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 

2024. Week 39, 10 singles 3

Yes, another ten singles this week. Next week I will make the final push to catch up with albums of the past months. I'm afraid all others will have to do with either a mention in the singles section or not at all. From next week onwards it will be current albums. Where singles are concerned, there are simply too many nice ones worth writing about. This week you'll not find "big" names. You will find artists familiar to this blog but also a few premiering. So, enjoy the selection!

liefde is lang. De Toegift

De Toegift komen we al een paar jaar tegen op dit blog. Dat de nieuwe single deze post haalt, is dan ook geen verrassing. Het nummer zelf is wel een verrassing. Na een kort dromerig begin met een dwarsfluit die op zoek lijkt naar een richting, grijpt de band in en komt er een tempo in dat mij aan de jaren 80 doet denken. Even lijkt het alsof zanger Maxim Ventulé te vroeg inzet en men het gewoon zo heeft gelaten. In liefde is lang weet De Toegift zijn karakteristieke dromerige sfeer succesvol te combineren met een strak ritme. Zowel (samen)zang als lead gitaar spelen langs en over dat strakke heen. Er zit ook een beetje Spinvis in liefde is lang, maar dat is prima. Net als dat de dwarsfluit aan het begin, nadat de band is ingevallen, het zwierige van 'Prikkebeen' in herinnering brengt. Het maak de nieuwe single van De Toegift alleen maar mooier. Het duurt nog bijna een half jaar, maar er komt een nieuw, tweede album aan.

Girl I Want. Hotbox

Time for some dirty rock and roll. Hotbox plays it in Girl I Want. Not the Chuck Berry and Little Richard style but the rock and roll it evolved in with 1960s garage rock and late in the 70s and early 80s powerrock bands. Played with the huge sound any band can achieve in these modern times. Hotbox makes the most of it and successfully so. Ho, wait! If it were not the case that this is a long lost recording from the 1990s. Bands stop, others are formed and Hotbox is a short lived one that recorded in 1990 after The Dogmatics folded. Hotbox is Jerry Lehane on guitar and vocals, Peter Mulford lead guitar, Frank Pagliughi on bass and Pete Sisco drums. In the two years after the band recorded a total of eight songs and  they will be released by Rum Bar Records. Based on this great rock song, it must be very worthwhile that they were unearthed. If there ever is to be a "Nuggets" box for the 90s, Girl I Want really needs to be on there.

Frequency. New Earth Farmers

Listening to the intro of Frequency, for a moment I thought I had clicked on the wrong song, as I had expected Hendrik-Jan de Wolff to start singing. But no, the voice I heard does not match The Maureens' front man. Paul Knowles' voice is far rougher. Frequency is not the lesser song because of it. Expect a nicely flowing song positioned somewhere between country, pop and rock. New Earth Farmers at heart is a duo, Nicole Storto and Knowles but they are helped out James DePrato (guitars and lead guitar), Nigel Twist (drums) and Kevin T. White (bass). Together they form a tight band. Frequency has that quality that comes with good songs in this genre that can only come from the U.S. or so one would think. (Remember how I started this review. it's meant as a tip.) New Earth Farmers continues its relationship with WoNoBlog. On 4 October the new album sees the light of day. It's called 'The Sky From The Underground'.

Cherry Pie. Fazerdaze

With Cherry Pie Fazerdaze returns to WoNoBlog with a bang. Imagine Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark synths with a strong but soft beat and dreamy vocals. Oh, wait, that describes the band perfectly, doesn't it? So let's trade in Andy and Paul, OMD's two singers, for Amelia Murray and there's the new Fazerdaze. This is all meant positively because Cherry Pie is a, well, delicious track. After the intro the synth lead sets the mood for the song and all the other sounds follow suit. The only thing Murray needs to do is sing the song home. She does. Pay attention to that bass part as well. I have a strong feeling it's all electronic though. In the meantime it is Amelia Murray that pulls the song to her voice more and more. You will notice that she may have begun a bit hesitant. After the first chorus she's in control for the whole of the way, even pushing the synth to the background. Only for it to return full force towards the end. By then the point of Cherry Pie was made abundantly. 'Soft Power' Fazerdaze's sophomore album, not counting her 2022 EP 'Break!', is released on 15 November.

We Can't Go Wrong. I Believe In My Mess

A single that seems to have nothing to do with the 2020s nor the 2010s nor much else before that either. Yet, it is far from music that is totally and fundamentally new. It holds some elements that could be heard in Steve Winwood's music in the 1980s, it has faint traces of a dance rhythm, it is sung with the deadness of a 1980s doom band singer who was certain the world would end in a nuclear storm any day soon and it holds a spoken word section as if from a 1960s b-movie. So, what makes up We Can't Be Wrong? It is a mix of many things where the1980s pop up the most, as there's also that high synth sound. Let's take a look at the band then. I Believe In My Mess is not a U.K. band as I expected but a Dutch duo, Frank van Praag en Geert de Groot, in fact I must have seen them play live at some point in one of the many other bands they play.have played in. The bio says: "Embrace your own imperfections and the chaos that life brings". We Can't Be Wrong is all but imperfection and chaos. The song has the same vibe as two bands from long ago had, Kewi University of Swing and The Mo. Add the lo-fi sound and there you have the combination of so many elements called We Can't Be Wrong. Well, whatever it is or should be described, this single works alright. And, it is the title track of the album that is released on 4 October.

A Drink Before the War. Falsely Accused

Back to rock we go. Falsely Accused is a band from New England. You will not find it on this blog before today. The only part where the band relaxes, as the title more or less suggests, is in the beginning. One guitar, with a clean sound, plays the intro chords that have a faint trace to Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. Then the guitarist kicks in a pedal or two and there the band flies off in a little storm called A Drink Before The War. A title that until very recently I would have dismissed as very theoretical, just like I would have an illiberal party winning the elections by a landslide in my country. The second has already come true and I'm not so certain about the first any more. Falsely Accused plays as if the band members have the same fear. The song can be called post grunge as it has that power combined with that feeling of being dragged behind. The trio, Mike Azzolino: drums, percussion, and backup vocals, Matt Tavano: bass and lead vocals and Mark Young: guitar and backup vocals, really goes for it. Believe it or not, singer Tavano sees the song as a love song to his wife. I did not see that one coming.

Goodnight. Being Dead

In just a few weeks Being Dead finds itself once again on this blog. On the day it's album 'Eels' is released as well. On the previous single, I wrote: "Van Goes is an energetic single full of weirdness and surprises, the kind that is unpredictable". In part this goes for Goodnight as well. A psychedelic vibe is all around, a The Velvet Underground guitar clearly present, the style of singing can be linked to a host of songs from the mid 60s. Feel free to pick your own favourite. What I like about Midnight is that unpredictability without the weirdness taking over in excess. In combination with the song's clear direction. "You are mysterious", the two singers sing and that describes Being Dead's new single quite well I have to say. Goodnight is an as nice as it is an intriguing song.

Made Of Rain. Beauty In Chaos

Beauty In Chaos returns to this blog with a song filled with inner tension and yet is a lesson in restraint at the same time. Michael Ciravolo worked together with singer Ashton Nyte, who was on this blog very recently with his own single 'Mirror Midnight'. Because of his style of singing on Made Of Rain I totally understand his nickname 'Bowie of Johannesburg' totally by the way. Made Of Rain is a dark song with a layered sound over which Nyte can sing his slow vocal line, letting the vowels in his lyrics linger just a little longer. To great effect I have to say. Ciravolo has listened quite well to 80s bands like The Cult and creates his own world from there. The lead guitar draws out the notes just as easily. Underneath things are very solid. The drums and bass make sure that everyone understand this is a solid (goth) rock ballad. The synth provides a warm carpet for the listener to lie and wallow on in this beautiful rock track. There's appears to have gone a lot of feeling into Made Of Rain. It comes out totally.

Lullaby For The Lost. Current Joys

In both 2021 and 2023 Current Joys can be found on this blog with a single, never with an album though. In 2024 there's another single for you, Lullaby For The Lost. The tempo and the repetition of the song does the first word in the title right. Expect a slow ballad in a folky way. Nick Rattigan, who releases his songs under the name Current Joys, presents the song chiefly with an acoustic guitar. It plays this beautiful riff every time when he has finished a verse line.The song starts and ends with it. The overall mood of the song is totally slacker but not before a lot of work has gone into creating this arrangement. Another point of proof here is the intricate arrangement of the solo. This is so nicely done. Current Joys totally shines here. There's simply not enough room for more albums on this blog. Lullaby For The Lost has made me curious for the upcoming album. 'East My Love' is due out October 11th.

Ridley & Me After The Apocalypse. The Armoires

Songs and albums come to me in many ways. Some directly from the artist, from the label or press agencies. It is not every day that the two coincide. In this week's post it happens twice. (Also see I Believe In My Mess.) The Armoires is the band of the two people behind Big Stir Records, Christina Bulbenko and Rex Broome. You have found multiple singles and albums released by them over the past years. This fact alone does not merit a post of course. What does, is the fine 80s inspired pop song Ridley & Me After The Apocalypse is. Just that synth riff alone justifies a mention. It takes me back forty years easily. Ridley etc. is an upbeat pop song despite the single's title, making the apocalypse something to look forward to. The intro to the song is quite daring by the way. It takes close to one minute and even involves a violin before that heavenly synth sets in, announcing the singing as it turns out. Album 'Octoberland' is out on 11 October.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

Tiny Injuries. Tamar Berk

With Tiny Injuries Tamar Berk makes it to this blog with three consecutive albums. The two singles preceding the album already made it clear that chances were that Tiny Injuries would. The mix of pop and rock in Berk's music is getting richer and richer and plainly put: better.

Of course, for someone with a knack for pop-rock with 1970s and 80s Tiny Injuries tickles a lot of fancies. She adds a little post grungerock from the 90s into this already potent mix and comes out shining bright. The music on it immediately competes with this backlog of favourites that are with me for a long time. For most people that competition is unwinnable. I'm a bit different it seems. Because, believe me, these songs are competing quite easily, so I notice. Tamar Berk has found her stride and presents a set of songs that are simply great.

Don't expect her to rock all of the time. There is after all the pop side and a more delicate part where she shows a more intimate side to her music in the form of a ballad with (mainly) just a piano 'If I Could Fix One Thing'. The song closes the album and gets slowly bigger and bigger, slowly circling back to the rock that opens Tiny Injuries, one of the singles 'If U Know, U Know'.

Tamar Berk immediately aims for the Veruca Salt meter here and comes extremely close. 'If U Know, U Know' is the kind of song that when she was working on the arrangement, she was not satisfied with the first, second nor third idea but continued with all the ideas for extra melodies that came next, most likely dropping the first, third and seventh idea along the way. In other words, the song is so rich, including a great guitar solo.

Press photo

It also shows another great quality of Tiny Injuries and Tamar Berk. Nearly every song, if not all, have a great pop element in them. Yet, every single song seems to have a cloud hanging before the silver lining, that is obviously present. The songs have a bittersweet, melancholy element. There's something to pine for and to feel sad,even grieve about. All wrapped up in that cloud while the sun shines bright behind it. Tamar Berk never forgets it and that is the great quality the songs on Tiny Injuries all contain.

This sums up my first impressions of Tiny Injuries. Listening to the album I find so many details hidden in the respective songs. The surprise of a trumpet joining it all, of a modest ballad exploding into a full band take, like a very expensive piece of fireworks that keeps surprising with another explosion of light. The surprise of the richness of the arrangement of a song and the feelings shared with the listener.

Reading her bio Tamar Berk played for and recorded with a host of bands through the past decades before releasing her solo work. With Tiny Injuries, we all have them, yes, she seems to have really hit her stride With Tiny Injuries Tamar Berk has made an album that should make her name one that all alternative rock fans recognise immediately, says

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and buy Tiny Injuries here:

https://tamarberk.bandcamp.com/album/tiny-injuries

2023. Week 20, 10 singles

Week 20 and the sun is finally out, In a week where it was colder during the day on Ascension Day then at midnight on New Year's Eve, I was outside without a coat in mid-winter, we of WoNoBlog present another 10 singles that were released recently. From real favourites, to total newbies and a band that exist over 30 years and is on te blog for the first time. It's all here and perhaps more.Enjoy!

Faithless Lover. Reb Fountain

With 'Iris' behind her, including an international tour of which I was able to see the Amsterdam/Paradiso show, New Zealand singer and songwriter Reb Fountain returns with a new and majestic single. Unsurprisingly so, as majestic must be her middle name. Faithless Lover is a ballad of the kind Ms. Fountain is an expert at but also one that keeps growing in passion and conviction. It starts ever so small. Just her voice and an organ playing long held chords. From there the song is built up, slowly but surely. Drawing the listener in ever closer. Although there is a slight resemblance to Adele's 'James Bond' theme song, it happens to be my favourite Adele song, so double points as far as I'm concerned. Faithless Lover takes another turn in time and grows into an epic, if modest one, ballad. The strings are let loose, digital and real if my ears are not mistaken. In the end it all winds down once again but by then Reb Fountain has long made her point to this faithless person. She has found her words, as she shares them with us. A great new single.

Orbit. Dream Wife

You can find Dream Wife on this blog since the release of the band's first, self-named album in 2018. Orbit is a single from the upcoming album, 'Social Lubrication'. Not that much has changed. Although I'd say that Dream Wife's members have become better players and arrangers. The combination of infectious punkrock and -pop is still there. The band simply makes better use of the options this music offers. Listen to how dynamics are used in the verses. Just bass and drums supporting the singing, joined by a muted guitar sound. The chorus lets it all rip with a great riff and harmony and background shouts.  Icelandic singer Rakel Mjöll really goes at it here, showing the different sides to her voice. Her bandmates Alice Go (guitar) and Bella Podpadec (bass) fill up all (and there must be a hired drummer involved). June 9 the album is released. In the meantime we'll remain in orbit thanks to Orbit.

Let's Talk About It. Angela Tini and Big Sandy

Are you ready for a time machine experience? With Let's Talk About It you are about to undergo one. Angela Tini makes music of the kind they used to make a long, long time ago. As in the kind of music my mother may have listened to in her years in Canada before she got married. Angela Tini and band seem to come straight out of the fifties, from before rock and roll even or at best the kind Pat Boone played. When all that has been said and done, this duet with singer Big Sandy is great fun, if totally outdated for 2023. The pleasure of playing and singing together simply jumps out of the song. The band has this obvious swing, without having to lay it on in a thick manner. It's simply there. The saxophone solo is one out of the Cookie and The Cupcakes songbook. A rolling piano is what provides the icing on the cake. Will I make it through a whole album? Probably not, in the meantime I'm enjoying Let's Talk About It thoroughly.

Killing Time. Reach NYC

From the darkness of an inner hell to a new single. That description serves Killing Time well. Started in 1996 as Reach 454, the band released its first album in 2003, to play its last live show in 2004. Reach NYC circled around better known bands like Linkin Park and Papa Roach but never made it to the same level. Some 20 years later the band, in a partly new line up resurfaces with a potent rock single, like they used to make them a few decades ago. The energy is there and the riffs are convincing. Showing that writing a good rock song has little to do with age. "Taking drugs is how I'm killing time", René Mata sings. Let's hope that playing music is his new way for killing time. It will surely allow Reach NYC to have a chance of making it, with the assistance of a record deal in Germany. Fans of the afore mentioned bands should pay attention.

Alan's Song. Evidence of Struggle

An instrumental. For me at least, this is the hardest to write a review on. Strange in a way, as I do not really pay attention to the lyrics at first and more to the melody. Now let this be where Evidence of Struggle delivers with ease. There's no singing on Alan's Song but there's no doubt what the vocal melody would be here. The guitar leads the way and this amounts to the first impressions I would have had, had there been a singer. Evidence of Struggle is William P. C. Simmons V a.k.a. Rev. Billy Simmons. The multi-instrumentalist plays all on this song himself. Being instrumental and rock the epitaph postrock is usually glued to the music. It's a term that does not help me a lot. Alan's Song, inspired by a conversation Simmons had with a friend called Alan, is a rock song, yet extremely melodic. No one is doing extremely difficult things here. If anything, I would call in progrock as Alan's song has a few distinctive parts and tempo changes. Most importantly, the song rocks.

Monaco. Bianca James

Driving cars down by the Mediterranean always brings to mind the Tony Curtis - Roger Moore series 'The Persuaders' from the early 70s. The reason I bring this up is because Bianca James uses the image  to describe her new single Monaco, the small princedom on the Mediterranean. The description works double, as Monaco does evoke the pop feel coming with the 'The Persuaders' soundtrack. That 60s b-movie music with a little organ and girls dancing to pre-disco beats, in the dancing. Where the sound is concerned Bianca James' single is far more modern. A song could not sound this way in 1966. She catches the vibe of old quite good though. Bianca James dreams big. Coming from Montreal in Canada, Monaco and surroundings is where she would like to be. It will be several months before we are allowed to hear more. Her album is released after the summer. Monaco is a nice, extremely retro-poppy introduction.

The Score. Grian Chatten

A solo album by Fontaines D.C. singer Grian Chatten? Isn't that a bit early in his career with the band going so well? Perhaps. Fact is, if The Score is anything to go by, his solo album 'Chaos For The Fly', out on 30 June, is totally different from his band. The motivation he provides is a sound one. "I have songs that do not fit the direction of our new songs and I do not want to force a direction on the other writers in the band". The Score reminds me in a way of Kaizers Orchestra's singer Janove Ottensen's solo album after three albums into that band's career almost 20 years ago. Far more subdued, singer-songwriter kind of music and not the big band outing. The Score has the same dreamy atmosphere 'Francis' Lonely Nights' has. An acoustic guitar drives the song. Chatten is singing, yes, with his softest voice and together with producer Dan Carey decided what else could fit in there and is, sparsely, used. The result is a track full of modesty, that leads up to a song that is worth paying attention to. If you do not, you could easily miss it coming by. Yes. I'm curious for more.

A Child’s Question, August. PJ Harvey

I missed out on all early and mid albums of Polly Jean Harvey. There was no space where I could relate with them in the 90s and 00s. Something changed with the newer albums and here is the announcement of the optimistically titled (not), 'I Inside the Old Year Dying'. The first single Ms. Harvey releases in 2023 is a mysterious one. Almost as if a ghost found a way to record and release a song. At the same time PJ Harvey sings in a way that I can only call childlike, naive, while daring to go as deep as she is physically capable of. 'I Inside the Old Year Dying' will be her first album since 2016. In the years in between she doubted her will to continue as a musician, getting fed up with the cycle she was caught up in. The inner struggle has led to this mysterious music. A Child's Question, August is ethereal. There's music, there are instruments but besides the drumming, it could be anything that is being played. With that voice soothing and alerting at the same time. I can't tell yet, but this might just become one of the important releases of 2023.

The Chasm. Justine and The Unclean

It's six years ago already that I was introduced to Justine Covault and band. In the mean time she became a record label boss, releasing many-a great band from Boston and beyond. Finally she has found the time to treat us to some more music with The Unclean. Expect some good old garage-powerpop rock. After a soft intro, the band goes at it. There's no stopping the drummer, while the bass player went into the studio with the assumption she's the lead guitarist. Just listen to the fantastic melodies coming out of her amp. One of the great features of The Chasm. Of course there's a real blistering solo as well, reminding me of many great rock solo's from the past. Over it all, Justine Covault only has to do what she's good at, singing a pop-rock song in the style of Blondie at the time of 'Plastic Letters'. The Chasm is a nice warm up for things to come.

After All. Texas

To finish this week, I have a blast from the past. I was still at university when Texas entered my life. Not that I became a fan. The band was usually somewhere at the side of everything I liked. Whether the band released anything since the 1990s, I couldn't even tell you. For 2023 a greatest hits compilation is announced and this single. New, old, remake? It doesn't matter. Sharlene Spiteri is as charming as ever, her voice a little deeper than I remember. After All is a pleasant song with a nice drive. If anything the song reminds me of the better The Pretenders songs. That may be an explanation why I like After All. Spiteri's voice comes close to Chrissie Hynde's in 2023. The musical details in the song give it a nice finish. Little melodies, extra instruments, they are all there demanding attention for a short while. I have not listened to any Texas song, consciously, for at least two decades, but this may become my all time favourite. Who said that miracles no longer exist?

Wout de Natris

The Mighty Delta Of Time. Smoke

The first album release of a Dutch band from West-Brabant towns Bergen op Zoom and Roosendaal makes quite the statement. Convincing bayou swamprock from the borders of the Oosterschelde is not the kind of music I'd expect coming out of Bergen op Zoom.

It does though. Smoke consists of  Kaj Arne Philipse a.k.a. “CajunKaji” (guitar), Roan de Neve a.k.a. “Sludge” (drums & voice) and Martin Raanhuis a.k.a. “The Groove Chief” (bass). The threesome have listened to things past, absorbed it and comes out with a groove so thick it oozes sweat just like the super humid swamps of Louisiana force on a body. You hear grooves, great dynamics, fiery slide guitar, a thick bass and huge drums when called for.

Expect more though. Smoke has listened to the first post grunge bands like Creed and what's-their-name's. De Neve has that same deep timbre in his voice when he wants to. The post grunge makes the impact of The Mighty Delta Of Time even deeper. The next level arrives when a light slide enters 'Bereft'. The volume had already gone down and then that guitar. Impressive is the word called for here. The tension is built up and up until the song returns to its start and we get a fine, slow guitar solo as a bonus. Smoke did not go over thin ice when arranging 'Bereft'.

Press photo

Okay, I hear you mumble, there's not so much new to discover here? Well, I'm hearing an interesting mix of styles. Smoke may like to dream, write and talk about bayous, the music it plays is far more than swamprock. It is the combination of post grunge with the slide guitar that makes The Mighty Delta Of Time worthwhile. The mix of the light and the shade. This sets the album more apart. Like the mighty delta of time slowly but surely changes everything around it, this album creeps up to you just as slowly, gets under your skin and will not come out. No doctor or medicine will help here. Be aware and note that I did warn you.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to the full album on You Tube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LbCh0h74HM&ab_channel=666MrDoom

Ten singles, 2021/5

This week another ten singles in the roundup. You will find metal/post-grunge but also great powerpop, experimental music and a soft-toned ballad. As diverse as pop music and even a little beyond can be. It was another pleasurable trip into music. Click on the link below, brace your ears in time and read along while you can form your own opinion.

Standing In The Storm. August Burns Red

No, this isn't music that I listen to, anytime of the day. Yet, I'm writing. The bandpicture announcing the video on You Tube totally matched my musical expectations after watching the picture. Although the intro of Standing In The Storm did put me on the wrong foot there for a moment. Soon all hell broke loose and something between grunting and singing is unleashed onto my ears, accompanied by extremely tight, of course loud, playing. And yet there is enough to enjoy as August Burns Red is not afraid to put in some melody into its playing. No matter how tight (power)chords are strummed or better attacked, there's always a little inventive notes in between. The guitar solo is even an oasis of melody and kindness. The contrast is stark and because of that fascinating. No, this isn't music for me but good to hear, while the video is strange combination of human and natural violence into one, all painstakingly made by hand before put to film. A Sisyphus task if you ask me and in stark contrast with the musical onslaught.

Church Of Flag. Hayley and the Crushers

Church Of Flag is another loud song, but the contrast could not be greater. Hayley and the Crushers present a perfect powerpop song that has a little punky elements but is so extremely melodic that I'm melting on the first tones already. And Hayley Crusher Cain has such a fantastic voice. She's simply a joy to listen to. Church Of Flag is the kind of song to fall instantly in love with. The reason for that is so easy to explain. The combination of tough rock and female innocence is of the kind Medieval princes would have come to the rescue of the princess, without pause. Full of courtly love for the unattainable lady in distress. Had there been a male singer in front of the Crushers the effect would never have been the same. Now the song is perfect, like the best punky rock songs of Blondie but with a far better singer. I can't help but love this song. My only complaint could be that the song is so short, but then that is how ultimate punkrockpop singles should be. Breath in, hold your breath, over.

O Rif.* The Puzzle Is Cast (featuring Sotiris Debonos & George Kontrafouris)

Music from Greece but far from music that I have come to expect in the last couple of years. O Rif* is as experimental as the asterisk sign in the title suggest. What kind of music is this? Free jazz comes closest I suppose, were it not that the guitar part somewhere in the song is like I could hear in any kind of pop song. It is what happens around it that baffles me. The intro could be a set up to a fairly conventional song, with a guitar and bass waiting for the band to catch up. When around 20 seconds into the song a totally derailing sound comes in and the guitar drops away, being replaced by a totally estranging drum part and other sounds, I have lost my bearings completely. Experiment has taken over, with only marginal remaining bouys to hold on to. Being a Kairos buff after many years of listening closely to the Concertzender radio show, I can tell that this is intriguing music. There are some extremely interesting parts, suggesting a message from far away, completely distorted so its hard to make up whether it is a distress call from deep into outer space or not. The music suggest more than enough I'd say should you wish to find an answer to the dilemma. As I wrote, fascinating.

The First Time. Patrick Joseph

It's years since Patrick Joseph featured on this blog. Together with fellow singer-songwriter Shane Alexander Joseph is my favourite soft-voiced L.A.-based singer. Soft spoken, dreamy, silken, are qualities I do not mind mentioning when describing their voices and music. With The First Time Patrick Joseph present a slightly more direct song as it has a rocking undercurrent hidden away underneath the lush arrangement. Listen to how that piano takes over the song in the second half of the song. It makes the song change face totally. The opening is cloaked. The electric piano(?) sounds as if recorded through the wall while played at the neighbours. Only when the clear drums come in the song changes for the first time. The First Time keeps playing with the sound until the second half arrives and it is allowed to show itself in full bloom. The single is not so much a change in style as playing with the context of that style. The result is a new song that is beautiful, as always with Patrick Joseph, yet enough different from what came before to prick up the ears while listening to get acquainted to the song. In short The First Time is so nice.

Orion From The Street. Field Music

In January last year Field Music released a new album, 'Making A New World', that I have played regularly but it posed a challenge greater than I could solve. I could not find the words that did it right, in my opinion. I couldn't match my personal standard, nor the standard the music of Field Music presents. January 2021, Field Music releases a single. There are scores of bands that can be called Beatlelesque, because of the way they harmonise or the use of a chord progression. There are however not that many bands that, had the Beatles still existed, I could imagine that they could have made music like this. At some point in the 1970s Electric Light Orchestra perhaps, and today Field Music. This band (or duo) is able to present complex songs, in rarer time signatures and rhythms, in combination with sweet flowing vocal melodies. The kind of experiment John. Paul, George and Ringo still could have pushed themselves towards, challenging themselves, daring to be new and current. Orion From The Street holds the kind of elements that surprise, little musical findings that sound surprising yet familiar. Just listen and you'll know what I mean. This song is playful and serious, a rare combination. (Listening to 'Making A New World' again because of this review I came up with the following: Field Music is a combination of Frank Zappa and The Beatles. I can live with this newly found insight.)

Steady As She Goes. Tim Hart

After The Raconteurs' hit single with the same title it have become quite some shoes to fill when using the same title. Tim Hart presents his own Steady As She Goes with confidence though. In the tradition of Teenage Fanclub and Big Star he sings over a full and fresh flowing pop song. With a soft voice he sings his infectuous melody. The kind that is able to crawl into an ear without being afraid of overstaying any welcome. The mellotron sound makes sure there will be no leaving. Tim Hart became known as a part of Boy & Bear, but in February his third solo album will see the light, 'Winning Hand'. If Steady As She Goes is anything to go by, it is going to be an extremely pleasant listening experience. This single is a joyful song about his home, being Sydney in Australia. The sun, the beach, it all gets its place here. The former Steady As She Goes may have an iconic position in the rock pantheon for multitudes, the song with the same title by Tim Hart may easily win the bigger audience. The pop element is simply gorgeous.

".loveyoulikethat".. Dead Poet Society

I notice a gimmick were I see one. Starting the title with a point followed by all words spelled as one, no capitals, with another point at the end. It's not just the single, all titles on the album are spelled like this. Dead Poet Society is a band from L.A. that formed while in college in Boston. The band presents a hardrocking first single from the upcoming album '-!-', announced for March, that not just by the high voice of singer Jack Unterkofler begs comparison to Muse. Dead Poet Society comes from the U.S. and that explains why the band colours within existing formats, while Muse went and still goes wide beyond any accepted lines. I only conclude this as a fact, because within the rock moving towards metal format Dead Poet Society feels at home like a fish in water. Nothing but great fun is to be got here for fans of the genre. The guitars are in the deep end with enough higher sounds in the lead guitar and singing to make sure that there's all the variations in sound that I like in this genre. Dynamics do the rest. Dead Poet Society may not be a Muse (yet), this music certainly is a must hear.

Don't Talk About My Boyfriend. Heatwaves

Back to Spain we go with Heatwaves, the band around singer Ana Beltrán that manages to sound like it is the 1960s and late 1970s in one. Don't Talk About My Boyfriend is like Blondie covering 'Denis' and playing its own 'In The Flesh' in one as well. The "stop" in the song is followed by "in the name of love" in my head each time I hear it come by in the song. This song is pure pop with a strong band behind it, like Blondie. This single is the song that band never recorded. There's no other conclusion listening to Don't Talk About My Boyfriend. It's pure nostalgia wrapped up in a modern band from Spain. Punkrock with a sugar coating in the form of Ms. Beltrán's voice. Just like Blondie, no matter how good the rest of the band is, this is all about her voice.

What Do You Know? Brad Marino

Brad Marino is a man with some haste, where his music is concerned. A new single sees the life of day already. Expect another fast rocking song, like The Beach Boys on steroids. What Do You Know? is the kind of song that is over within a curse and a sigh as we say over here, 2"21 and it has all been said and done. It's also the kind of song that after one listening session allows you to sing along to the chorus with ease. Within that fast pace powerpoprock little details are added that make me jump for joy. Listen to the walking bass, near the end, the one hit hi-hat effect, the top of the cymbal played in the second guitar solo, the organ and piano, the slideguitar overdub, there's so much added to the drums, bass, guitar set up that is the basis of What Do You Know? It shows once again how inventive Brad Marino is when it comes to his songs. Yes, it may sound as if it was done a thousand times before when listening superficially, until you open your ears that is. This is great, great fun.

Down. Love and Death

This week's single roundup ends like it began, with a lot of metalish noise. Love and Death sounds like it is about to unleash the second coming of post-grunge bands like Staind, Stone Temple Pilots and whotstheirname, Creed. Down sounds like it has all been done before but not necessarily better. Love and Death rocks out successfully and loud! Like the bands I mentioned the band is quite capable in combining deep end guitars with melody in a way that, for a non metal fan like I am, to listen to Down without the noise hindering me in any way. There's one thing wrong with the picture painted just now. Down announces Love and Death's upcoming album 'Perfectly Preserved'. It's first is from 2013 and Brian 'Head' Welch of Korn is one of its members. So much for reviving post-grunge, although I do not exclude the band managing to do so anyway based on this single. Someone born after 2000 who likes this song, will undoubtedly find a lot to his liking on those albums from around the turn of the millennium.

Wo.

Listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

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