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 

 

2023 week 49, 10 singles

Diverse is what I choose to call the selection of singles I'm presenting to you this week, but then, isn't that the case every single week? In other words, there's nothing exciting to mention, so here you go. Enjoy!

Divine. Jody and the Jerms

Pop meets east in a quite unconventional way. Oxford-based Jody and the Jerms return to this blog with a powerful new single that is simply different from the band's other work. A stop-start rhythm reminds me of girls playing hopscotch in the streets. All through it a Chinese or Indonesian melody pops up giving the song a distinctive mood, setting it totally apart from the usual pop song. Don't think this is a western take on Asian music. Divine is fully a western pop song. The initial idea for the song was written without an instrument in sight. A melody was hummed and recorded on a phone, to be retrieved from it later and turned into what we can hear today. Whatever people say about the distraction because of modern devices and media, we might never have heard this strong single without them.

Part II - Nightmares & Ice Cream EP. Palace

Londen band Palace releases music since 2014 but to the best of my knowledge, this is my introduction to the band. Palace is one of the names Bonnie 'Prince' Billy started his career under, so it got me confused for a little while. Musically the two artists are very dissimilar, yet both like to wallow in slower tempi and saddish moods. A reference for Palace is a band like Marjorie Fair. The music on the EP is rustic folk of the countryside mixed with the dark side of the big city. Both come together in the moody music Palace plays, as if the fog lifts for a few seconds to reveal what lies behind it, only to close again, only showing the vague contours of the, perhaps unsafe, city streets. This contradiction is reflected in the EPs title. Nightmares & Ice Cream. The songs of the EP are of the kind that take you by the hand if you let it. You can float as it were on the long held notes, one after the other providing a soft ride and landing. Opener 'Rabid Dog', is another such contradiction. Danger wrapped up in a sweet, softly meandering song. It's the price song of the album.

Names. Garlands

Glasgow's finest, Garlands returns to this blog with a new single that moves further back in time than ever before. Names is a song that could have come out of the 1960s and recorded by anyone from The Beatles to The Hollies. There's one difference. Names does not sparkle like songs by The Hollies called 'Busstop' or 'On A Carrousel'. This song would have been a more serious album track, hidden between the sparkling hit singles, to be picked up later when the fans have grown a bit older and more experienced (in a musical way). I would not have been surprised, had this been for real, that Names would have grown into a favourite over time. In 2023 as a stand alone single, this is harder to achieve. The song, as I wrote, misses that spark. What remains is a song somewhere in between pleasure and pain, belying the phrase "our names are written in gold". But then without light gold becomes dull as well. When all is said and done, this song has everything in it to become that favourite, given the chance.

Beef. Sekushi 

Only a few weeks ago Belgian band Sekushi debuted on this blog and already returns with a new single called Beef. It starts out with wild guitar abandon. I could call it surf, were it not that the extreme reverb/twang is totally missing here. The pace is fully correct, so let's settle on 2023 surf music. Beef is, apart from an ahh here and there, let's call it the chorus, instrumental. Somehow, I expect the vocal to come in at any point, as if listening to a long intro. The music is so extremely poppy, while rocking hard at the same time. This song has great pace, a song to run to or anything else that takes endurance. An instrumental track and fun for the whole of the way. This combination does not happen often in my musical universe. Today the stars align for Sekushi and this great rock beast called Beef.

Life Calling. Aura Blaze

Aura Blaze by now is a WoNoBlog veteran. With Life Calling the one person band gives a new sign of life, where the music of the late 60 to 70s are mixed with the best of Britpop. In the song so many things come together. The Beach Boys from circa 'Surf's Up', with The Electric Light Orchestra trying to be as much The Beatles as they can, while meeting up with a band like Supergrass. As always Rhode Rachel has found probably all the melodies and little nooks in a composition where one extra note or riff could be placed, which all together make Life Calling such a rich song. It's impossible to give an example, as in almost every second something extra happens, fits perfectly and enriches the song. With Life Calling Aura Blaze has kept its position as an über inventive musician with ease in my book.

Back In December. BEECH

Almost two years ago BEECH debuted here with its album 'Artefact'. In the review I wrote "If Fons Records had told me to be re-releasing an obscure cassette album from 1993, I would have believed it instantly". Things have not changed in the new single Back In December. What has changed is the record label, UhmYeahSure Records, the music reminds me as much of Nada Surf or Buffalo Tom as anything. Kristof Souvagie clearly still likes his 90s alternative pop-rock bands. Like Aura Blaze, see above, BEECH is a one person project. All you hear is played by Souvagie. Over the bass-drums-rhythm guitar-voice you can hear one after another oh-so-nice guitar lead line. One after another jumps in, as do the harmony vocals. BEECH knows exactly where the extras in a song can be found and plays them out in a way that make Back In December a joy to listen to.

Something Went Down. The Amplifier Heads feat. Jen D'Angora

With a video showing features from 50c or 60s c- (scifi) movies The Amplifier Heads go for it with Jen D'Angora going at it as guest singer. The song musically is from the same era, except for the much bigger sound. Something which is within reach for any band nowadays. Even by a more obscure one like The Amplifier Heads. Musically, you have to think of a song like 'Not Fade Away', that most people will associate with The Rolling Stones thanks to any greatest hits compilation including the band's earliest career. It is originally a Buddy Holly track. Something Went Down has that exact same rhythm. The Amplifier Heads are able to make much more of the rhythm in the 2020s, pulling rock and roll into the 21st century. By inviting Jen D'Angora, the band has a great singer up front, who sang on one of the best tracks released in 2023, 'Takes One To Know One' as well. This combination works really well, excitement without going berserk. It is enough to get me moving.

Astonishment. THAMES

Who can explain to me what "postrock" is? I always took it to be the moniker for bands that played, complex instrumental tracks, a few decades ago. Now THAMES from Amsterdam falls under postrock as well. What I hear is loud and exciting, if not wild and exciting, to quote the title of Earth & Fire's third single. If this isn't rock, what is? Alternative? Yes, certainly. THAMES falls into the line with Tramhaus here and with bands like Fontaines DC and Shame on the British Isles. Astonishment is a wild song. THAMES seems to hold its guitars only barely under control, while the rhythm section pounds on relentlessly. No rest for the wicked nor the well-behaved for that matter. If anything, excitement shines through the four minutes the song lasts. For those doubting the singer voice in the first sung lines, that voice gets so much better. THAMES has made its point with me.

#1 Punk. Richie Parsons

A long time ago Richie Parsons defined Boston's punk scene, so I'm told, with a band called Unnatural Axe. Now it's 2023 and he sings "dress like it's 1977/ Their leather jacket doesn't zip/They don't give a shit" and later some references to bands and titles. The music blazes through my room as if the last train is only just within reach. 1.56 minutes and its all over, just like a song like this should. #1 Punk has a great melody, allowing for shouting along while pogoing, and a great little riff that tears through the song here and there. Funny to read that the songs are only recorded under his own name because Unnatural Axe doesn't do new songs. There are 20 or so and "we play them whenever", read forever. It's all unknown to me but with #1 Punk Richie Parsons has made a dent in my music collection. Be on the look out for the EP, 'Rhymes With Rock".

jam cod. The Jesus and Mary Chain

1985, I'm in my student room of 4 by 3 meters on the 7th floor overlooking most of the city, studying with the radio on. It was a Wednesday afternoon, one of the two days it was worthwhile to listen to the radio at the time. A song starts and after a few seconds I had the impression someone started to drill into one of the walls somewhere in our 10 story high rise. We could hear a lot of the things going on there. I was pretty annoyed as I couldn't hear the song anymore. Remember, I was studying as well as listening. It was my introduction to 'Psychocandy', one of the most confrontational songs ever made. Fast forward 38 years. I'm listening to jam cod, the single of the album 'Glasgow Eyes', that is announced for March 2024. It's a great psychedelic rock single. Estranging effects and in your face sequences can be found all through the song but nothing as wild as on 'Psychocandy'. Brothers Jim and William Reid present a song that fits with a band evolving from the 80s into the 20s. There's a clear link with 80s colleagues New Order, in the bassline and rhythm e.g.. The Jesus and Mary Chain rock as well. Great guitar eruption escape from the rhythm and electronics, making jam cod a great hybrid rock song. Is it representative for what the band has been doing in the past 38 years? I can't tell but if it's as good as jam cod, I have a lot of catching up to do.

Wout de Natris

 

Concrete Americana. ATEM

Concrete Americana is an instrumental album, built up around the acoustic guitar of Jan Korbach. Listening to it, images of the famous spaghetti westerns of and before my youth fill my head immediately. Were Sergio Leone to direct a new one today, he could no longer turn to Ennio Morricone but would wind up here instead.

ATEM is the solo project of Jan Korbach. Showcasing his mastery of the acoustic, country guitar, he touches on a few musical styles like the desert sounds of the movies but also (British) folk, all from a metal background. At heart Concrete Americana is a tough album. All accompanying the acoustic guitar play in a tough, firm and loud way. The music is mixed in such a way that the acoustic guitar(s), yes, there are overdubs, is (are) always in the foreground.

There are two forms of instrumental music, to me, that's the kind I cannot listen to and the kind I can. Concrete Americana is in the latter category. The songs could have had vocals. In fact at times I can even hear them in my mind. This is not about endless, complex noodling. ATEM plays lead melodies instead of singing. The result is a very melodic album, with that stark contrast between foreground and background. Not that this is a metal album, far from even. This is a tough instrumental yet ultimately melodic album.

The first song I heard, was the first single released a few months ago. 'The Pilgrim' convinced me immediately that I was listening to something special. The delicacy with which the lead guitar was played fitted in so well with the rest of the music, that I was totally intrigued. Add the imagery I already wrote about above and you know why I had high expectation of what was to come. I was lucky, as Jan Korbach allowed me to listen to the rest of the album and all I can say that it has become an album that is very dear to me already. One I can play anytime of the day and have.

Pressed hard, I would even then have a heard time to come with five all instrumental albums in my possession, if I put aside Mike Oldfield that is. And only 'Tubular Bells' would truly count as a favourite, I'd say. Now return to the previous lines and read my evaluation of Concrete Americana. It seems the album achieved the near impossible. Compliments all around.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Concrete Americana here:

https://throughloverec.bandcamp.com/album/concrete-americana

Zink. Dans Dans

De Belgische band Dans Dans imponeert op haar nieuwe album Zink met een even mooie als fascinerende luistertrip die zich niet laat vangen in hokjes en die sneller om kan slaan dan het weer.

Zink is mijn eerste kennismaking met de muziek van het Belgische trio Dans Dans en wat is het een indrukwekkende kennismaking. Het volledig instrumentale album is beeldend, dynamisch en experimenteel, bouwt torenhoge spanningsbogen op en doet continu dat wat je niet had verwacht. De ritmesectie legt een fraaie basis voor de geweldige gitaarpartijen, die echt alle kanten op kunnen en variëren van zwoel en melodieus tot ruw en tegendraads. Het levert een luistertrip op die je 55 minuten lang bij de strot grijpt en dat bij herhaalde beluistering ook blijft doen. Het leek op voorhand niet helemaal mijn ding, maar wat ben ik onder de indruk van Zink van Dans Dans.

Zink is al het vijfde album van de Belgische band Dans Dans, maar het is vreemd genoeg pas mijn eerste kennismaking met de muziek van de band uit Antwerpen. Dat ik de muziek van Dans Dans tot dusver links heb laten liggen heeft waarschijnlijk alles te maken met het feit dat de muziek van de band in het verleden vaak in het hokje jazz werd geduwd en dat is een genre dat in mijn eerste en ruwe schifting van nieuwe albums vaak sneuvelt. Ik ben blij dat ik Zink wel heb opgepikt, want op haar vijfde album schotelt de Belgische band de luisteraar een buitengewoon fascinerende en bijzonder mooie luistertrip voor. 

Dans Dans is een trio dat bestaat uit een stel gelouterde muzikanten. Zo kennen we gitarist Bert Dockx ook als voorman van de band Flying Horseman, maakt bassist Fred 'Lyenn' Jacques ook deel uit van de band van Mark Lanegan en kennen we drummer Steven Cassiers onder andere van de band Dez Mona. Je hoort alle ervaring duidelijk terug op Zink, waarop geweldig, maar ook met veel passie gemusiceerd wordt. 

Het volledig instrumentale Zink bevat hier en daar wat invloeden uit de jazz, maar een jazzalbum zou ik het zeker niet durven noemen. Dans Dans verwerkt hiernaast invloeden uit de rock, zeker wanneer de gitaren gruizig klinken, maar is ook geen standaard rockalbum. De band gaat immers ook nog aan de haal met inspiratie uit de psychedelica, de blues en de filmmuziek. Hiermee ben ik er nog niet, maar de belangrijkste invloeden heb ik waarschijnlijk wel benoemd en het zal duidelijk zijn dat de muziek van Dans Dans maar lastig in een hokje is te duwen. 

Ik ben lang niet altijd gek op volledig instrumentale albums, maar Zink van Dans Dans houdt me keer op keer bijna een uur lang in zijn greep. Direct in de openingstrack laat de Belgische band horen wat het in huis heeft. Het album opent met subtiele drums en bas en al even subtiel en zeer melodieus gitaarspel. De sfeer is laid-back en dromerig, maar bij Dans Dans kan het zomaar omslaan. Het zo melodieuze gitaarspel wordt van het ene op het andere moment ruw en gruizig, waarmee de sfeer van de muziek totaal verandert, tot de fraaie melodieuze noten weer terugkeren. 

Zink staat vol met dit soort muzikale hoogstandjes en angstig hoge spanningsbogen. Dans Dans slaagt er keer op keer in om beeldende muziek te maken, die het uitstekend zou doen als filmsoundtrack, maar die je ook zonder de beelden aan de speakers gekluisterd houdt en dat ook nog eens makkelijk bijna een uur vol weet te houden. Zelf beelden bedenken bij de muziek valt overigens niet mee, want de muziek van Dans Dans kan sneller omslaan dan het weer op een broeierige zomerdag. 

De muziek van band overstijgt genres, maar negeert de genres niet, waardoor de eigenzinnige klanken op Zink voldoende aanknopingspunten bieden voor een ieder die het liever niet te experimenteel heeft. De ritmesectie speelt net zo vaak ondersteunend als avontuurlijk en het gitaarspel op het album is wonderschoon en verrassend veelkleurig. 

Ik blijf er naar luisteren, maar Zink wordt eigenlijk alleen maar indrukwekkender. Na mijn goede ervaringen met Zink heb ik ook de voorgaande vier albums van de Vlaamse band beluisterd. Deze zijn wat jazzier en ook wat experimenteler dan het nieuwe album van de band, dat toch net wat toegankelijker is. Zelf prefereer ik het nieuwe geluid van de band, dat voor mij nog spannend zat is en dat me iedere keer weer weet te betoveren. Wat een album!

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt Zink hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://dansdans.bandcamp.com/album/zink

 

of luister naar onze Spotify Playlist om uit te vinden waar we over schrijven:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g