna paradoxaal. Rode Maan maakt heel benieuwd naar 'Niemandsland' het 13e album van De Kift dat in november uit gaat komen.

Baby I Love You. Beatersband

I got to know Baby I Love you in 1969, when Andy Kim (1946) scored his only hit in NL with the song. It is much older of course being recorded by The Ronettes in 1963. So I'm a bit surprised to hear a 2024 version from an Italian band called Beatersband. You can't really fail with a song like that and the self-styled punkrock'n'roll band doesn't. Beatersband plans to have a career to turn well-known songs into its own style. Baby I Love You gets a guitar, bass, drums treatment, but at heart is just a nice song. It remains this even when punkrock'n'rolled. Nothing more but certainly nothing less.

And then I remembered a little something. After the chorus of Baby I Love You, Andy Kim does something that makes the sugary song "more punk" than Beatersband's. Kim's "na-na-na-na-na" is really well done.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght