2026, week 26. 5 singles

A long, long time ago Martha and the Vandellas sang a song called 'Heat Wave' and the band Heatwave scored a hit called 'Boogie Nights'. With the temperatures awaiting us in the coming days, I doubt if there is going to be a lot of boogieing. Listening to music is always an option of course, so here's four recent singles and one EP for you to explore. Enjoy, but keep cool!

CIA. Mont Loser

'CIA' is very likely the loudest song recorded by the former Dutch band Caesar on what proved to be its last album around 2003. It looks like that is the mood that the U.S.' Central Intelligence Agency conjures up within musicians. Proof of point, Mont Loser from Paris, France really goes for the jugular as well on its new single. The song flies right off the road into an orgy of guitars and sound eruptions. If CIA expresses what the youth of France thinks about the U.S., it is clear we all have to start looking elsewhere. This song is not pretty, a far cry from welcoming, total chaos, a statement of anger. Nothing is hidden, despite the sound being a mud pool of noise, with everyone playing and singing at their loudest. The message is clear.

Hollow Heart EP. Heidi Curtis

The intro to the title song opening Heidi Curtis' EP really put me on the wrong foot. Listening to the acoustic guitar I expected to be listening to a singer-songwriter song. When the band kicks in that is changed into something that mixes between 70s rock and 2026 pop rock. And Heidi Curtis' voice will ring another bell with everyone listening to 'Hollow Heart'. When the acoustic guitar returns for a short intermezzo, the Buckingham-Nicks connection is even underscored. This EP starts with an extremely strong track. This impression does not leave me in 'Behind The Doors'. Of course, the music lover with some mileage behind him will think to have heard it before, but then isn't 'Rumours' the best selling classic rock album on vinyl for several years in row? The number of youths I see walking with it in records stores tells it all. Of course a new generation is influenced by its sound.The strong point of Hollow Heart is that it does not make me want to hear 'Rumours' immediately. I do not mind spending time with the powerful poprock songs of Heidi Curtis from Newcastle in the U.K., and her powerful voice.

Making Pretty Babies. Sally Jaye

Nostalgia seems to be the theme of this and the previous singles post. Believe me, the order is random as far as I'm concerned. This is roughly the order songs come in, with leaving out what doesn't attract me at first hearing. Sally Jaye brings that mix of music that is somewhere between roots, americana, country and a little rock. My all time favourite song in that genre is Hazeldine's 'Drive', from the late 1990s. Making Pretty Babies reminds me of that song, as it catches the same atmosphere. The pedal steel guitar is a nice additions, as it gives the song a more traditional sound. The band obviously knows what is expected of it and all Sally Jaye has to do, is sing convincingly with her voice that has the right timbre for this kind of music. And she does just that.

Drunk at the Gym. Jazmine Mary

This morning I was at the gym. Perhaps there was a little alcoholic residue left in my body, but I was certainly not drunk. Drunk At The Gym, Jazmine Mary's new single, is a far weirder affair. It starts with a car park and a bag of drunks. From there you better follow the story yourself. Ms. Mary sing-tells the story to us, singing in her deeper registry, giving the song a darker mood. With that she falls into line with (former) label mates Aldous Harding and Vera Ellen, who are able to create a mood like this also. The accompaniment is not your average as well. A banjo, strings and a clarinet steel the bigger roles from the more traditional instruments. When she moves up a register with her voice, the mood changes for a short while. All together, it makes Drunk At The Gym an intriguing single.  

Beautiful Things. Donnie Vie

After 'Plain Jane' in February of this year, Donnie Vie finds himself again on these pages. Again, it is a single that has a psychedelic vibe like The Beatles created around 1967 and adds a pop element that brings the best pop singles of the era to mind. Beautiful Things is a song with nothing less than a wall of sound, in music and singing behind Donnie Vie. Nothing was held back in order to make this song shine. It's as if Jeff Lynne and George Harrison had brought together another band than The Traveling Wilburys. To create an even bigger form of pop music than ELO itself ever made. Beautiful Things is an undertaking and Donnie Vie gets away with it with ease. Beautiful Things could easily have become a pastiche of things past or worse, a failure. It isn't, and that tells you enough about the accomplishment of Donnie Vie and his team.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

2026, week 25. 5 singles

Yes, you've read right, only five singles this time and no album on a Thursday. Too much work, too much football, too much playing with my own band Sweetwood, too much summer days and what not? There are only 24 hours in a day. Still, here is a nice subset of songs that were presented to me in the past weeks. Old and new, so enjoy!

Brothers. Garlands 

It has been quiet around Garlands for a while. I'm glad to announce the band from Glasgow is back with a psychedelic pop rock song called Brothers. The trio around singer-guitarist Gordon Harrow excels in songs that always have a foot firmly in the past, while certainly keeping an eye on what is going on today in the more alternative forms of pop music, only to plant its second foot right there. Brothers is no exception. The song starts with just Harrow and his guitar doing his take on an earlier George Harrison in The Beatles kind of song, while the rest of The Beatles were out doing something else. When the band joins in, the song gets far more solid (of course) but is also fleshed out. The vocals are doubled, harmonies come in, making the song open up. With Brothers Garlands has done it again.

La femme qui s’était faite toute seule. Prisoner

"The woman who made herself" is the title translated into English. As a Dutchman, "God created the world, the Dutch created The Netherlands", I can relate to the title. More importantly, the French band from Bordeaux is playing a great form of garage rock, including punky guitar and a Farfisa kind of organ that gives the song its 60s vibe. Of course not a band from the 1960s played its chords with a sound like this, but the origins are totally obvious. Singer Susanne Pemmerl brings French sigh girls to mind but just as easily Debbie Harry and a host of singers from U.S. female fronted punk bands. The addition of a deep and dark saxophone gives the song an extra layer to chew on while rocking out. Great single. On 7 august there's an album as well, the self-titled 'Prisoner'. Based on La femme qui s’était faite toute seule, it may well be great fun.

Sometimes The Sea. Julia Greenberg

With Julia Greenberg this week's post already has its second new name to the blog. The indie-folk singer from New York presents an introspective song like generations before her have done both as recording artists and from the days before songs could be recorded. Despite this enormous legacy, Julia Goldberg manages to capture my attention with ease. Both with her voice, that has a typical folk edge to it but also with the music. At heart you will hear Ms. Goldberg and her acoustic guitar like she would play it at home or at a campfire. It is enough to make the song interesting already. When all is said and done, Sometimes The Sea is as good as its basis is. What is added, is an accordion (Will Holshouser), playing as an accompanying instrument and some lead notes in between. The bass strings on the acoustic guitar are recorded so well, that it is hard to tell whether there is a bass guitar or not. There is absolutely no need for anything more. Recently, an EP was released called 'Born Sentimental'.

Wasn't It Just Yesterday. Girl With A Hawk

With Wasn't It Just Yesterday Boston band Girl With A Hawk returns to this blog with a song that immediately landed well with me. From the very first second somehow it is clear that the song is going to be just fine. It starts with an intro of a lead guitar, the band is there and then an organ enters putting the cherry on the already delicious cake. Linda S. Viens once again leads the band through a song of significance. With influences from both sides of the ocean shining through, Girl With A Hawk creates a hybrid song that should work for both fans of U.S. rock and U.K. Britpop and older (Bowie!). "I've got the looks and I've got the tunes", she sings and then she looks in the mirror and realises that "time is running out" and there's even a political statement in there, as she moves from the personal to the more general before she proclaims her love of the rock and roll life. She sounds like she does for the whole of the way. It shows in every single second of Wasn't It Just Yesterday. Album 'Renegades' is there on the 19th!

Hard Luck. Hoaxxers

With Hoaxxers we have another new name on the blog but not a new kind of music. The upbeat power/punkpop of the band will resonate with fans of a host of bands playing this genre of music since the 1990s, and mostly from the U.S. or influenced by such bands. Hoaxxers is a band from Austin, Texas and holds members of the band Joe Jitsu in it. Hard Luck is the title track of a six song EP with the same name that was released on 29 May. The song is a punkrock song that at the same time strives to be a perfect pop song. Loud and punky, but with harmonies that work while at the same time sounding very familiar. Dynamics are used successfully, in other words a textbook song and still it works. Not the best I've ever heard but certainly plain good. No more words are necessary, except rock on!

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

2026, week 24. 10 singles

Another week has sped by, it seems to go ever faster. In between I have played a great live set with my own band Sweetwood, that showed that we are still progressing and become better. Below you find ten recent singles, with a surprising number of duos making their debut on this blog. Old and new, you will find it all, so enjoy!

Deny. La Sécurité

Post punk? Yes, very much so. La Sécurité dives into the postpunk coming out of the U.K. around of 1980, when melody was traded for a sort of communist five year plan kind of music. All pleasure was traded in for music of a rigorous socialist orthodoxy kind. Enter Deny in 2026. The rhythms, the talk-singing, the accents and bursts of guitars all fit. Except this song is set on fire. The Montreal art-punk collective makes the song come totally alive and manages to throw in a musical joke or two. Listen to how the electric guitars drop away revealing the synth underneath them. Slowly but surely it also becomes clear how danceable Deny is. the song is a clear winner. Eat your heart out Gang of Four and their ilk.

Tide - Prologue. The Stream

Leiden's The Stream has found its way to this blog for over a decade now. Jan Stroomer and band are true veterans. When a new record is announced, I tend to prick up my ears. Fans will remember fondly how the previous record, 'Nature Calls', was accompanied live with a host of physics and chemistry experiments while the band played on. In 2026 things have changed somewhat. The band decided to record an instrumental album, 'Flood', and had to say goodbye to its long time drummer Koen van Dijk. This results in music that is rather far detached from what I usually listen to, but then being a guitar man, The Stream always was a bit aside of my usual musical playground. I notice that it is easy to listen to Tide - Prologue. The piano plays an upbeat melody, that comes close to classical, making The Stream leave its usual habitat of pop songs with a piano as main instrument. The doubled part gives Tide - Prologue a nice darker edge, allowing some tension to enter the composition. It is the first release from an upcoming EP, ''Flood - Prologue'.

Young Hearts. Isaac Roux

I was about to write that we have a debut on the blog, were it not that Erwin Zijleman reviewed Isaac Roux' (Louis de Roo) debut album 'Troubeld Waters' two years ago. For me it is though and I'm pleasantly surprised by the uptempo song Young Hearts is. A long time ago Rod Stewart sang about "young hearts" in his hit single 'Young Turks' and Isaac Roux taps into this line of energy, while making his song rougher and more alternative. It starts right away with the intro, where an electric guitar is allowed to go for it, after which most instruments drop away when the first verse starts, to come in again on the second line. There is some Kensington in the way the chorus presents itself, except that Young Hearts avoids the platitudes in the music that band excels in. Young Hearts remains alive, fiery and energetic. Bigger and bigger seems to be the adagium used in this single and it works from beginning to end.

Precious Days. Brand New Heartache

Usually, I listen to new singles on You Tube, as most are available there and it's easier and faster to access them. So I found that Brand New Heartache, the Nashville husband-and-wife duo of Eleese and Matthew Meschery, has exactly 1 person who subscribes to their channel and and the video had 13 views. That is no reason to write a review but this song is. Based on what I'm hearing these numbers ought to rise fast. Precious Days meanders somewhere between country, folk and pop. It's a great up tempo song not unlike Emmylou Harris' rendition of Chuck Berry's 'C'est La Vie (You Never Can Tell)'. Precious Days simply rocks and is rich in sound, orchestration and vocal delivery. Far more comparisons are possible to make, but I'll let you find your own favourites. I prefer to just like Precious Days for what it is. Album 'A New Alchemy' is slated for 24 July. Based on what I'm hearing here, it's something to look out for alright.

3, 2, 1. Bente 

Bente is meer een naam voor mij dan een zangeres. Wel heb ik een paar afleveringen gezien van het programma 'Beste Zangers', waarin zij liet zien een heleboel in haar mars te hebben. Haar eigen werk gaat tot nu toe gewoonweg langs mij heen. Tot dat ik dit nummer hoorde op de Radio 2 ochtendshow waar mijn vrouw graag naar luistert voor het werk. Ik hoorde een heleboel energie en vooral een alternatieve poprock song waar de stukken vanaf vlogen. Ja, ik krijg de doorgaans jeuk van de manier waarop veel jonge, Nederlandse zangeressen zingen. Bente moet deze techniek in 3, 2, 1 grotendeels loslaten, omdat het tempo zo hoog ligt. De manier van zinnen afbreken dat lukt nog wel, nog zoiets, maar maakt het nummer niet minder goed. Hier wordt gerockt en het staat Bente goed. De opbouw is eveneens goed. De rustpunten in het nummer zal er voor zorgen dat een zaal op het juiste moment loos zal gaan. 3, 2, 1 is een sterke Nederlandstalige pop- en rocksong.

Low Sunday Ghost Machine - Black EP. Lowsunday

Lowsunday is the second of four duos making their debut on this blog in the same week. Shane Sahene (vocals, guitar, synth, bass, drums) and Bobby Spell (bass, guitar, drums) are the two members of the original band from the late 90s who came back to release new music. In 2026, I can't judge the old work, I'm afraid, Lowsunday releases music that is as dark as it used to be in the 1980s except that it lays the light side of a band like The Cure or Big Country over its Joy Division foundation. The result is music that is simply infectious. Opening song 'You're So Wired' immediately sets the stage for rock and for the typical shoegaze style of dancing, i.e. looking at the points of your shoes and move as little as possible. Should you not be a shoegazer, I'm sure other forms of dancing are allowed by Lowsunday. Tracks like 'You're So Wired' and 'Shattered' are made for moving with abandon. Should the band plan to play live again, it will need more musicians, as layer after layer of guitars and other stuff are stacked upon each other creating a huge wall of sound. Lowsunday certainly did not leave it to chance where its comeback is concerned. This kind of music makes you noticed immediately. Love it or hate it, you can't escape it. I'm all good here.

Bug In The Cake. Violet Grohl 

Going by the name Grohl, no matter what you say, will open a lot of doors. Father is famous for well over 30 years, first as drummer and then as front man of Foo Fighters. Violet has recently released her debut album 'Be Sweet To Me' and received a lot of attention surrounding the release. It made me somewhat sceptical, next to having too many albums to listen to already. And then I ran into this video. I can only admit straight up that Bug In The Cake is a great alternative rock song. In fact, I love it. It fits in very nicely with alternative rock songs coming out of the U.S. since the 1990s. It has just enough of a pop vibe, because it has a few great hooks and an instantly singable (pre) chorus. Not to forget some great guitar solos. Bug In The Cake has a lot of urgency that Violet Grohl is sharing with the world and the song is simply a lot better than many, not all, her dad gave the world. It looks like I have another album to listen to.

Backstabber (Tailor's Version). The Dresden Dolls

And here is another new name on this blog. Although I have heard the name The Dresden Dolls before, I do not recall having heard its music. That may have been a great miss, as Backstabber (Tailor's Version) is a great song. Duos come in a lot of ways but usually it is guitar and drums ever since The White Stripes, with some doing bass - drums like Royal Blood. The Dresden Dolls present themselves as a piano - drums duo. Reading up on the band, I found that the band formed in 2000 and released two albums in the 00s. One of these albums, 'Yes, Virginia' is getting a re-release with a pun on Taylor Swift's re-releases of her first albums. For me, I'm glad to hear this song because of the re-release. Amanda Palmer's piano playing is forceful and rhythmic, while Brian Viglione fills in everything else with his drumming, besides providing background vocals. Backstabber is an ideal song to get to know the band in the 2020s.

Diablo. Deep Purple 

Deep Purple is around for 58 years in 2026. Everyone with the slightest knowledge of hard (classic) rock knows the band went through several line up changes through the decades. The current line up is four old timers and new guitarist Simon McBride. They already present their second album soon. Deep Purple is acting as if El Diablo is on its tail and given the average age of the members, that is not far beside the truth. With Diablo Deep Purple again, after first single 'Arrogant Boy' shows that it has not lost its chops. Don't expect anything new, but do expect the classic Deep Purple sound at its best. A driving rhythm, dualling guitars and organ, a great riff or two and Ian Gillan singing in his older gentleman voice, that fits this music perfectly. In 2026 Deep Purple still is a great band, no doubt about it.

Socialism Ditty. Mr. Dinkles

After The Dresden Dolls a forth duo features for the first time on this blog. This time The White Stripes is the blueprint. Mr. Dinkles, vocalist/guitarist Mac Rettig and drummer Rocco Ramos, is more a punk band though than the blues rock The White Stripes based its music on. The title and lyrics refer to what 'The Economist' recently dubbed "Gen-Z socialism". It is a spot on description as ms. Rettig shout-sings "you don't really need that, just give me that". We all know it doesn't work that way, although there definitely is a point to gen-z socialism and rethinking wealth distribution. Musically, Socialism Ditty is a raucous song, dirty for the whole of the way. A distorted guitar and ever dirtier overdubs make up the body of the song, with drummer Ramos hitting everything else home. The song starts like many other punk/garage rock songs do. The energy is there, creating the fun and expectation of wanting to listen to it. The explosion comes and does not go back into its corner until the very end. In fact, more flares start exploding, making Socialism Ditty more urgent by the second.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

 

2026, week 12. 10 singles

The personal events of the past few weeks are mostly of unspeakable sadness and in a sequence and speed that make it impossible to grasp and mourn individually. There will be a little on that in the coming week on the blog. Listening to music helps. Music is soothing and allows the mind to focus on, well, nothing but the music really. Hence, there is a singles section this week anyway for you to explore and enjoy new music anyway.

Trickle Down. SPRINTS 

Just over a week ago SPRINTS kicked off its European tour supported by Amsterdam band Marathon. To celebrate, the Dublin based band released a new single. Kathy Chubb gives a lesson on trickle down economics. Isn't that the theory that even if only a few people earn a lot of money, that wealth will trickle down to the rest of society. Well, my guess is that most people have learned by now that it does not work that way. That same few just accumulate more and more and more, until a government pays put to that. Chubb is mostly telling the listener about it, while the band plays. En passant, she admits she want to be like Amy Taylor (of Amyl & the Sniffers). When band and singer come together, they rock like SPRINTS can. Trickle Down may not be a high flyer but even a medium flyer in the SPRINTS universe is something most bands can only dream of.

Over/Thru. High on Stress

With Over/Thru High on Stress released a strong powerpop single that not only brings back fond memories from songs decades old but adds another favourite in the very first listening session already. The song starts with a sole guitar that after the band joins in takes off in a nice intro solo straight away. In the verse the band holds back to unleash itself in the chorus. This band knows how to use dynamics in a song that is immediately singable as well. Hailing from Minneapolis, the band shines a very positive light on the city with this song. Fans from Gin Blossoms to The Jayhawks and back should be very pleased hearing a song like this in 2026. For those wanting to hear more, there's a whole EP out with the same name.

Clipping. Special Friend 

With Clipping French band Special Friend finds itself for the second time on this blog. Where I compared 'Breakfast' to the erratic songs of postpunk icon Lene Lovich, Clipping shows a totally different side to Special Friend. It is an alternative rock song with an electric guitar solo that could come out of the 1970s. In the verses it drops away. An acoustic guitar takes over, laying down a strong rhythm together with the bass and drums. Drummer and singer Erica Ashleson accompanies guitarist and singer Guillaume Siracusa in such a way that it is like an angel singing behind him. Dreamy, not attached and free floating. It gives Clipping a second vibe. All together it makes Clipping a strong single that makes me very curious to hear the album called 'Clipping' as well. It was released on the 20th of this month.

Shareholder. Pastel Blank

 “Dance music for people who don’t know how to dance,” that is how Canadian artist Angus Watt describes his music, including a mention of Talking Heads as one of this inspirations. Now a long time ago Talking Heads with e.g. the live version of 'Burning Down The House' was a band that made me want to dance. So, I get it where Pastel Blank is coming from or going to be more precise. Shareholder has that eclectic rhythm and a host of weird sounds, while when everything is said and done, the song rocks in its own special and weird way. It makes Shareholder fun to listen to, recognisable and yet ready for 2026 as well. Pastel Blank's debut album Unmade In Minutes is released on 24 April. 

Bingo. La Sécurité

We have to go back 15 months to find Montréal band La Sécurité on the blog with single Detour. Here is Bingo and where my review is concerned I could more or less repeat it. Bingo is not round music but square. Think of the early albums by Talking Heads and The B52s. Bands that may have started out in the punk scene but became new wave and/or postpunk avant la lettre. La Sécurité pulls parts out of both genres and creates a very danceable track in a way that Dutch postpunkers Global Charming are so good at as well. Bingo does not give you a single moment of rest. It is ecstatic and wild. Weird riffs fly around as it should in postpunk. Album 'Bingo' will be released on 12 June. 

Jet Stream Heart. Temples

To find Temples on this blog you have to go back to 2014 and its album 'Sun Structures' and one odd single in 2020. With Jet Stream Heart the U.K. psychpop band returns. It is an upbeat song, where (Brit)pop meets psychedelia and eastern melodies. The song revolves around an eastern sounding riff that keeps appearing in the song, until it is expanding into a (saxophone?) solo. Together with the beat that certainly invites some dancing, it makes for light listening. It is as if The Black Angels decided to release a pop track. This is something I would allow that band to do, to make it sound just a little more upbeat in between the darkness it excels in. Temples has found the right mix with Jet Stream Heart. To hear the album we need to be patient. 'Bliss' will release on 26 June. 

Forever. Portland

Can a song like Forever come from another country than Belgium? Before I had found any information on the band, my mind said dEUS, Zita Swoon, Millionaire, Metal Molly. Sure, there are more than enough differences but also enough similarities. Forever is a song with a melody that seems normal and yet. I can't really lay my finger on it but songs from a lot of indie and alternative rock bands from Belgium sound different from the rest of the world and so does Portland. Portland is led by Jente Pironet with Sebastian Leye on guitar, Boris Van Overschee,bass & keys, Nina Kortekaas vocals & keys and Bram Vanhove drums & percussion. Pironet has a ton of words to share with the listener over a song that goes and on and is only stopped for a short while just before the chorus comes in. Like most songs this week, Forever is not your average song. The album is called 'Champain' and is out for some time already. 

The Come To Jesus Moment. Ryan Hamilton

Finally, a second song that is straight forward. Ryan Hamilton rocks like artists from the U.S. can and it is not even released on Boston's Rum Bar records. (It's on Wicked Cool Records.) The Come To Jesus Moment is the kind of powerpop song that by 2026, whole generations of bands and artists are popular with. E.g., The Knack, The Hooters and The Outfield right up to Geoff Palmer and Brad Marino. Ryan Hamilton has that same optimistic, nothing can hurt me attitude to the song. Everything about it is shiny and new, of the kind that makes me smile and want to bring out a host of other singles like it. The drive of the drums and the bass are pure gold. Everything above it is sprinkled with magic. Just listen to that backing vocals! From start to finish it is hallelujah alright and please don't burn that bridge down as I will want to hear The Come To Jesus Moment again and again. 

I Am a Cat and I Love My Dog. Animaux Formidables

Garage fuzz rock? Yes, I can live with that description of Animaux Formidables' latest single. The Italian duo consists of Mr Formidable and Mrs Formidable on respectively vocals & guitar and percussion & synth. In the video and on photos they do not disclose their identity as well. Musically they present an amalgam of synths and electronic drumming combined with heavily fuzzed out guitars. The singing undergoes a little treatment as well. But like all rock duos Animaux Formidables knows how to explode and to hold back, while kicking up dust in the accents in all the right places. Animaux Formidables with I Am a Cat and I Love My Dog presents excitement for all who need it fast.

Twentyfour7. Jaguero 

We end this week with another band from Italy, Jaguero. The band debuted with its previous single 'Lit' on this blog and here they are once again already. Twentyfour7 may hint at punk but in my ears is more emo than punk. The tempo is lower, the lyrics deeper. Emo without a tear in the voice though. The depth of the sound, the la la la part and the length of the song, 2.07 minutes, push it towards punk as well. The sluggish tempo that is created mainly by the sludgy rhythm guitars, makes the song stand out. The singer leaves no doubt that the person he's singing about makes him feel alive again and that is the title of the album to be released on 10 April. Based on the two singles that is something to look forward to.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

SPRINTS live, with Marathon. Melkweg, Amsterdam Thursday 12 March 2026

Photo:WdN-vdB

I am not an avid track sports watcher but I do remember finishes of marathons where a few runners have stayed together despite the distance and have to sprint to win, after 42, no doubt gruelling, kilometers! That is why today you read first about Amsterdam's Marathon (the band not the marathon) and then about SPRINTS.

There is one thing both bands have in common and that is the gigantic growth since I saw them last. Marathon in 2022 and SPRINTS in 2024. Especially the former band was near unrecognisable. From an enthusiastic but a bit shy band that could play its songs in a very neat way, to a rocking machine capable of blowing an audience of its collective feet.

On the basis of the band's debut album, 'Fading Image', I wished the band to do a Tramhaus, tour the world and conquer it. The two postpunk band certainly have some corresponding points. Some musical references are identical before the differences start to set them apart and the two female, three men line up. Marathon was not just here in the Melkweg but supports SPRINTS for the whole of the European tour. So, it was not just boasting saying that we were about to see a great show. Marathon knew already.

Photo: wdN-vdB

Maybe I'm mistaken but in my recollection Marathon was a four piece band and here there were five on stage. Three guitar players of which one doubled on a synth. Together they piled layers of guitars with hosts of effects on them creating a wall of sound that without earplugs would have been devastating to my already fading hearing. Louder than the main act, without losing any quality in the mix, as support slots at times have.

In bass player Nina Lijzinga the band has a power woman who commands the stage, parading with her instrument. This allows singer/guitarist Kay Koopmans to totally submerge himself in creating even bigger walls of sounds seemingly becoming one with his guitar (snares), pedals and amp.

In two of the instrumental parts of songs something weird happened. I could hear a vocal melody and almost was able to understand the words, almost. It sounded like a deep dark, multitracked voice of the dark metal persuasion. Nobody was singing, unless it was the drummer, who I could not really see. So, was it my brain suggesting an addition to the two songs or an effect or sample? I'm inclined to the former suggestion, but perhaps the band can provide an answer.

What ever it is, Marathon played a great show and showed it is ready to conquer the world. In April it will do its own tour of Holland, so go and see them!

Photo: WdN-vdB

SPRINTS delivered on all but one front. From the very beginning the band left no doubt it was here to turn the Melkweg on its head. And it did, without having to work too hard for it. Although close to me people shouted "harder" ("louder") in Dutch after the first two songs. That was a first for me. Throughout the show it did become louder, but not as loud as Marathon. SPRINTS was ready and showed the progression it made in the past two years since the show in Tolhuistuin. SPRINTS has become a machine, but one with two different members. I'll come back to that.

Front woman Karla Chubb is even more the front woman than she already was. This is her band and she carries that burden with ease. She was everywhere (see top picture) and very present. In fact, Dublin and Ireland may have a new Bono. She is not afraid to speak her mind and to stand up to all things wrong in her view. Everyone will have to wait until she has shared her message(s). In the meantime, the band played one great song after another, with great energy. Normally, the next stop in NL is the Afas and I'm sure that where for Wolf Alice this step was not completely working, Karla Chubb will be all over Afas as well.

Photo: WdN-vdB

As I wrote, one thing was not as good. In guitarist Colm O'Reilly the band had a second front person, who attracted part of the attention and was vocally important. That is the part the band is missing in 2026. A song like 'Literary Mind' does not have half the power it used to have, which is a shame, as to my ears it is one of the punk grage rock anthems of the 2020s. Nothing negative towards guitarist Zac Stephenson by the way, as he played his parts excellently. He remains more in the shadows of the stage. And who was the bass player? Not Sam McCann.

Having that out of the way, what remains is a great show. SPRINTS in 2024 was ready for a next step and with album 'All That Is Over' and this show that step has been taken. In 2026 the band is ready for yet another step. Great things may lie ahead for SPRINTS and I got to see them in smaller venues. It may be the last time that all the women can be asked to come on stage, with a few men not being able to restrain themselves and joined uninvited. No encore, SPRINTS went out with a bang.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

2025, week 7. 10 singles

No, I have no extra words this week, so just enjoy the selection!

Fall Out Of Bed. Mountaineer

Those who followed this blog over the past years know that a new single by Mountaineer will very likely fall on fertile ears. Marcel Hulst in both his Maggie Brown and Mountaineer guises has produced four magnificent albums. With Fall Out Of Bed his fifth album is announced. The single is extremely small. Two acoustic guitars, some atmospherics and a few sparse piano notes. This is all it takes to give me goosebumps. And of course, his soft, almost whispering voice. News has it that Excelsior Recordings has, finally I might add, signed the band. What my ears tell me, is that the mix is wider and the multitracked vocals come as a surprise. Fall Out Of Bed is a song of extreme beauty, another one in a long row of beautiful songs. Album 'Country Dragon' will be released on 3 April.

Kiss or Kill Me. Michael Des Barres

When did I hear music like this coming out of Hollywood? More decades ago than I care to remember. There are still musicians out there who haven't heard that the musical genre went out of fashion a long time ago. And the world should be glad that they haven't heard the news. Michael des Barres' voice may sound like he drank the whole Jack Daniels shack all by himself over the past decades, he is rocking like there is no tomorrow. His band is supertight and the riffs are flying. His drummer manages to add all these little extras into his drum patterns, The electric solo guitar is simply on fire. Kiss Or Kill Me is one heck of an introduction to this artist.

Bumble Bee. Ruby James featuring Rosie Flores

"I’ve always loved ‘Bumble Bee’, and I’m still surprised by how many people have never heard it", Ruby James writes in the accompanying bio to the song. Well, I have to admit I'm not able to mention a single song by LaVern Baker and do not really know who she is. What I do know, is that Ruby James is on fire in the song. This is a reimagined rock and roll song alright for the second quarter of the 21st century. Rosie Flores infuses the song with a some solos that are bordering on metal and are far removed from traditional rock and roll. This combination works really well. I'm amazed that a song like Bumble Bee can be released in the U.S. and not be on Malibu Lou's Rum Bar Records. Album 'Call It Rock And Roll' will be released later in the year.

Who Loves You. Detroit Illharmonic Symphony

Residing in Los Angeles and calling yourself Detroit is a bit confusing, I have to admit. But okay, I can live with it, when the band presents such a dose of dirty garage rock that makes me smile from ear to ear. Detroit Illharmonic Symphony is a serious version of the Toy Dolls. With a singer that is just about able to not use the helium canister by his side. Fans of a host of punk bands from the past, starting with bands like The Clash and The Ramones and slowly working their way up from there, will dig Who Loves You. With a vocal melody that in my ears spells a huge U.K. influence, with even a few famous sixties acts in mind. Who Loves You is totally charged and gives it its all from the get go to the very end. There is an album out already and it's called 'Everything Is Shattered'. 

NY UAP. Mark Valentine

Not so long ago UAPs were everywhere and then they were not (and then they were in El Paso, after I wrote this). When Mark Valentine was touring the East Coast in 2024, there were repeated sightings and that led to this song. "I was imagining them looking down on us scurrying around New York with our guitars — and wondering if anything like rock ’n’ roll existed in their own dimension". Let's hope that was what drove them away, if they had bad intentions. It led to a nice rock song like they are coming out of the U.S. for decades with recent favourites like Brad Marino and Geoff Palmer. Mark Valentine comes in with this infectious Farfisa organ that is all over the song, playing its main riff. It makes for very interesting listening and in comes that guitar solo, yeah! Album 'Uncommon Side Effects' is there on 10 April.

Fanny Again Or. Motorpsycho

Motorpsycho is on this blog from the very beginning. Many of its albums have made the end of year lists over the years, but a single? The answer is yes, in 2024 with 'All Is Life (I Love You)'. With Fanny Again Or, a blistering track is added to this single section. Bass player Bent is singing and is pouring his heart and vocal chords out. As always there are a bunch of great guitar solos and riffs by Hans flying around. What is super catching, is that the band is really not holding back. Well into their fifties and they rock like it is 1970. And that is just Motorpsycho's intention. Motorpsycho is going all out on this one. They wanted to make a record like it was that year, as nobody is making them any more. You will find more on 'The Gaia ll Space Corps'. The album will be released on 27 March.

I Like You. Cardinals

Cardinals is a band from Ireland, Cork, and it has no trouble pointing that out in its music. I Like You is a rock song, but all through it is an accordeon giving the sound of Cardinals a distinct sound. In the softer parts the accordeon even gives I Like You a French chanson flavour as well. And then the band lets it rip once more and becomes an alternative rock monster anyway. These two faces makes I Like You very intriguing to listen to, as it sets the band apart. Had they just rocked, Cardinals would have sounded like many alternative rock acts. Here it certainly doesn't. The nucleus of the band are the brothers Manning, singer guitarist Euan and accordeonist Finn. Most likely they thought up this concept and brought three others in to make this, at times, monster of a band. Album 'Masquerade' is out since Friday last.

Cannonball. Bleech 9:3

More Ireland, albeit living in London these days. Bleech 9:3 is a band around Baz Quinlan (vocals/guitar) and Sam Duffy (guitar). Put Cannonball on and you will be brought back to the post-grunge era of bands like Creed and Staind. Quinlan is trying to sing as low as Staind's Aaron Lewis and getting there. In other words, Cannonball is not a happy song. It is convincing enough though. Cannonball slowly fleshes out from the wobbly guitar riff, with a second guitar behind it, it starts out with. Quinlan sings over it, slowly but convincingly. For the second verse bass and drums, nice and deep, join and then the song takes off. I'm not familiar with the three previous singles of Bleech 9:3, but Cannonball seems like a mission statement to me. One question remains though, how should I pronounce the band name? Bleech 3, Bleech 9 divided by three, something else entirely?

Hold Me Close. Jaguero

In week 2 Jaguero made its debut on this blog and here is Hold Me Close already in week 7. Again punkrock with an emo side to it from Italy. Just listen to how the song blasts to life. The distorted guitar really nails it where grabbing attention is concerned. Drummer Andrea Campesato Segnini is pounding away, providing the song with so much power and a very solid bottom end. Andrea Cichellero has the exact voice for this music, making it sound familiar but also simply spot on. Jaguero really rocks on Hold Me Close and that is all you need to know. Album 'Make Me Feel Alive Again' is due on April 10.

 

Love & Heartbreak In High School. Plastic Family

Plastic Family is a brand new band from The Netherlands that released its first single in December of last year. It reached me a bit later, but there's enough enthusiasm in the song to prevent me from writing about it. It appears to me, Plastic Family started off by plundering the record collection of the members' parents, perhaps even grandparents. The sixties vibe is well spread out over Love & Heartbreak In High School, with a U.S. connotation because of the title. The video does the rest, although that is more 70s. The Big Star association accounts for that perhaps. The five members play in a host of other bands as well, that would take up too much space here to mention. Together they present a strong rock song with a pop vibe that makes it quite irresistible to listen to. Hopefully there will be more soon.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

2026, week 6. 10 singles

Wasn't it Christmas and New Years Eve only recently? Yes and no. We are already on the last day of week 6. Time flies and there is never a dull day it seems. New music is being released as if there isn't a worry in the world. There is and where only something like two weeks ago someone commented, where are the protest songs and are artists afraid to lose/split their fanbase?, things are starting to change. We heard the Grammy Awards and here is a true protest song with which we kick off the weekly overview. And so much more, enjoy!

Foxtrot Delta Tango. Garret Vandermolen

Foxtrot Delta Tango, that is military language to spell the F, the D and the T. The lyrics do not leave a single spat of doubt who this song is about and who to say Foxtrot to. In fact, with a Dutch/Flemish name like Van der Molen, Garret Vandermolen better carry his India Delta around just to be certain should India Charlie Echo come to call. You never know with a petty, vindictive person who is the topic of this song. Musically, Foxtrot Delta Tango is a gem. The kind of song every pop radio station should play the whole day and make it go to number 1 in no time. You can sing along to it, enjoy the melody, warm yourself to the Hammond organ and dance to the rest of the tune. And finally, when you've finished dancing, you will find yourself on the right side of history. Like the Chinese say that they wish their adversaries no dull days. If you don't mind, I could do with a few of those by now, just for a change. Foxtrot Delta Tango will even work on such a day.

Where's My Phone? Mitski

Search and you will find that Mitski found her way to this blog with one album, reviewed by Erwin Zijleman in 2023 and by me when she collaborated with Katie Gavin for As Good As It Gets in 2024 and with  Tamino for his single, 'Sanctuary' in February last year. Here she is solo by me for the first time. Where's My Phone? is, besides being a very existential question AD 2026, a quite dark affair. The single has an upbeat rhythm. Slow it down just a little and the drums can be placed in a Dutch carnaval song from the 1970s. Designed to make loads of people move to the rhythm. It is Mitski who takes care of that darker side and yet she isn't, at least not for the whole of Where Is My Phone?. Is it the layers and layers of music that simply do not let any light through? The further the song progresses, the more layers seem to appear. All together, I like what I'm hearing. Album 'Nothing's About To Happen To Me' will be released on 27 February.

The Boatman. Lucy Kitchen

With Lucy Kitchen we have a new name on the blog. Ms Kitchen is an English singer-songwriter who steps onto a well-worn path of singer-songwriters who mix folk with a little country and roots music, while the chorus of The Boatman contains that sprinkling of pop that makes singing along to it so easy and pleasant. In the first seconds of The Boatman I noticed I was caught. The song is still small. An acoustic guitar and a Hammond organ. Over it Lucy Kitchen sings. She has an extremely pleasant voice. It is a mix of youth with a little edge that makes sure that she doesn't sound like a nice young innocent woman singing. While the song is slowly fleshed out, with that Hammond becoming ever more present, I am more and more impressed. Lucy Kitchen has caught me in a way that Karen Jonas often has in the past 15 years. With only one song, it is hard to tell whether there is more to my liking. Be sure I'm interested in the album, also to be released on 27 February. It's called 'In The Low Light'.

Once Upon A Time. In Loom

In Showdog Sander van Munster plays guitar and Gijs Kerkhoven bass. In their new duo incarnation In Loom they changed roles. The music is completely different. This is a very slow song with gloomy elements. It sort of drags its feet for the whole of the song. The guitar is the obvious lead instrument. Behind it there are all sorts of atmospheric sounds, that could have been captured from somewhere deep in the universe. At some point a violin is added, that Kerkhoven also plays, e.g. in a live setting of No Ninja Am I. The two sing together for the whole song. Once Upon A Time is the kind of song that helps you unwind totally, so you can really start listening to it, the moment it starts sharing its deeper layers. In Loom plays a short live set at De Nieuwe Anita in Amsterdam on Tuesday 17 February. 

It Comes Creeping. Deadletter

Deadletter clearly stood out in the post-postpunk revival bands of the mid 2020s. Its use of a saxophone gives the band a totally different vibe than guitar driven bands. On It Comes Creeping Deadletter takes things a little further once again. The rhythm may be recognisable, the way the saxophone contributes takes the song into uncharted territory, for postpunk that is and makes all the difference. It is closer to free jazz the way the sax honks in the intro. Together it makes It Comes Creeping an exciting song. The pulse of the song is strong and just keeps moving forward making me want to dance, while the mood changes with the use of the sax. Album 'Existence Is Bliss' will be out on 27 Februari. One month later Deadletter plays two shows over here. The 27th is going to be a very busy day for a reviewer.

Seabird. deary

deary is a new name on the blog. With Seabird the British trio announces its debut album, 'Birding' (11 April). If Seabird is anything to go by, expect a dreamy album with layers of guitar in a shoegaze fashion. This gives the single an 80s vibe, where The Cure is not far away. With 'A Forest' I heard a song like this for the first time, I would say. deary is not a The Cure clone though (based on this single). For that the music is too compact and dreamlike. Singer Dottie Cockram's voice matches the atmosphere completely. Her soft voice meanders with the stream the band creates. Not conquering the stream but moving with it and not afraid to move with it from under the surface, becoming a whole with it. Seabird is an interesting introduction. There apparently are several EPs out already. They have all passed me by.

I Can't Pretend. Gene Champagne

EP 'Let's Jet' is about 14 months old today. Things haven't changed very much since November 2024. Gene Champagne released a new single and is still rocking like it's 1973 and Sweet is topping the charts. All Gene Champagne does is leave the face paint and glam suits and boots where they belong today, in the dustbin of history. The song is originally from 80s band The Barracudas, covered in 1986 by Teenage Head and here we are in 2026 with a third version. Champagne has recorded all the instruments and sings as well. In daily life he's a drummer in Teenage Head (yes), The Killjoys, and Black Halos. Here he's everything and how. The likes of Brad Marino and Geoff Palmer will listen a little jealous of what Gene Champagne brings here to the (turn)table. This is garagepunk par excellence.

Dead End. Snail Mail

Type in Snail Mail into the search space on top of this blog and you will encounter two albums and several references to Lyndsey Jordan, as Snail Mail is known to her family and friends, written by Erwin Zijleman. Today it's my turn. I am listening to an indie rock track like there have been made hundreds if not thousands before. Dean End falls into a nice line here. It is hard to tell you why this track stands out, as it does not, really. It is easy to write why I like the song. Dead End has that bittersweet balance between gladness and sad. It has the right guitar sound. I could even lay it somewhere down my 'Eight Arms To Hold You' score line and would certainly score a 7 out of 10 there. If you like this kind of indie rock, Dead End is an easy song to like. There's an album along the way. 'Ricochet' will be released on 27 March.

The Message. The Legal Matters

In mid-December The Legal Matters found itself on this blog for the first time with its single 'Everybody Knows'. Now in early February a little under three weeks before the release of album 'Lost At Sea', here the band is again with its latest single The Message. This single is pure nostalgic pop with a rock edge to it. Chris Richards, Keith Klingensmith and Andy Reed from the U.S.state of Michigan, know their classics and are able to create their own pearls with what came before, in combination with their own skills. The result is a song that shines. The pure pop of the vocal melody is ensconced in the far more solid background of the song. The Legal Matters know how to rock in a very decent way. The reins are never let go of but rock the band does. Guitars are everywhere and bass and drums give The Message its oomph. On top of that all is the singing. I already lauded it in my review of 'Everybody Knows' but I just have to point to it again. The Legal Matters is really, really good in its vocal harmonies.

Votive. The New Pornographers 

What happened to me and The New Pornographers? I don't know but somewhere I lost track. I loved the band in the second half of the 00s. Saw them play a great show in Amsterdam or Utrecht? And then somewhere I lost them from my sight. Here it is 2026, we are all older and greyer and I'm listening to A.C. Newman's voice as if it's yesterday. Votive is a great song, that has that typical The New Pornographers' drive and joy of listening to great music. The song is built up so subtly. With its keyboard intro and A.C. Newman answered by Kathryn Calder for the first verse. From there the song slowly but surely expands. Where the singing is concerned e.g. by two Calder's. Later the band comes in and sounds simply so good that I simply can't wait for more new music by the band and to pull my old albums out of their hiding place. It is always such a pleasure when an old favourite delivers once again. 'The Former Side Of' will be out on 27 March. This is going to be another very busy day where new albums are concerned.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

2026, Week 4. 10 singles (2)

Because of the ladies' singles special edition of earlier this week, here's the second new singles edition of this week. Again, there is a very diverse set of songs and artist to explore, so enjoy!

New Leafs. The Reds, Pinks and Purples

The Reds, Pinks and Purples so far is Erwin Zijleman territory as those following this blog will recognise. Recently this single reached me and I decided to give it a chance. New Leaf is a nice indie ballad, that is built around a riff played on an acoustic guitar that just goes on and on and on. On top of it this gentle song is played with on top of that the soft, almost whispering voice of The Reds, Pinks and Purples' front man Glenn Donaldson. Despite the chords changing in the chorus, that riff does not. The other instruments do. it could be a piano playing a few notes, a raging slide guitar mixed deep into the background, like a thunderstorm in the distance, or an electric guitar. The bass and drums provide the solid ground for the others to play around that one riff. Beautifully done and full of atmosphere.

Marathon. Maria BC

Listening to Marathon, the title track of Maria BC's upcoming third album (27-02), the sentence "I've got a good reason, for taking the easy way out", sprang into my mind. The quote from The Beatles' 'Day Tripper' is appropriate, as darkness was enveloping me from all sides. In 2023 I reviewed a previous single, called 'Amber'. It made me think of a church song. Marathon does not, the artist's name of course does. If Maria was 13 or 14 when she gave birth to Jesus, as some say, I can only hope for her that her thoughts were never a bleak as this Maria BC in 2026 portrays. Marathon is somewhere between dark sounds and song, with Maria BC singing over it with a high voice. I can't make out any words though. Dark guitar chords put themselves as a pillow over soft piano notes. They rise even more when the singing starts. Like a prisoner in a too small cell, the music wraps itself around her voice. And then I make out the word "afraid". This is some dark music, folks.

Panacea. Celine Cairo 

In September 2021 Erwin Zijleman reviewed Celine Cairo's album 'Overflow' and was obviously very enthusiastic. With Panacea she returns to the music front. Panacea is a very cool sounding song. It is as if everybody is holding back to not show too many emotions. The result of this restraint is that Celine Cairo's voice starts to glow more and more. The instruments wrap themselves around her in a very organic way. The lyrics speak of undertow and counterflow but also that her head is above water now. Luctor et emergo set to music. Although Celine Cairo is a new name to me, she has multimillion streams on Spotify and performed with the Metropole Orkest. With her new single she is announcing her upcoming album also called 'Panacea' It is scheduled for 18 June.

Dr Love. Would-be-goods

Dr. Love is a single with the length of a mid-60s pop song. It has the melancholy feel of a French sigh girl song from the age but not the poppy innocence songs of the age had. The melancholy feeling is so much deeper. This is the expression of a grown woman and Jessica Griffin is, with issues almost no 17 year old singers, nor their 27 year old songwriters experienced then. Griffin returns to the record releasing world with this second single of the Would-be-goods new album 'Tears Before Bedtime'. Dr. Love is a bittersweet song that reminds me of the time when songs were just fun, while putting my two feet firmly on the ground in the here and now. Like a wake up call pulling me back into the real world. That will not stop me from listening to Dr. Love and dream a little anyway.

Designed To Lose. The Twilight Sad

When did I listen to Big Country for the last time? A very good question that popped into my head listening to Designed To Lose for the first time. I really wouldn't know. It may well be decades. The Twilight Sad does not use that guitar as if a bag pipe sound, but the guitars do have that high sound. To add to the feel, there is the Scottish accent of the singer, even if it's light. The band produces an 80s feel on this single, including the gloom that comes with the territory. When I read that the singer of The Twilight Sad battles with mental illness, the comparison I've just made becomes rather scary. To end on a positive note, the band will release its new album on 27 March and it is called 'It's The Long Goodbye'.

I Wish You Well. Mylo Bybee

As reported late last year, Mylo Bybee is from Boise, Idaho and on route to release an EP called 'Revisions' on 20 February. After 'Time Machine' this is the second time the band finds itself on WoNoBlog. With I Wish You Well the band shows two sides to itself. Between the loud intro and second half of the song, the band shows that it is able to contain itself. The two sides make for interesting listening, like enjoying that wild bass guitar parts that go on in the background and the drummer who wants to escape the whole of the time, until he can finally lead the way in the second half. Mylo Bybee is really playing with the fabric of the song. No, this single has not succeeded to convince me for 100%, but only by trying can one become better and reach the goal. For now I Wish You Well is certainly good enough.

Second Time Around. The Spackles

Okay, Spackle McKraken will not be invited to sing in a Bach choir (sorry, if this is your ambition). His voice works like a miracle for a song like Second Time Around though. The Spackles return to the blog with a fine, up tempo garage rock song in which the guitar of Marie Slurrie plays fast chord changes and progressions. The kind of song that puts a smile on your face if you are a fan of an uncomplicated rock song like Second Time Around is. Energy is there the whole time and there is a quieter interlude, in a 2.04 minutes song, which makes for an intriguing change. A short breather for everyone, except for Ms. Slurrie who keeps the chords flying, chugging her guitar along, preparing for a fiery solo as well. Last week the band released its new EP, 'Music For Blockheads'. You can hit me with that rhythm stick alright.

Against The Dying Of The Light. José González

Sweden's José González is on route to release his fifth album, with the same name as this single. Release date, 27 March. It is possible to be extremely short on this song. González is his soft-spoken self. His music is totally unobtrusive, soft like a murmuring brook in a forest. An acoustic guitar, a bass and very soft drumming over which González sings, double tracked and harmonious. If you put the song on, you better pay attention as it is over before you know it. If you do, there's more than enough to enjoy in between all that modest playing.

 

Bored. Melanie Baker

In December Melanie Baker made her entrance on this blog for the first time with her singe 'Sad Clown' and she is here again already. With Bored she presents the same mix, alternative rock like Hole, some slacker diction, explosions in the choruses. Again, the mix works really well. Baker may be going after a married woman who is the woman of her dreams. From there the story develops, unapologetic in lyrics and music. The music has this bouncy quality that potentially may make festivals explode, if she manages to a) get there and b) finds a way for people to get to know the song before the festivals. Bored will work really well here. Two singles underway and what I'm hearing sounds great. 'Somebody Help Me, I’m Being Spontaneous!' is set for release on 10 April.

Sorry Eyes. Pictish Trail

Pictish Trail, or Johnny Lynch, can be found on this blog with three albums, the latest from 2022, but not a single single. That is taken care of today. With Sorry Eyes, Lynch presents a very electronic song, where warbling synths hurtle over each other, creating the layer that makes the song more than a man with his guitar lamenting a lost love. In fact, together with producer Mike Lindsay (Tungg, LUMP) Lynch seems to have stripped away most of the original song as it must have been conceived at home and rebuilt it into what we hear on Sorry Eyes. The result is a song with so many details, that it may well be that someone will hear an unheard detail during the 1000th listening session. The electronics give Sorry Eyes an 80s feel, the rest of the song that of a timeless ballad. An intriguing mix. Album 'Life Slime' will be released on 10 April.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght