2026, week 27. 5 singles (2)

"Along with the sunshine, there's got to be a little rain sometime", sang Lynn Anderson 55 years ago in her hit single "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden'. It is like that here at the time of writing, together with a neighbour complaining about a barking dog on my block that is making people crazy. Thank God for double glass, it seems. 'Rose Garden' did make me wonder: which came first the book or the song? Hannah Green's bestseller is from 1964 so I've just found. The song won in my personal case. In the meantime I have five more recent singles for you, enjoy!

Dark Eyed Junco. Kristin Hersh

You have to go back to 2019 to find Kristin Hersh on this blog. She returns with a dark and intense single called Dark Eyed Junco. There is very little light that Ms. Hersh lets through in this song announcing her upcoming album 'Sugar On Blackstone' (18 September). It all starts with a guitar part somewhere between a melody and a riff. Together with the lead note that returns over and over, it already sounds eerie, like a modern version of some themes in 'Once Upon A Time In The West'. When the band kicks in, it is all papered over, blackout style. Kristin Hersh's voice is not your every day solo voice, but it fits this music perfectly. The role of drummer Rob Ahlers is prominent in several parts of the song, really sweeping it forward. Dark Eyed Junco may be a dark but it is also an intriguing song, making me look forward to hear the whole album.

Hello Sunbeam EP. Wooden Overcoat

Wooden Overcoat returns to the blog with its EP. The first of the four songs is 'Home'. There are these songs that function as a time machine. Despite the fact that no band could sound in 1967 like Wooden Overcoat does in 2026, it emulates bands like Traffic, The Lemon Pipers and what not from the day, while fitting in nicely with a whole host of psychedelic bands of the last 10 to 15 years. Although there are a multitude of angles in which to play this kind of music, from The Black Angels to Wooden Overcoat, there are more similarities than differences. Wooden Overcoat aims for the relaxed vibes coming with psychedelia, peace and happiness, adorned by kaleidoscopic fluid projections in the background. The band's frontman is Brian Hajek playing guitar and singing. He's joined by bassist Dillon Glusker, guitarist Mac and drummer Brian Levin. Including the overdubs Wooden Overcoat creates a full sound without muddying it all up. And someone must be playing the keyboard. I'm not sure if I would get through a whole album in this style. The four song Hello Sunbeam EP works like a miracle though. It's warm, relaxed and more than just pleasant.

How Long Is Too Long. The Broken Heartbreakers

More from New Zealand and a new name to me. It was twelve years ago The Broken Heartbreakers released its previous album. It may well be that I was not alerted yet on New Zealand releases at the time. For me this is a new band. How long is too long? is a good question to ask after an hiatus of twelve years. Many people will have forgotten all about you. With this single the band places a gentle reminder of its existence. How Long Is Too Long is a beautiful acoustic folk song. It fits in a tradition of British folk songs and adds a little jazzy atmosphere and even a hint of Latin American music. Someone like Bebel Gilberto will be able to translate this into a modern sounding bossa nova with ease. The Broken Heartbreakers is Rachel Bailey and John Howell with drummer Paul McLennan-Kissel. How Long Is Too Long is a song that is so delicate. From the soft voice of singer Rachel Bailey to the accompaniment, all is aimed for an effect on your soft side and it works. Album 'Imagine If We Could Just Keep Driving' is due on July 17. 

The Fire. De Staat

Classic De Staat The Fire is. These five words sum it up nicely. The heavy rhythms, the darkness, the electronics, Torre Florim Janssen (the addition of Janssen is new to me) sing talking, the band answering here and there. After 'Old McDonald' a long time ago, De Staat today is "rowing gently down the street". You will all find it all on The Fire. Nothing new under the sun then? If I'm honest, no, there isn't. Is that a bad thing? No, it's not. The energy caught in and on The Fire is obviously genuine. It's the kind of song that will get a venue and festival field going alright. As long as you don't expect any grand new insights  from De Staat, you'll be just fine with The Fire.

Waiting On Nina. Family Stereo

The family stereo entered my family in 1967 with a radio and pick up hidden in a kind of cupboard. From that day onwards, I started to collect records, slowly but surely. The band Family Stereo is the project of singer-songwriter Blake Watt, that will release its debut album on 31 June, called 'The Thread'. Watt's voice reminds me most of Dutch singer-songwriter Thijs Kuijken, operating under the name I Am Oak. Musically, the two operate in a folkish kind of music, but musically distinct. Waiting On Nina places itself in a long tradition of folkpop singers, who present their soft music in a poppy way, while smearing some contemplative melancholy over his listeners. Family Stereo strikes the right mood and notes to convince with Waiting On Nina. Now who was that singer that scored a minor hit with 'Lydia'? For the first time in decades I'm thinking about the song. You Tube tells me immediately: Dean Friedman. To my surprise all piano and strings, so very different musically. That mood is there though.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

2026, week 27. 5 singles

Pffff, it has cooled down, making life a little more bearable again. Well, with the World Cup taking a bad turn for my country, how can you miss three penalty kicks in a series of five and have the bad luck that the goalkeeper stops a kick only to get it against his heel after which it goes in anyway, things are relative. Anyway, it is time for music. Here's five more recent singles to enjoy!

Baobab. Upupayāma

One of the first bands of what for the ease of argument I call the new psychedelic wave that caught my attention in a positive way was Elephant Stone. Many followed, some good and interesting, some less so. Right on the opening measures of Baobab, I'm transported back to my 2014 experience. Upupayāma remains more spacey in Baobab. Nothing becomes concrete but sort of floats around them bongos and the acoustic guitar setting the rhythm. Without being Indian, the song does give off strong Indian vibes and certainly not African, where the Baobab tree originates from. With Baobab Upupayāma provides the ideal inner mind holiday, as it is a song to surrender to, unconditionally.

Gimme Ammunition. Gene Champagne

Gene Champagne returns to the blog with a 7" single. Once again it is a charged up affair. Let's face it, if this song hadn't been just that, I would have ordered him to change its title. Champagne moves straight into punkpop tracks by the likes of Blondie around 1977-1979. Let me even add The Ramones. It is the line up and the guitar solo that brings Gimme Ammunition into the Blondie side of punkrock/pop. This song holds the combination of energy, fun and skills at songwriting to not only make it stand out but to truly enjoy as well. Singing along to the chorus is something that becomes mandatory at shows. Gimme Ammunition is one big invitation to jump around, shout and sing along with it.

Which Side Are You On?. Dan Cummings

Very attentive readers of this blog will recognise the name Dan Cummings as the singer and songwriter of the punk band Already Dead, who first made a deep impression on me with the single 'The Spirit Of Massachusetts Avenue' from the album 'Something Like A War'. In this acoustic single he dusts off a traditional, that also has been on the repertoire of Dropkick Murphies. It was a class song of the working man against the higher class. Dan Cummings takes a very political stance on Which Side are You On?, but takes the song into the third decade of the 21st century. This is about siding as decedents of immigrants with today's immigrants. To point to the fact that billionaires reap all the benefits, to return to the class war just like in the original. One more artist from the Boston area who takes a stance and leaves no doubt which side he's on. It makes me muse what the modern variant of tea will be? That harbour must still be there. 

Clarion. Tasha

Who else but Erwin Zijleman wrote about Tasha's previous album, 'All This And So Much More', on this blog? But to my credit the single 'Michigan' and Love's Changing' were reviewed by yours truly. Clarion comes to my name as well. Tasha shows two different sides to her songwriting on this single announcing her new album 'You are Spring!' that was released last week. Clarion is an ultra relaxed song. In fact, it is almost a slacker tune, were it not that the arrangement belies this completely. The other side of Tasha comes forward in the intricate arrangement where instruments and notes weave in and out of each other. Notes pop up to disappear again, while other instruments join, not to leave the song. Over it Tasha sings her lyrics in that completely relaxed way. The combination simply works, as that is how the song sounds, simple. Don't be fooled by that relaxed tempo though. There is a lot going on there.

S33.u.in/HAL. Holy Wave

A new name on the blog, or so I thought. It isn't, as the single 'Happier' was reviewed by me in 2023. As our former prime minister used to say when I a political bind, "I have no active recollection of this", and got away with it. Mine is in a digital print, that makes it a bit harder to deny. What to make of the title of this song? I really have no clue. HAL is both the Dutch Holland America Line, now an investment vehicle and the super computer in Space Odyssey. It's even the name of a band from the 00s, I think. Looked at in a more broader way, I derive at "see you in hell". A lot of options. The music is almost as weird as the title. The largest part consists of a mix of indie, psychedelia and dreampop. Enter a bit of shoegazing in the chorus and instrumental interlude. The noise is pushed to the background and turns into quite some weirdness, to be faded out when the verse starts again in all its tranquillity. The result is a song with two very distinct faces, like a musical version of dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Texan band presents a fascinating song. Album 'I'm Dada' can be expected on 10 July.

Wout de Natris -van der Borght 

2026, week 26. 5 singles (3)

A change of the weather is coming up. It's darkish, thunder and lightning loom in the distance and the first drops of rain fall off and on, without gaining momentum yet. The storm can't make up it mins yet, it seems. It probably will when we have to go to the trainstation later this afternoon. In the meantime its clammy and sticky, while the very sporadic wind feels fresher already. In the meantime I'm setting five more recent single aside for your pleasure, so enjoy!

Jealous Lover. The Rolling Stones

And here is the third the Rolling Stones songs released before 'Foreign Tongues'. The song fits into a long line of Stones songs, that show the more pop side of the band. At 82 Mick Jagger can still put in his falsetto voice, as if time has no grip on him. Let us go back to 'Emotional Rescue' from 1980 as a starting point. It is not exactly my favourite The Rolling Stones single, but like almost all singles of the past, I found my way into it at the time. Jealous Lover in the end will go that way, as I do like the chorus and that slick guitar work shared between Keith and Ronnie sounds really smooth and nice. Newspaper 'The Times' already spoke of "a career high" when it wrote about  'Foreign Tongues'. Based on the three songs so far, the rest must be really, really exceptional, to nestle with albums like 'Beggar's Banquet', 'Exile On Main Street' and 'Tattoo You', to name but a few. Jealous Lover is nice, it's smooth, but can't tip 'Sweet Sounds Of Heaven' from 'Hackney Diamonds', to name a recent smash song.

Great Start. In Loom 

Gijs Kerkhoven and Sander van Munster have made music under many names. As In Loom they have made these pages twice this year and here is number three. As said, in In Loom it is Kerkhoven who is the lead singer, making the sound of the duo stand apart from their other collaborations. With Great Start the subtlety that characterises Sander van Munster's work is thrown overboard completely. Can a guitar sound much dirtier than in the intro and beyond of Great Start? Certainly, it can, but that would leave little room for a song. Great Start draws on some of the psychedelic songs The Rolling Stones presented on its 1967 album 'Their Satanic Majesty's Request'. In Loom adds some totally underwater bubbly experiences to it as well. Over this that dirty guitar is put, making Great Start stand out and makes it a very intriguing song. There's far more happening than I could ever have guessed when the song started. Great Start is a listening experience.

The Sweet Goodbey. Opus Kink

Recently I wrote of Opus Kink that there is a strong connection to Dutch fanfarepunkers De Kift and with The Sweet Goodbye the likeness is not taken away. The way the band uses the horns tells me all. At the same time all sorts of influences are let into the mix. Although this song is far less of a genrebender than 'The Head Tree' that featured The New Eves, you will find more than enough surprising elements. At the same time The Sweet Goodbye is more traditional post punk, with horns. Opus Kink does go one step further, at least, than the saxophone DEADLETTER uses to spice its songs for example. Again Opus Kink intrigues with its mix of music, that no matter what is straight in your face the whole time.

Moping. Personal Trainer 

A few weeks ago the first song of Personal Trainer's upcoming third album was reviewed on this blog. It surprised me with its sound and approach. With Moping Personal Trainer is back to its more traditional sound. A little lighter perhaps, maybe even with a disco rhythm guitar sound, added to by a The Stone Roses style drumming, but without doubt Personal Trainer. A female voice answers Willem Smit's vocal in parts of the song. I myself took a shine to Moping immediately, just like I did with so many songs of Personal Trainer and of Willem Smit's previous bands. "This is simply, just good", a voice says in Dutch in the middle of the song. And that comment, made by the band itself, sums it all up for me.

Pay To Play. Tornado Lobster Killer

Punk from Italy? Yes, why not. Tornado Lobster Killer is from Milan in northern Italy and plays punk(rock) as it is supposed to. Don't expect anything different then tremendously fast played instruments, releasing energy and the venting of anger of having to pay to play a show. Bandmembers need to earn some money, except when its a hobby and even then its nice to get something to pay for rehearsal rooms and gasoline. So, writing about this style of music may sound like a summing up of clichés. The music isn't, as Tornado Lobster Killer has the right energy but also the skills to make a song like Pay To Play sound interesting, because of the little melodic additions woven into the whole. So, punk from Italy? Yes, please.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

2026, week 20. 10 singles

Today you will find a bunch of octogenarians in the singles section and all with songs that are vibrant and full of life totally belying their age. At that age one can know what will be the last you'll do. If this over time will be proven to be the last, all can be tremendously pleased with these efforts. To compensate there a few very new names as well, some even debut records. In other words, more than enough to explore and enjoy!

Rome. Brook Fox

And yet another debut on the blog. He is an indie-pop/rock artist from South-West Wales who knows exactly how the light and the shade works in his music. My take is that his main influences come from the post-grunge era with bands like Creed and that band with the hit 'Outside' that I keep forgetting the name of, Staind? Brook Fox' own contribution is the pop element he throws into the mix, making Rome far less darker than the bands I mentioned. That said, he knows how to make his band rock and handles the light and the shade to perfection, giving an audience a moment to rest before everyone can explode into the song once again. Rome is aimed for festival fields in the way it is set up and it is working as far as I'm concerned.

Still In The Race EP. RubinCarter

RubinCarter is Queen's Pleasure drummer Sal Rubinstein turned singer-songwriter. After the release of singles announcing his debut EP, we can listen to the whole work. The songs started in his bedroom playing an acoustic guitar just for his own pleasure. Slowly but surely he realised these songs should be heard by more people. With help from his friends the songs and RubinCarter took shape. Ruben Carter became a famous name because of the Bob Dylan - Jacques Levy composition 'Hurricane', more than because of his boxing career and trial. Do not expect Bob Dylan style music here. The EP kicks off with the alternative rock track 'Unentertained'. A song that goes for the big sound, with a huge lead guitar and background vocals. The exact right song to put on pole position, because it is the kind of song that can define a career. In theory 'Unentertained' is a song to play in a stadium and to have that as your first song on your first EP is an asset. With 'Frame' the mood goes down, but again RubinCarter shows to know what it takes to arrange a song in such a way that it catches the ear. Going deeper into the EP, it becomes clear Sal Rubinstein is showing us what he is capable of. His goal was not to create a musically consistent EP. 'April' is a ballad with a fingerpicked acoustic guitar. It is not my favourite song on the EP but it certainly shows courage to present such a different song. 'Still In The Race' is also a ballad but of a different sort. The slide guitar gives the song a distinct rock feel as does the main riff. So is the final song, 'Money Machine'. Setting the easy scoring opening rock track apart, 'Money Machine' is the song that impresses me most. It has this easy going vibe, while at the same time being able to make a great impression on me. Without making a grand effort during the first impression, 'Money Machine' is the kind of song that slowly but surely turns into a anthem.  A modest one but an anthem nonetheless."Lalala" sometimes is enough to do the trick. RubinCarter is a name to watch alright.

ESO. The Bernadette Maries

The Bernadette Maries from Brussels return with its second single. ESO is a song with two faces. It all starts out as an alternative rock song. In fact I can call it grunge without any qualms. Nirvana is all over the intro. The light and the shade between verse and chorus? Check. The two guitar line up is used to create a lighter mood and a darker one. Before the two minutes mark things change. Let's call it psychedelic, that interlude. Not that the world becomes all wobbly and out of focus, it still qualifies. The drums come in with a high and fast rhythm after which singer/bassist Daria takes over the lead vocals. By then the song has been totally set on its head. I have to admit, I like the first part better, yet surprising it is. Two singles down, upcoming album 'Soft' is an album to look out for. We have a, hopefully, glorious summer in front of us first, as the release date is set for 18 September.

Ride. The Chelsea Curve

Click The Chelsea Curve in this blog's search engine and one single after the other pops up. Promoted by the late Justine Covault, the band came into my life thanks to her and I liked the band better by the single. Come 2026 and here's the band once again with single Ride from the already released album 'The Rideout'. Like a song with a title like it should, it is about riding, a motorcycle in this case. Linda Pardee (bass, vocals, keys) and Tim Gillis (guitars, vocals, keys) are joined by their new drummer Bruce Caporal. The trio rocks in a very familiar way, more U.K. than the U.S. A band like The Who comes to mind from the time when they were able to blend pop and rock in a perfect way. Mixed a little into the background is the warm sound of a Hammond organ, but mostly the guitars, bass and drums are rocking no little. The Chelsea Curve adds some delicious pop elements in the background vocals and packs Ride with some great rock riffs as well. Do things come much better than this? I doubt it. Brilliant single.

Home To Us. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr

It's 2026 and 50% of The Beatles release a single together. In the year Paul turns 84 and Ringo 86, the two present a song that is simply great fun. You won't hear me saying this is their best work, but it is good. In the lyrics they look back at their youth, when where you lived was simply called home, no matter how you might look at the house or you think of the circumstances today. The song has a strong pop vibe with some Status Quo light overtones. The two alternate on vocals, with Ringo singing in a slightly different voice than normal, fitting Home To Us perfectly. Just close your eyes for two seconds and imagine that all four were still alive and working together. That  would have made a very decent single, ranking there with George's 'Handle Me With Care' by The Travelling Wilburys for example. In fact, I haven't heard a better song by Paul than Home To Us since I don't know when. There's a new album in the stars, ‘The Boys O f Dungeon Lane’ and its release date is 29 May.

In The Stars. The Rolling Stones

Yes, I'm a fan since like forever. No not from the beginning. I'm not that old. But let's face it, In The Stars is a tossaway kind of Stones song. Sure, it's nice and the "ooooooo" part does give it a little extra. Yet, I have 'Undercover Of The Night', 'She Was Hot', 'One Hit To The Body' and 'Rock And A Hard Place', to name a few of the average Stones singles already in my collection. In The Stars does not add a lot more. On the positive side. There is a new Stones single and yes, it sounds energetic. Andrew Watt does get the best out of the Jagger-Richard material of the 2020s and Jagger is a 82 year old force of nature. The man must be so fit that not even his voice wears down. The hard life seems to be catching up with Keith Richards. To give the song some credit, the way the song plays out, with the piano coming in, I may take a shine to it any way. The details are nicer than I thought at first. Only two more months and we'll know more about 'Foreign Tongues', including, once again, Paul McCartney.

Arrogant Boy. Deep Purple 

Established in 1968, also Deep Purple is releasing a new album in 2026, 'Splat!' and listening to Arrogant Boy, the band is in top form. The song goes off in classic hard rock, metal, symphonic rock directions as if its the most normal thing in the world. The three from the Mach II line up and most famous one, Gillan, Glover, Paice and keyboard player Don Airey around for the whole of this century, are joined by new guitarist Simon McBride. Together the rock like it is 1970 something. The guitar playing in the verses wasn't invented then though. Think Metallica or something like it. Next, Marillion comes in and a little Bowie in the singing in the "Billy" interlude part. There's so much energy here that it is inconceivable that I'm listening to older senior citizens of around 80. Arrogant Boy is pure power and more importantly, a great song.

Only Free When Sleeping. Big Special

With two records in two years and one stand alone single, the announcement of a new EP by Big Special shows that the band is in a hurry to show more of itself. 'O'Joy' will be out on 5 June. It is said to contain the songs that did not fit on both albums. Those following the band will not be surprised by Only Free When Sleeping. Vocalist Joe Hicklin does his mix of rapping/talking singing in his Midlands accent, while drummer Callum Moloney points the direction of the song through his relentless rhythm. Who does all else that we hear, I don't know. Only Free When Your Sleeping is a strong song, like the best songs of the duo are. There's always urgency that is brought across and not only because of the vocal delivery. The whole song wants its listeners to move and move some more. Yes, it's undeniable, I like Big Special, even if it is a bit outside of my usual musical habitat.

Mess. Tape Toy

Tape Toy debuted on this blog with a single of its EP 'Launch The Rocket' in January 2025. Today the band is back with the up tempo, almost creating a hunted down kind of tempo of Mess. Don't expect originality, as I've heard a song like this so many times before. What Mess does present is a truckload of positive energy, fun and little surprises all throughout the song. The song announces an as yet unnamed album to be released in September. Based on what I'm hearing here, it should be great fun. The mix of a modern sounding lo-fi song with all the modernity electronics and samples can add, presents a song that is simply filled with inventions, additions, weirdness, to return to the kind of art rock bands like The Mo and The Kewi University of Swing were already making around 1980. Then add that tempo and you have Mess. Tape Toy, a band to be on the lookout for.

Just Love. Reluctant Bob & The Lonely Lovers

Just Love is the kind of pure pop that came into fashion a long time ago and somewhere in the 1970s went out again, after bubblegum bands like The Rubettes and Showaddywaddy, who rehashed the feel from the decade before, went out of fashion. I never hear these two examples anymore. The originals from the 1960s still seem to come by and may forever come by when new generations take a look a their grandparents' records collection (or Tik Tok or Spotify of course). That makes Just Love pure nostalgia for a time long gone, but no less fun. Just listen to those guitar notes, the sweet harmony vocals, the way the piano adds to the fun. In a way the song reminds me most of The Rutles, Eric Idle's The Beatles parody. Just Love would have fit perfectly on the album, without parodying a The Beatles song in a superb way. Well done, Reluctant Bob & The Lonely Lovers.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

Misty Mountain. Sophia Yau-Weeks

Sophia Yau-Weeks is een debuterende muzikante uit Oakland, California, maar ze heeft met het echt in alle opzichten wonderschone Misty Mountain een album gemaakt dat geen moment klinkt als een debuutalbum.

Al sinds mijn eerste kennismaking ben ik compleet ondersteboven van Misty Mountain van de Amerikaanse singer-songwriter Sophia Yau-Weeks. Het is nauwelijks te geloven dat ze pas een paar jaar geleden is begonnen met het schrijven van songs, want Misty Mountain is een album van een bijna ongekende schoonheid. De muziek op het album is bijzonder mooi, de productie is prachtig, de songs zijn intiem en stuk voor stuk indringend en dan is er ook nog eens de stem van de Amerikaanse muzikante die je continu in vervoering brengt. Het debuut van Sophia Yau-Weeks was voor mij direct goed voor kippenvel en mijn bewondering voor dit betoverend mooie album is alleen maar groter geworden. Wat een ontdekking!

Mijn rondje langs de nieuwe albums op het Amerikaanse muziekplatform bandcamp zette me bij toeval op het spoor van het debuutalbum van de Amerikaanse singer-songwriter Sophia Yau-Weeks. De teksten waarmee muzikanten zich op bandcamp introduceren zeggen meestal niet al te veel, maar de tekst van Sophia Yau-Weeks is behoorlijk informatief: “Sophia Yau-Weeks is a singer-songwriter based in Oakland, CA. Now back in her hometown after a two-year-stint living in London, Yau-Weeks is releasing her debut record, Misty Mountain. This vulnerable body of work, which was recorded to tape at Tiny Telephone Oakland, is rooted in slowness and introspection. The album was co-produced with Maryam Qudus (SPELLLING, Gracie Abrams, Alanis Morissette)”. 

Wat ik op basis van deze introductie nog niet wist is dat de Amerikaanse muzikante min of meer werd gered door de coronapandemie. Door de coronapandemie ontsnapte ze aan de druk die eerst moest leiden tot een bestaan als een professionele violiste en later moest resulteren in een geslaagde academische carrière. Sophia Yau-Weeks zocht haar geluk in Londen, waar ze haar droom om zich te ontwikkelen tot singer-songwriter najoeg. Het is een droom die is uitgekomen met de release van haar debuutalbum Misty Mountain. 

Door mijn enorme liefde voor vrouwelijke singer-songwriters beluister ik alles wat los en vast zit in het genre. Dat heeft me de afgelopen jaren heel veel albums opgeleverd die me zeer dierbaar zijn, maar ik kom niet vaak albums tegen die me zo betoveren als het debuutalbum van Sophia Yau-Weeks. 

De muzikante uit Oakland schreef de songs voor haar eerste album in een voor haar zware periode, en dat hoor je. De songs op Misty Mountain zijn aan de donkere kant en daar hou ik meestal wel van. De songs van Sophia Yau-Weeks zijn niet alleen donker, maar ook zeer persoonlijk. De Amerikaanse muzikante vertolkt haar songs bovendien met heel veel gevoel, waardoor ze echt keihard binnenkomen. 

De opvallend intieme songs op Misty Mountain worden nog wat mooier door de stem van Sophia Yau-Weeks en voor mij is het een van de mooiste stemmen die ik in tijden heb gehoord. Het is ook een zeer karakteristieke stem, wat de zang op Misty Mountain nog wat mooier maakt, zeker als de stem van Sophia Yau-Weeks in meerdere lagen uit de speakers komt. 

Het is een stem die wordt omgeven door een zeer smaakvolle instrumentatie, die in de basis bestaat uit fraai gitaarspel. De gitaarakkoorden worden gecombineerd met strijkers en met atmosferische klanken van synths, al worden die niet genoemd in de credits van het album. Het is allemaal subliem geproduceerd door Sophia Yau-Weeks en Maryam Qudus, die samen tekenen voor een geluid vol contrasten. 

Misty Mountain schakelt continu tussen breekbare en sobere klanken en beeldende en vollere klanken. het album beweegt zich hiernaast net zo makkelijk tussen echo’s uit het verleden van bijvoorbeeld de Laurel Canyon folk en de psychedelische folk als tussen echo’s uit de indiefolk van het moment. 

Direct bij eerste beluistering werd ik gegrepen en betoverd door het debuutalbum van Sophia Yau-Weeks en iedere keer als ik naar het album luister vind ik het nog wat mooier en indrukwekkender. Het is puur toeval dat ik dit album ben tegengekomen, maar wat is dit mooi. Absoluut een van de mooiste albums van 2026 tot dusver. Ik ben echt diep onder de indruk.

Erwin Zijleman

 

Je kunt Misty Mountain hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://sophiayauweeks.bandcamp.com/album/misty-mountain 

2025, week 16. 10 singles

By now, I'm running behind about a month on singles since the start of the new year. Unfortunately for many songs, it becomes time to skip the line and move on to today from the next singles post onwards. Which will be a few weeks from now. In the meantime enjoy this batch as it holds some very good and interesting recent singles, from mid-March.

Attention Span. The Dollyrots

Have The Dollyrots ever heard of The Dolly Dots? With a name like that it does make me wonder. Musically the two bands could not be further apart, except that they both know where pop music goes to dwell. Attention Span is a punk rock song though of the kind that is being played ever since Green Day and The Offspring broke big in the mid-90s. Expect all energy levels at maximum, a pop feel hidden into the punk attitude. Duo bassist/lead vocalist Kelly Ogden and guitarist/vocalist Luis Cabezas know what a good punkrock song needs to succeed and that is exactly what Attention Span does.

Joyride. The Cocktail Slippers

More female fronted rock music but this time from Oslo in Norway. Last year I was in the city for a week, even played on a huge stage in Lillestrøm's convention centre, but no one there pointed me to a band called The Cocktail Slippers. Too bad. Had they been playing in town a visit would have been very much worth my while judging Joyride. Of course for about 30 something years that title is claimed by fellow Nordic band Roxette. This Joyride is just that little tougher and I have to say, at least as good. I love the dirty sound of the song and the punky way of singing. Here I'm reading that the band is working on its sixth album and I've never ever heard the name before. It's time to catch up.

The Power Runs Ripe. Bed Rugs

It's eight years since Bed Rugs released its previous record. For someone like me, The Power Runs Ripe is an introduction. Having nothing to compare to, gives a totally fresh ear where the music of Bed Rugs is concerned and what I'm hearing is landing well. Bed Rugs is a four piece from Antwerp that plays a form of psychedelic rock that has a tough pace. The drummer is not allowing the band to escape into fantasy land; until 1.34 minutes that is. As if the mixer has just cut out the drums totally. Should you like a comparison. The closest I can come is Dutch band Moss, partly in the way Stijn Boels sings. The Power Runs Ripe has a great pace and that is a part of its charm, the keyboard sound is the other. There's more underway, but we will have to be patient.

Bang Bang. The Noise Who Runs

At times I do wonder if any new music is made in 2026. Having lived as long as I have, I'm most likely entrenched in favourite genres. That makes it hard to hear something new, even with recent acts. All follow in the footsteps of giants. This is especially the case with artists who return to music after years of absence or have worked in the relative margins of music for decades and release a new record. Ian Pickering was a member of bands like Sneaker Pimps and Work Line Assembly. Bands that totally passed me by at time. And now I'm pointed to his new band, The Noise Who Runs. Bang Bang is a single that brings 80s angst to mind immediately. That puts the song into a basket for me. What stands out is, the lead guitar playing strong accents, the deep bass in the chorus and the 80s synths laying down a nice carpet in the background. Together it makes a strong single. Album 'RE: GEN X' will be out on 8 May. 

Sweet Nothing. Jesus The Dinosaur

I almost passed up on Sweet Nothing, until I heard something that triggered my memory towards an album from, I think 1993, and I haven't played for a long time, but loved a lot at the time: 'Whirligig' by The Caulfields. Sweet Nothing has that same unpredictability. The song is able to set me on the wrong foot a few times within a few minutes, almost making me forget that it is a strong song. Jesus The Dinosaur is the band of Tommy Ng from Boston. The band is on route to release an album called 'Nothing To The Branches'. Re-listening, the changes in the song become stronger and better. Sweet Nothing is truly growing on me. Thank you for reminding me of 'Whirligig' for starters and the album is from 1995. And, yes, I want to hear more soon!

Whenever You Want Me Too. The Greenberry Woods

In the above under The Noise Who Runs I wrote about artists returning to music. The Greenberry Woods are a new proof of point. The band released music in the 1990s and then called it quits. In 2026 the band returns with Whenever You Want Me Too, a single on which pop music is celebrated in its purest, albeit U.S. form. Think of bands like The Rembrandts, where golden pop melodies go together with singing in harmony. The intro to Whenever You Want Me Too is a dead give away. Guitar parts weave in and out of each other, with the bass and drums going ahead unperturbed ,laying a sound foundation. The same goes for the harmony vocals in the choruses. Pure pop, as if the past 30 years did not happen. In May there will be an album as well.

Sober. Bluai

Sober is a single with two very distinct faces. Looking down from a helicopter, the Antwerp based band does a Nirvana or The Police. A soft verse versus a chorus that let's it all hang out. Expect no grunge or rock-reggae though. Bluai plays a kind of folk music with an indie foundation. The band consists of singer/guitarist Catherine Smet, drummer Mo Govaerts and bassist Caitlin Talbut and can be found on this blog in June 2024 with a review by Erwin Zijleman, who lauded album 'Save It For Later' no little. Sober is my personal introduction to Bluai and I have to say I like what I'm hearing. That change between the dark and the light is well done. Learning a little more about the background of Sober tells you that the chorus is more about wishful thinking than solving the grave situation addiction is. A serious topic is tackled by Bluai. A new album is under way.

All I Did Was Dream Of You feat. The Marías. Beabadoobee

Every once in a while a song allows you to dream away. And Beabadoobee (Bea Lous) allows you just that with All I Did Was Dream Of You. The single has such a relaxed atmosphere. The music is warm and soothing, in the second verse almost bubbling over. Bea Lous sings over it as if she's half asleep, lulling in a beach chair, half in the shade on a very warm day. On this track she collaborated with María Zardoya, better known as The Marias. I cannot tell you what her role is. What I do know, is that you should not go dreaming for too long, as you will be rudely awakened when All I Did Was Dream Of You explodes into an indie rock track where the lead guitar goes off into its own exploration of the song. It makes for interesting listening this combination does.

How Do You Feel? (Feat. Rosie Flores). Nocona

Some more music like they used to make and still do today. How Do You Feel? rocks out with a strong country feel. That fat twang in the guitars reminds me of The Fabulous Thunderbirds from a long, long time ago. Rosie Flores makes her second appearance on this blog. Two months ago she featured on Ruby James' 'Bumble Bee'. Now she provides a tough edge to How Do You Feel? with her rough voice and like with Ruby James some extra guitar work. Nocona is here for the first time. The veteran alt-country/cowpunk band presents a song with a great boogie feel to it. The kind of song it's impossible to stand still with. An album is underway for this summer, that is all I can share with you at the moment.

Porcelain. Waste A Saint

More music from Norway today. Waste A Saint debuts on this blog with a song somewhere between rock and metal. A song that is as busy as it is present. The band goes at it like your ADHD little brother. Every member seems to go at it in full action mode. That this is not necessarily a bad thing, is proven by Porcelain. In every way this is a strong and powerful song. From the drum intro, already telling you something of what to expect, into the synth led second part of the intro. Bogey Stefansdottir sings in a way that reminds me of the goth metallers that broke big around 2000. She has a great voice barring the opera influences like Floor Jansen has. Alexander Skomakerstuen (guitar), Ole Nogva (bass/synthesizer) and Trym Solan Renolen (drums) all support her vocally, like in the great ending of Porcelain. The music is deep, dark, yet strongly melodic making the single not just a physical experience but also something I want to listen to. Album '...And It's Evergreen' is out already.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

2026, week 15. 10 singles

So, from listening to the single, I changed to the album immediately and I'm being fed endless surges of energy from Amsterdam band Dishes, and this is supposed to be about singles. I can't keep this to myself I'm afraid. More will follow in the coming days (of writing this post). Here are ten recent singles for you to explore and enjoy!  

Unentertained. RubinCarter

Anyone who ever listened to Bob Dylan's 'Hurricane' knows who Ruben Carter is. Chances are alternative rockers RubinCarter took the second part of its name from the U.S. boxer who was or was not guilty of murder. The band formed around Queen's Pleasure drummer Sal Rubinstein. Just like in former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, a songwriter and guitarist was hiding inside of Sal Rubinstein. Judging by single Unentertained, his talent as a songwriter must have been bursting at the seems. Unentertained is a stark rocker with a strong melody, vocally and musically, with a pop element that invites singing along to. RubinCarter makes his debut (on this blog) with a strong musical statement. There's an EP underway, release date 24 April backed by a live presentation in Cinetol on 25 April. 

One Stop. Aldous Harding

With One Stop Aldous Harding returns to this blog with a mysterious new single, that holds a complete change of everything to boot. John Cale has a mention in the lyrics, "eating rice". The music evolves around a few small changes in the chords, played by a piano, acoustic guitar and a sparse bass. It is almost stern the way it is played. Over it Aldous Harding sings with a voice that hovers over the music, at times almost dreamy to change back to being very present, including harmonising with herself. And then it happens, everything changes. The rug is pulled from under the song and its listeners. Rhythm is allowed in, as the guitar gets strummed and a drummer joins. The vocal becomes more improvised it seems and for the final seconds, a second, electric guitar joins, before all is faded out. Album 'Train On The Island' will be out on 8 May. 

Love Tick. The Woggles

The second new name this week is The Woggles. Musically, the band takes yo back a decade or six. Love Tick is a great psychedelic rock song like they used to make them in the 1960s. This song rocks in a great way, with a fiery guitar tandem and a great, to the point solo. The organ that meanders throughout the song continuously gives the song both an authentic and a warm feel. Believe it or not, the music of the Woggles took shape during the pandemic. When will we hear the last song from that short period of time, that we have all but forgotten about or so it seems? As long as a song is as good as Love Tick I can't complain too loudly. This is a really good rock song. There's an album coming up, 'Stop And Take A Minute', also released on 8 May.

Speeding Up Faster. The Mono Kids

The Mono Kids from Eindhoven are moving up in the world, as its latest single Speeding Up Faster is released through the U.K.'s Dammit Records as part of its 'Dam-Nations (mix tape)'. Of course The Mono Kids do what they are good at. The duo plays punk rock and roll and if necessary in overdrive. Speeding Up Faster does the title right. It's over before you know it. Michel is singing as if he had a bad meal earlier that evening. The words spew truly powerfully from his mouth. The drums are whacking like they should: rhythm and major filling up musical space all at once. The distorted guitar does the rest. What the listener is left with, is the sense of an electrical shock to the brain and with the sheer need to play Speeding Up Faster again and again and again.

She Comes Again. Ape Hangers

In the summer of 2025 Ape Hangers returned after a long hiatus with the EP 'This Is It'. Come spring 2026 and  the band is back with a new single called She Comes Again. Once again the band hits the nail on the head. Pete Sjostedt (guitars/vocals), Bob Kiah (bass/vocals) and Dennis McCarthy (drums) present a grunge ballad that both has a touch of tenderness in it and a bite. Comparison wise I would opt for Foo Fighters as Ape Hangers can explode out of nothing as well. She Comes Again is a song that is instantly recognisable and in all universes except this one dominated by the like Taylor Swift, etc., this would be a huge hit. This is one hell of a grunge ballad.

Mystic Chords Of Memory. Upupayãma

Some fuzz toned music from the Fuzz Club label. Upupayãma's latest single is a mix of dreamy psychedelia and an exploding nightmare in one. The Italian project of Alessio Ferarri, live a six piece band, called Upupayãma is on route to deliver a new album, 'Honesty Flowers' (29 May) and delivers quite the statement. The song goes off in many directions. With just a little imagination it is possible to hear a Santana like groove from 1969, at the beginning and end of the song. There is some singing with a dreamy voice as well, supported by a wah wah guitar making it all just a little more psychedelic, not unlike The Stone Roses were capable of. However, it seems more like an excuse to be able to go into the stratosphere with that fuzz solo. Ferarri does not hold back here. Mystic Chords Of Memory is quite the statement.

So Long. The Spongetones

The song title 'So Long' will always bring me to the Fischer Z single from the very early 80s. Nothing is going to change that. Not even the nice pop single of The Spongetones, a band that started not that much after Fischer Z did. Pop I wrote, as this So Long comes close to a Paul McCartney song from once upon a long time ago. Slightly melancholy but with a touch of lightness in the music that will make the average popmusic lover prick up his or her ears. From the soft beginning, the band turns into a rock song anyway. From the voices it is obvious that this is not a band with young musicians. They do manage to attain that pop feel in the harmonies, that makes a song special. The song tinkles in all the right places, even after it is toned down again, mimicking its start.

I Ate A Sandwich. The Eradicats

This might just be the first song about eating disorder that I'm reviewing. Bass player Kristi Who shares that she ate a sandwich without fear for the first time in a long time. I sincerely hope that it was her first of many. As this is a blog focusing on music, let's put our attention on the song. In my ears it sounds inspired by 1980s indie pop bands, that had a revival in later decades. That gives the song a punky underside while delivering a pop feel in the lightness with which I Ate A Sandwich is presented. The guitar sound is light but has definitely heard the guitarists of The Velvet Underground, to give an example. The tempo is what gives the song a punky feel. I Ate A Sandwich is my introduction to The Eradicats from Kansas City, Missouri. Send me more when the time is there, please.

O’ Evangeline featuring Sade Sanchez. The Underground Youth

You have to go back close to three years to find Berlin's The Underground Youth on this blog, with the single I Thought I Understood. The post tells you about 80s doom and gloom. O' Evangeline is far less easy to capture. The song has the same kind of mix as 'I Ate A Sandwich' by The Eradicates has (see above here). The guitars sound light despite the melancholy vibe the whole song holds. Craig Dyer sings with L.A. Witch's Sade Sanchez who lends her voice to this duet, determining a large part of the mood of O' Evangeline. Both singers are able to sing in the same kind of tone. This fact sets the way the song sounds. The The Cure style guitar playing brings the song to the 1980s, but without the doom and gloom of the years. Making the song very attractive to listen to. Don't forget to notice the dreamy interlude!

Requiem. Dishes

We close this week's singles post with a punk song from The Netherlands. Dishes has recently released its debut album, 'Drama'. I have not gotten around listening to it yet, but Requiem is telling me that it might be a smart thing to do and soon. Dishes is a band from Amsterdam and Leiden and started in 2021. The result of its years of working towards the release of Requiem has given the band the ability to play fast without losing the quality of melody and variety. The two guitars play off of each other in a great way. Interchanging rhythm and melody, while the drummer just keeps pounding away in the best Mo Tucker tradition. Again, I notice the way Dishes is also able to have the light and the shade in its single. Both sides are divided equal. I had not heard of the band before today but it is certainly worthwhile checking out.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

Drifter (/ Moon Dogs). Dreamwave

Bristol's Dreamwave has not released a regular album but two EPs in one, one called Drifter and one called Moon Dogs, and released them as one LP. As I've already reviewed Moon Dogs on 25 May 2025, I'm going to focus on Drifter here.

The EP just shoots out of its starting block like 100 meter sprinters do. Holding breath and just sprint to the finish line without thinking. Single 'Moon Buggy' is a party of a psychedelic song that slowly comes together turning into this tight rocker. The drums focus on the floor tom and hi-hat making the rhythm something that just goes on and on forever. (Don't worry, Dreamwave is not only aware of dynamics but knows how to use them successfully as well.). It turns 'Moon Buggy' into a huge musical party. If they are able to play this live successfully, there will not be a lot of people able to resist this invitation to dance and jump around.

'Web Weaver' is just as energetic. At the same time Dreamwave manages to weave a web filled with a dreamy atmosphere into its psychrock. The listener has to pay attention, as the band is going for it, but it is there for certain. The little psych stuff and the sound of the organ take care of it. Don't forget to listen to the bass part played by Grant Organ in the intro, as it really stands out.

'Space Debris' starts as a ballad. Psychedelia is let in a little more obviously, because the driving force of the rhythm is noticeable behind the balladry. American band The Black Angels come to mind, in a lighter version of e.g. its 'Death Song'. But also Small Faces and other 60s psych-pop-rockers. Dreamwave takes us on a trip around the sun at "the speed of light". 'Space Debris' shows another face of the band successfully. We may think we are float ingthrough space, drummer Alex Andrews keeps us on course. He is a strong force for Dreamwave.

When keyboard player Hester Batting starts supporting singer/guitarist Ben Symons on vocals, that is the moment when heaven must be missing an angel. Her voice adds this extra layer of psych to the band, but only because of the way her voice is mixed into this whole. It lends an otherworldly quality to Dreamwave's music. In 2025 I wrote "when I'm hearing Hester Battin sing again, I'm remembered of the only time I fell in love with a girl because of her voice coming though speakers far away at the Parkpop festival in The Hague in 1985 of 86 festival, Lorraine McIntosh of Deacon Blue." Once again, Hester Battin has this effect on me.

Single 'Over You' is another huge psych rock song that ought to attract all lovers of psych rock in spades. Great riffing, great solo, great pulse. You get the picture, right?

The EP ends with a ballad and a rather weird one. Almost jazzy, bare with only an electric guitar and Symons and Battin singing. For the whole time I'm waiting for the band to come in. Does it? You will have to find out for yourself.

With Drifter Dreamwave again put itself on my radar. The band is touring this fall. Let's hope they play not too far from here.  

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Drifter / Moon Buggy here:

https://dreamwaveoffical.bandcamp.com/album/drifter 

The Gaya II Space Corps. Motorpsycho

It becomes ever harder to write anything inventive on a new Motorpsycho album. Almost like clockwork a new album is unleashed into the world. At the same time there is no reason to doubt that the album will at least be as good as the previous one. The opening sequence of The Gaya II Space Corps album is so strong and overwhelming that my brain tells me the following within a few seconds: Yes, Motorpsycho!, it's good!, it's invigorating!, you want to listen to this!!! The rest of the album delivers, in spades.

But where is my unique angle? Even after several listening sessions I simply do not know. Yes, I could start comparing to previous albums or repeat how I have encountered the band circa 2001 and mention the great live shows I've seen over the years. Should I go into the influences I hear here and there in the new songs, as the band obviously is good at taking a certain sound or artist and write a new song around this vantage point? I could do it all, but it would not add to all I've written before in the past 25 years.

Is it enough to just say that The Gaya II Space Corps rocks my world every time I listen to it? That it is a rich album, filled with great songs, fiery guitar solo's and stark rhythms and even a sort of folk ballad? I think it suffices, as that is exactly what this album is and Motorpsycho presents. The Gaya II Space Corps album is a great addition to the Motorpsycho catalogue, that will please all fans. For those who are not yet but love alternative rock with some loud rocking prog and 60s influences, can better start checking the band out now. You have tons to catch up on.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght 

You can listen to and order The Gaya II Space Corps here:

https://motorpsycho.bandcamp.com/album/the-gaia-ii-space-corps 

2025, week 13. 10 singles

After a week that contained more sadness than I'd ever wish upon anyone, here is some new music for you to enjoy, like I have to set my mind to encounter more positive things. Spring and summertime are upon us once again and I look forward to the lengthening days and long evenings. Like I'm looking forward to all that great music to be released in the coming weeks and months, with some live shows as well.

Brand New Me. Robert Ellis Orrall

Sometimes a song is released that while hearing them for the first time it seems that they have been around like forever. Brand New Me, a recent single by Robert Ellis Orrall is one of them. You could have fooled me into believing the song was released in the 1970s, 80s or 90s, but just never heard me by me at the time. In 2026 the song sounds just as fresh, as this artist pretends he is Heart, Gin Blossoms and Dan Baird in one. From the modest intro riff it's clear Robert Ellis Orrall brings us back to the time where folk, rock, indie and countryrock went into a blender and produced songs like 'Magic Man' and 'I Love You, Period'. Brand New Me can be added to these two examples and all others you can think of yourself while listening to this track. Brand New Me is a delightful song, Album 'Wonderland' is out since 27 February.

Mary Anne. Magic Castles

With second single Mary Anne of the upcoming album 'Realized' (24 April) Magic Castles makes to WoNoBlog for the first time. Mary Anne is a song that mixes pop, rock and a light touch of psychedelia with faint traces of the 1960s psych and pop era. The guitar solo presented here was totally unthinkable back in those days. The Minneapolis based band, that is around since the early 2000s, is not attracting your attention in a very obvious way. Mary Anne is the kind of song that comes to you slowly, like in waves, through all the well-thought out additions in the arrangement, while singer (and guitarist) Jason Edmonds sings with his soft voice lauding the woman 'whose mind he's trying to read'. In one of the waves this subtle yet very nice guitar solo sprouts forwards, topping the song off. Mary Anne is a song very much worth while getting to know.

Rewrite History EP. Fit

One of Rotterdam's Mattan Records' latest signings is the band Fit. Today the band releases its first EP on Mattan, second in total, which does make it to this blog. Fit hooks up to that very long train called postpunk. In 2026 that means that it becomes important to be distinctive. So many Dutch bands have come and also gone in the past circa eight, nine years that I've started to develop an interest in the genre again, after the wave with Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys fizzled out. Fit consist of Ide Ploeg (voice, synths), Oscar van Cruchten and Maas van Rijsbergen (guitars), Roman van Rookhuizen (bass) and Mink Huurmans (drums). With that distinction you'll find the band is more than on the right side. From postpunk in general and more specifically 'Little Something', a track Maxïmo Park would be proud of, to more danceable tracks where a hint is given to Chefs' Special, you can find it all on Rewrite History. Fit is able to add more than enough energy and youthful exuberance to its mix, making the songs fully their own. Rewrite History is not an earth shattering experience. What it is, is a very good EP that I will want to play more often for certain, to get to know the five songs better. There is no reason to doubt why Fit should not be able to follow the route ex-labelmates The Vices have taken.

Dreams I've Had. tofusmell

O.k., I'm convinced. Reincarnation exists. Elliot Smith has returned to earth and sort of starts again where he left off when his life tragically ended. No, just kidding. tofusmell is singer-songwriter Ray Chen from Winnipeg by way of Orlando, Florida. Anyone listening to Dreams I've Had will agree with me that, at least on his single, as I have not anything else by tofusmell yet, Elliot Smith's ghost is prominently present. The soft whispering, modest voice is there. The way the song transforms from an indiefolk/singer-songwriter song into an alternative folkrock song, including the addition of a dirty lead guitar. Ray Chen does it all in a very good way and in good taste. Nobody will ever write a better song in this genre than Elliot Smith's 'Pretty (Ugly Before)', but besides this point Dreams I've Had convinces me totally. Debut album 'All My Time' releases on 24 April.

Place Memory. Cape Crush

The title song of Cape Crush's upcoming album (1 May) finds its way to this blog, making it the band's second entry. And again, The Beths entered my mind instantly. Despite that the differences between the two bands are obvious, it's there any way. It is in the way singer Ali Lipman frases here words, turns her vocal's chord changes and in the background vocals. The Beths is one of my absolute favourite bands of this decade, so being compared to them is not a bad thing in my book. Place Memory rocks in the way alternative bands do. Cape Crush adds a golden melody to its rock and combines it with endless vocal lines that are all over Place Memory. Layers of them, making the song stand out totally. Bring me more, Cape Crush!

Anyone. Joan as Policewoman

Twenty years ago, I wrote about Joan Wasser's solo project Joan as Policewoman in the old magazine predating the blog by eleven years. 'Real Life' made Joan as Policewoman one of my favourite new artists at the time, just like she became for my then girlfriend, now wife. We saw her several times life in concert in Amsterdam and The Hague. And then, somehow, she slipped from my attention and her she is back announcing the 20 year anniversary version of 'Real Life' with the release of Anyone as a single and once again I'm immediately drawn into the jazzy tune. Anyone is the musical equivalent of a day where you do not have to do anything else but relax. Just lying around or reading a book. Anyone is the kind of song that I just want to listen to and not have to do anything else. It is beautiful and then some. 

Nobody's Heroes. The Menzingers

You will have to go back to the very first months of this blog to encounter The Menzingers. In April 2012 'On The Impossible Past' featured on the blog. I wrote about punk pop and a likeness to The Hold Steady. What the band produced in the past fourteen years, I don't know. Today I've encountered Nobody's Heroes and decided to write about it. The band, no longer young men, kicks the song off with an acoustic guitar and an organ, before the band kicks in. There's not much of punk to be found. There's certainly a hint of emo in the vocal delivery. The music is more alternative rock like they used to make around 2000 in the U.S. with just a lighter touch to the sound bringing the band closer to e.g. Gin Blossoms. The combination works well, because it makes singer (and guitarist) Greg Barnett's voice and vocal delivery stand out more. The music is serving, adequate and simply nice.

Cool Job. Telehealth

One more time machine on the blog. Seattle band Telehealth debuts on this blog with a song that is as odd as it is danceable and slightly infectious. A song like Talking Heads and many bands following it, like in the 00s Franz Ferdinand could have made. I'm not even going to mention the bands that sprouted this decade. For me the source is Talking Heads and let's stick there. Telehealth has all the things in place that allows for comparisons. The odd sounding rhythm, the guitar lines that are as weird as they are full of rhythm. The lyrics that seemingly are randomly generated and sang in a way that is somewhere between declaration and song. Did I mention that it works? It does and there is an album coming up. 'Green World Image' releases on 15 May. I've heard enough to want to hear more.

Over You. Dreamwave

Dreamwave returns to the blog with a song that lands somewhere in the middle of alternative rock, alternative pop and psychedelic rock. Over You manages to hold a 1960s psych and garage rock vibe and mixes it with The Black Angels on a good day, something the Austin band seldom to never has and Green Day exuberance. The result is a tremendously upbeat song that invites to dance to and sing-along with. The guitar riff may be standard for the genre, it makes Over You come totally alive. The female voice supporting the singer, gives Over You a party feeling as well. The Bristol based band has released two EPs at once, 'Moon Dogs' and 'Drifter' on 20 March. 

Born To Kill. Social Distortion

In 2004 I bought my first Social Distortion cd, 'Sex, Love And Rock & Roll'. The first four songs on that album are so fantastic. Then I found out that the band was around already for over 20 years. That makes over 40 today. And yes, Mike Ness' voice is definitely not one of a young man. The energy put into Born To Kill is phenomenal though and brings me in a good mood immediately. This song is one of a band on a mission but has nothing left to prove. Born To Kill is like a shot of adrenalin, immediately energising the senses and body into action. I would not recommend moshpits for the fans of the first hour but with a song like this the band ought pick up punk lovers of all ages. The song goes out with a banger of a guitar solo as well. Album 'Born To Kill' will be released on 8 May.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght