Operaleek met kippenvel. Over Crazy Days van Sanne Rovers

Zondagochtend, operamuziek schalde door de huiskamer en overheerste het ontbijt. Ik had als kind nog geen controle over de HiFi installatie en was dus overgeleverd aan de hysterische vocale capriolen van mijn ouders’ favoriete operazangers.

Pas nu, 40 jaar later, begrijp ik de charme van het genre.

Oorzaak?

De documentaire Crazy Days van Sanne Rovers, over De Nationale Opera. En vooral: de prachtige, heldere stem van Ying Fang, de Chinese operaster die de rol van Susanna vertolkt in de opera Le Nozze di Figaro van Mozart. Een stem zo prachtig dat hij rillingen van verrukking veroorzaakt beginnend op mijn kruin en eindigend rondom de achillespees.

Crazy Days komt 15 december op TV rond 23:00 uur op NPO 2. Wie kijkt, ziet hoe het er ruim een jaar geleden aan toe ging bij De Nationale Opera tijdens de repetities van Mozarts Le Nozze di Figaro. In september 2020 komt een internationale cast van zangers en een wereldberoemde dirigent aan op Schiphol. Drie jaar lang werkten honderden mensen - van decor- en kostuumontwerpers tot dramaturgen en make-up artiesten - aan deze internationale voorstelling, die al lang gelden uitverkocht was. Deze voortdenderende trein laat zich niet meer stoppen, ondanks de tegengestelde krachten in de vorm van steeds dwingender coronamaatregelen.

Zo worden er zelfs tijdens het zingen mondkapjes gedragen. Speciaal genaaid in hetzelfde stofje als de jurk van de operaster, maar toch. Er is een chef desinfectie aanwezig, en een chef anderhalve meter afstand. De opera wordt ingekort. Het koor gecancelled. De tweede cast naar huis gestuurd. En dan het zwaard van Damocles dat voortdurend boven ieders hoofd hangt kunnen de premières doorgaan? Of gaan we weer in lockdown?

Die stress en spanning hebben hun uitwerking op de zangers en muzikanten. Zoals op Polly Leech, een 26-jarige zangeres die de rol van Cherubino vertolkt, een rol waar ze al sinds haar tienerjaren van droomt. En hoe prachtig ze ook zingt, volgens de bloedfanatieke dirigent is het niet goed genoeg. Ying Fang facetimet met haar doodsbenauwde ouders in China. De Italiaanse Davide Luciano heeft last van paniekaanvallen en zijn stem lijdt daaronder.

Maar ondanks de krankzinnigheid van dit alles overheerst de drang om iets moois te maken. Om door te gaan, zoals het orkestje op de Titanic terwijl het zeewater al tegen de plinten klotste.

De documentaire is gemaakt om de unieke combinatie opera en wereldwijde pandemie vast te leggen, in de veronderstelling dat zoiets buitenissigs een once in a life time gebeurtenis is. Wrang genoeg zit de culturele sector nu weer in precies hetzelfde schuitje.

Wil je weten hoe het een jaar geleden afliep? Kijk 15 december naar Crazy Days op NPO 2. Daarna online te bekijken. Of kom op 12 december om 14:00 uur naar Lab-1 in Eindhoven. Ook draait Crazy Days op 12 december om 14:35 uur in Kriterion in Amsterdam.

Lara Aerts 

 

 

 

 

The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time. Anna Coogan

Anna Coogan groeide op in Boston, Massachusetts, maar werkt inmiddels al weer enige tijd vanuit Ithaca, New York.
 
Het stapeltje albums dat ze de afgelopen jaren heeft gemaakt is vooralsnog helaas een goed bewaard geheim, al trok het in 2014 verschenen en samen met multi-instrumentalist J.D. Foster gemaakte The Birth Of The Stars terecht wel enige aandacht.
 
Op haar nieuwe album The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time werkt Anna Coogan samen met drummer Brian Wilson, die zich om voor de hand liggende redenen Willie B. noemt.
 
Het levert een bijzondere plaat op, die zich op subtiele en minder subtiele wijze buiten de gebaande paden beweegt. Anna Coogan profileerde zich in het verleden vooral als folkie, maar slaat op The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time samen met Willie B. nadrukkelijk haar vleugels uit.
 
Dat hoor je in eerste instantie vooral in de instrumentatie waarin stevig gitaarwerk, bezwerende ritmes, een uit vervlogen tijden opgedoken Moog bass en stevig aanzwellende synths de songs van Anna Coogan op verrassende wijze inkleuren.
 
Direct in de openingstrack maakt Anna Coogan indruk met zwaar aangezette klanken en wat expressievere zang dan  we van haar gewend zijn. Het is een donkere track met hypnotiserende drums, afwisselend zweverige en stevige gitaaruithalen en gedreven zang, die nieuwsgierig maakt naar hetgeen dat komen gaat.
 
In de tweede track gaat het pas echt los. De ritmes zijn nog wat bezwerender, de synths en gitaren zijn nog wat zwaarder aangezet en de zang van Anna Coogan klinkt als die van Kate Bush in haar jonge jaren. Het is even wennen voor een ieder die de vorige platen van Anna Coogan kent, maar The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time intrigeert direct.
 
Na de stevig aangezette openingstracks, neemt Anna Coogan in de derde track in muzikaal opzicht wat gas terug met donkere en bezwerende klanken van grote schoonheid. In vocaal opzicht doet ze er echter nog een schepje bovenop met zang die in de opera niet zou misstaan en die raakt aan de unieke voordracht van Diamanda Galás. Het laat goed horen dat Anna Coogan een klassiek geschoold zangeres is.

Met een stemmige instrumentale track keert de rust terug, maar de volgende uitbarsting laat niet lang op zich wachten. The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time slingert je uiteindelijk drie kwartier lang heen en weer met muziek die vooral anders klinkt. Kate Bush duikt als vergelijkingsmateriaal meerdere keren op, maar Anna Coogan blijft toch ook gewoon de folkie uit Boston, Massachusetts, al kan ze zomaar transformeren in de zangeres van een goth-rock band of in een volleerd operazangeres.
 
Liefhebbers van de meer traditionele folk die Anna Coogan in het verleden maakte, zullen ongetwijfeld moeite hebben met het theatrale en zwaar aangezette geluid op The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time, maar wat valt er ook veel te genieten op de nieuwe plaat van Anna Coogan.
 
Het gitaarwerk op de plaat is prachtig en ook de ritmes van Willie B. maken indruk en geven de plaat een bijzonder eigen geluid. Het is een geluid dat fraai kleurt en even vaak prachtig contrasteert met de soms zeer expressieve zang van Anna Coogan, die mooi ingetogen kan zingen, maar ook enorm kan uithalen.
 
Door de bijzondere zang en de indringende en vaak zwaar aangezette instrumentatie is The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time een intense plaat, die pas na gewenning enorm aan kracht wint. De platen van Anna Coogan gingen in het verleden meestal aan mij voorbij, maar haar nieuwe plaat heb ik, na de eerste aarzeling, heel stevig omarmd.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt het album hier beluisteren en kopen:

https://annacoogan.bandcamp.com/album/the-lonely-cry-of-space-and-time

Kaizers Orchestra live in the Melkweg, Amsterdam

You can listen to 'Evig pint' here.

For those already familiar with Kaizers Orchestra, they are as good as they have ever been, if not better. For those unfamiliar with KO so far, shame on you! May your hamster turn blue! They have found the perfect mix of modern rock music and eastern European traditional music years ago, but on Violeta Violeta 3, their latest album, they have added opera to their mix of styles. At their latest concert in Amsterdam (Melkweg, February 28th) they obviously played songs from their newest album, with great success. Although their songs are getting more complicated, with a loyal, mostly Norwegian crowd, there were enough people who could sing along (or hum along in the case of Dutch nationals) creating a special atmosphere once more.

While writing this article I still do not have a clue what I actually heard at the concert. KO sings everything in Norwegian, and although there are bits that are easily understood for those who speak Dutch ("Eg legger mi sjel i det", in Dutch: "Ik leg mijn ziel er in", or in English: "I put my soul in it"), other parts are as incomprehensible as the meowing of my cat ("Både du og meg har sett koss din vei blir lagt ner", or in English: "Both you and I have seen how your path has been laid out"). So judging whether the music fits the topics they sing about, is difficult when not having a translation at hand. Yet, I can assure you, having access to internet while writing, that style and lyrics are congruent.

The music is very solemn and stately, KO does not write any cheesy pop songs anymore. The songs on Violeta Violeta 3 are the story of a man and his daughter, who ran away from home, fleeing a drunken mother. The girl starts to wonder where she comes from, who she is, and what happened in her past. She finds out that she is part of a plot in which the devil plays a role too, although the devil has the idea that he is the one arranging her story, she somehow creates her own story. The album does not treat an easily accessible theme, which does indeed influence the melodies and instruments used.

The concert was less stately. Of course the songs from Violeta Violeta 3 were played, and created a special atmosphere, older songs, olden goldies, were played to lift the mood too. All in all it was a special concert, especially if you do not know what is going on for lack of a dictionary. My incomprehension did not harm the awesomeness of KO, and I would go there again 8 days a week!

Joes

Violeta, Violeta, vol. 3 Kaizers Orchestra

You can listen to 'Aldri Vodka, Violeta' here.

It's always a pleasure to have a new Kaizers Orchestra album in the player. Ever since 'Ompa til du dør' was released in The Netherlands in 2002 I've followed the band and saw them play many a time. At the moment I'm looking forward to the next show end February.

Violeta, Violeta, Vol. 3 is, as the title suggests, the third album of a trilogy. As I do not speak Norwegian, let alone the dialect Jan Ove Ottensen sings in, I have no clue what the trilogy is about, but musically there is more than enough to enjoy to make the album, once again, very interesting. Vol. 3 is Kaizers Orchestra most opera minded album to date. 'Begravelsespolka' has a huge choir dubbed into the mix which brings the song to a huge climax of emotions. As in general there are a lot of strings and horns behind the band on this album, lending the album a distinct eastern-European, almost classical flavour. 'Forloveren' is a strange mix of rock and classic showing the ambition the band has on Vol. 3. Ending with a refrain suitable for a late night singing foray in the local pub. Slightly drunk and very sentimental, this song will work wonders for pub tigers's vocal expressions.

In other words, parts of this album are unreproducible on stage. The ambition is very high on Violeta, Violeta, Vol 3. Not that what I hear is unexpected. These are just influences that have always been a part of Kaizers Orchestra's music, only fully blown up to its full potential. There's no holding back here, no budgetary restraints. An interplay between band and orchestra. Including the signature estranging rhythms, guitar licks, long riffs and all.

There's a lot going on on Vol. 3, as you will have gathered reading so far. Kaizers Orchestra takes the listener through many changing moods, even within one song. Mini operas, e.g. 'Aldi Vodka, Violeta', that are so popular in the yearly Top 2000 on Radio 2, are abundant on Vol. 3. It is impossible to predict what will happen next. This makes listening to Violeta, Violeta, Vol. 3 fun, exciting and pleasing.

On Vol. 3 there are less songs which I call typical Kaizers'. The extreme stop start rhythms, creating an arrested atmosphere in the songs. This is compensated by great songs like 'Siste dans'. In general there seems to have been made more use of a clear sounding piano, instead of the old pump organ, creating a lot of space in the songs. Some Chinese influences? Why not. 'Markedet Bestemmer' offers just that and still drifts into a Kaizers song. Kaizers Orchestra is able to drift in many a way, without not becoming Kaizers Orchestra.

This is a very rewarding finish to the trilogy. Even though I like a few individual songs on Vol. 2 better (read our review here.), as a whole Vol. 3 is unbeatable. Kaizers Orchestra presents itself at the top of its game. Violeta, Violeta, Vol. 3 is nothing else than a monument. Standing out in time. And I can't help but wonder, again, what would happen if De Kift and Kaizers Orchestra would ever try and make a song together... Wishful thinking?

Wo.


You can order Violeta, violeta, Vol. 3 here

Interview with Monster Cat for WoNo Magazine and WoNoBloG

by Wout de Natris

© WoNo Magazine 2012

When I happened to surf the net circa two months back I ran into an offer from the band Monster Cat on The Pirate Bay offering their debut EP to the world there for free for only three days. I was totally impressed by the music the band offered as can be read here. So I decide to return the favour and offer the band some free exposure on WoNo Magazines blog. Here's the interview.
 

I got introduced to the band through a free download of your EP Mannequins on The Pirate Bay. Did this action fall into the marketing plan for the EP and did you get a lot of responses?

Cool. We hope you like our music. We were always trying to figure out unconventional ways to bring our music to a global audience, and we stumbled upon The Pirate Bay’s new promo mechanism The Promo Bay

The response was overwhelming. We were getting Facebook messages, Youtube comments, tweets and emails almost non-stop over the 3 days. The majority of the comments we received were very positive. We got around 150,000 unique hits over the 3-day period (most of whom we think would have downloaded the album), from 198 different countries. 

We got messages from all over the world, from Brazil to Finland to Iran to India, telling us that we were doing the right thing with The Pirate Bay promotion and that they enjoyed our album. Given the comments from listeners, it was evident that they really appreciated our move to make our music free for download. In fact, it was a huge driving force for them to click on us and even make an eventual purchase. 

File-sharing is a reality that involves millions of users every day. These consumer habits are here to stay, and it forces all denominations of the music industry—artists, fans, labels, distributors, and gig organizers—to re-examine how music is created,shared and enjoyed. These are the consumer habits of today and we feel that it’s a situation that has no straightforward answers and calls for creative, unexpected solutions rather than the use of moral force or the law to protect a status quo. In a way, we wanted to make a statement that music should head back in the direction where power belongs to the listeners and fans. 

Let’s discuss the band first. Your bio on the website is mysterious on where you’re from and who you are. What can you tell the readers of WoNo Magazine about the band?

We are a 4-piece alternative folk-rock band, and we love cats and large furry creatures with bad tempers.

On the basis of listening to the music I thought you to be a U.K. band. Presently I think you’re from the U.S., but then I discovered the video to ‘Underwater’. I’m confused. Where are you from?

Haha. We’re from Singapore. But we believe it doesn’t matter where the music is from, as long as one likes it. That’s why we’ve never really emphasised our origin. Besides, we do hope to set up base overseas and bring our music to more listeners.

I looked up the Monster Cat story on Wikipedia. What is the link to the band’s name?

Well, we take our name from the "bakeneko"—a supernatural “monster cat” in Japanese folklore that haunts households. And there's actually an interesting story behind it. Copy Cat was home one day when he saw paw prints on the ceiling. He has a cat at home but prints on the ceiling is a whole other creepy matter. This led to us finding out about the myth of the "bakeneko", and everyone was pretty fascinated by it. This came at a time when we were thinking about a name for the band, and we felt that the haunting and primal quality of the "bakeneko" myth reflected how the music sounded well.

The first song of the album is called ‘Initiation’. Is there a relation between the title of this song and picture on the cover of the album?

Cover of EP 'Mannequins'

Interestingly, ‘Initiation’ was actually the last track that was written for our “Mannequins” EP. But it’s intended to be an introduction and ‘initiation’ to the world of MONSTER CAT. We’re pretty obsessed with myths and rituals, and it’s a subtle way of us ushering listeners into our inner circle. All the songs, song titles and visuals (album cover, booklet images) are meant to complement each other. They all help to express what “Mannequins” means to us, and what it can mean for the listener. And fun fact – the ‘mannequin’ on the album cover is a real person. A friend of a friend. Naked booty yeeha!

In my review of the album I tried to pin your music as reference to the readers. I had a hard time as it seems to go all over the place. Having listened more often, since I come up with this. Ranging from progrock, Pink Floyd, CSNY, maybe even opera in small parts of the choruses, U2 and Coldplay like guitar playing and singing like Deacon Blue. Let me stop here and hand over to you. What artists are influences to you?

Wow, that’s the first time we’ve received those references. Haha. Especially CSNY and Deacon Blue. Pink Floyd! High praise, Sir. Thank you, thank you. Our main influences are Fever Ray (the way she mashes myth and music so viscerally) and The Smashing Pumpkins. But individually, we listen to a lot of stuff – various genres and languages. Some music we’re into now include Alpines, the new Silversun Pickups album, Siouxsie and the Banshees, producers like xxyyxx and Daisuke Tanabe.

Funny you should mention Pink Floyd… During the Music Matters 2012 conference held last month in Singapore, Bob Ezrin (producer of The Wall, Kiss’ The Destroyer and various Alice Cooper albums) had a listen to our album. Apparently, he really liked our music and was annoyed he couldn't find our email off the "Mannequins" CD to get in touch with us. LOL. So we've been trying to contact him, to #FINDBOB. It's a real honour to get a shout out from him and hopefully we'll be able to carry on the conversation with him about our music and maybe future productions.

A few of your songs seem lighter than their surroundings. Almost as if they are floating. Is this an effect you’re aware of and go for in recording songs?

It depends on the song. Especially for ‘Underwater’, we wanted to create an atmosphere that could fully express the story. We’re suckers for details and every clink or hum in the album is meant to be there, and has gone through a tedious thought process. There’s a lot of experimentation and exploration, sometimes with very unusual processes to create the desired sound. In fact, the opening ‘metallic’ hits you hear in ‘Underwater’ are a result of us whacking a steel drain with a baseball bat. 

Kazuo Ishiguro wrote an extremely intriguing novel titled ‘An Artist of the Floating World’. The protagonist in the book is an artist whose master was very interested in painting scenes from the pleasure district... he used an ephemeral style to depict the equally transient floating world of that district and of those nights. There's something in that which ties in very, very closely with what you mentioned and our music. Well... we won't go into details but you should read the book.

From your post about The Pirate Bay action on your website it’s clear Monster Cat is motivated to affect people, but also that the band members make sacrifices to make music. Is the latter worth the former?

Individually, we all were willing to make sacrifices to be able to do music for a living. That was the reason we got together as a band. It was about giving ourselves a shot at doing this – for making music is a privilege. It’s always a fight to be able to do what you love, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Through The Pirate Bay promo, we’ve been able to connect with listeners all over the world. And it’s a joy to be able to converse with people about music. It truly is. To make music, to share music, to enjoy music with others – it’s all worth it.

In ‘The courier’ lead singing duties are switched. On what grounds do you decided who sings?

“The Courier” was meant to be a conversation between two lovers and having twin lead vocals on the song serves that purpose. We’ve always worked on the rule that whoever writes the bulk of the song should sing it. He will have the clearest idea of the imagery, the intention and most importantly the emotion of the song.

What can we expect in the near future from Monster Cat and any chance of seeing you live in The Netherlands soon?

We're hard at work on our full-length album, which will be composed entirely of new songs. We're toiling to take our songwriting and performances to the next level. Tour-wise, we may have a few big ones coming near year's end, so we'll see. We're also looking to play Germany's Reeperbahn Festival organised by Music Services Asia. It will be a kickass experience so please vote for us! We're running a Twitter contest where you can win an exclusive new merch line if you help us out, just head down to our Facebook page for more. We will run naked around the Berlin wall. Danke. And if all goes well, maybe we can make a pit-stop at The Netherlands! That will be mindblowing. We’re just afraid we’ll get too high to play properly. Ahem.

Thanks for the interview. I’d like to add that you have affected me with your music. Something like the song ‘Dignity’ by Deacon Blue did at a festival a long time ago.

No, thank YOU, Wout. It means a lot to us, to have anyone take the time and listen. We hope to bring out more new songs for you! And we’re gonna check out ‘Dignity’ by Deacon Blue!

You can order 'Mannequins' by Monster Cat here.

The Kyteman Orchestra. A masterpiece?

You can listen to 'The mushroom cloud' here.

At the moment that I'm starting this review, I'm only halfway listening to the album for the first time. If what my ears are sending to my brain deserves any qualification, then it's surprise: I'm not quite believing what I'm hearing. Not since Pink Floyd's 'Atom heart mother', which I bought at the age of 17 and "In search of ancient Gods' by Absolute Elsewhere, which I heard at a friend's house about the same age, have I heard anything close to that experience. The Kyteman Orchestra goes all out, holding nothing back, giving it all: an overwhelming experience. 'While I was away' just about blows the listener apart with an orchestra and choir building the towards a climax of apocalyptic level. The lonely violin opening 'Truth or dare' sets a new tone, that ever so subtly sets the listener on the wrong foot for a hip hop like song, with a great chorus. With just these few lines I hope to start explaining the extremes of The Kytemen Orchestra to the listener.

Colin Benders, aka Kyteman, has created his own universe. From what I read, Kytopia is not unlike Andy Warhol's Factory in the 1960s. Musicians gather at Kytopia and help Benders with creating his dream or creating their own. In this atmosphere The Kyteman Orchestra was made, layer for layer. The album exhumes ambition and adventure. A jazzy intro with only trumpet and piano in 'Long lost friend', brings Gershwins' 'Summertime' to mind, but very soon the atmosphere changes to a blacker shade of grey. These changes of mood is what makes The Kyteman Orchestra an even better listening experience. Members get the chance to shine one by one, in intricate arrangements, more complex by the minute. The music moves from pop, soul, hip hop to jazz and classic and even opera. Sometimes bombastic and at other phases of the album ever so delicate. 'Long lost friend' has it all in just over 7 minutes.

'The mushroom cloud' is one of the weirdest singles ever released and still gets airplay. It goes to show what the status of Colin Bender's musical efforts is in The Netherlands. Within just a few years he's allowed to take the average listener on any trip. Because a trip 'The mushroom cloud is'. There's no other description for it. '7/8' sounds like a tribute to Ekseption. Maybe a slightly jazzier version of the classical rock sound of old, but definitely a clear influence. Rick van der Linden could not have wished for a better tribute. 'The void' keeps everything very small, almost a minuet, instrumental and delicate. The contrasts on this album are clearly phenomenal and make it very, very special.

To come back to the 'Atom heart mother' reference. The Pink Floyd bombastics are not on The Kyteman Orchestra in the form of a 18 minutes all out mini symphony. Benders sticks to song structures, but tries to get in as many ideas in there as possible, creating several mini "Atom heart mothers" all on one album. Listen to 'Angry at the world' and you'll get my drift.

In the more relaxed passages Seal comes to mind, but is left behind immediately. The easy going music is at most the starting point of what's to come. Sit back, buckle up and go. Disney's space mountain is the closest description to The Kyteman Orchestra. The only certainty is that you will come out alive, but where the curves and bends are? Just hang on in there and enjoy the ride.

All this leads to a number 1 record. There's hope for the world if a creative record, a dashing effort of inventiveness can reach this spot. Not just because of the previous album's success, 'The hermit's sessions' did very well of course, but also because of its own merit as it remains on the #1 spot. So wrapping up, I can only conclude that The Kyteman Orchestra is a very special album, an almost once in a lifetime experience. Time will tell whether this album is a masterpiece. I would not be surprised if it is.

Wo.

You can order 'The Kyteman Orchestra' here

or here