The bright side. Meiko

Je kunt hier naar 'Stuck on you' luisteren.

Ik was een paar jaar geleden behoorlijk onder de indruk van het debuut van de Amerikaanse singer-songwriter Meiko. De uit Georgia afkomstige singer-songwriter verraste op haar debuut met heerlijk zwoele folkpop, die misschien nog het best was te omschrijven als Suzanne Vega in een zwoel en zomers jasje. Omdat de lichtvoetige muziek van Meiko ook nog eens vol subtiele verrassingen zat, heb ik de plaat heel vaak gedraaid en ondertussen vol smart gewacht op de Nederlandse release die uiteindelijk nooit gekomen is. In de Verenigde Staten is vorige week de tweede cd van Meiko verschenen. The Bright Side moet als het goed is midden in de zomer in Nederland verschijnen, maar ik zou daar niet op wachten. De kans dat de plaat hier daadwerkelijk in de winkel komt te liggen lijkt me niet zo groot en waarom zou je nog twee maanden op de zomer wachten als je die nu ook al in huis kan halen? Op The Bright Side gaat Meiko verder waar ze een jaar of vier geleden ophield, maar The Bright Side is nog een stuk beter dan het helaas zwaar ondergewaardeerde debuut. Ook op haar nieuwe plaat maakt Meiko weer heerlijk zwoele en zonnige folkpop die in de verte wat doet denken aan Suzanne Vega, maar door de verleidelijke zang en het heerlijke zuidelijke accent een stuk warmbloediger klinkt. Op The Bright Side passeren 11 perfecte popsongs de revue. Het zijn popsongs met hier en daar wat invloeden uit de jaren 50 en 60, die je na één keer horen in je hart sluit, maar pas veel later hun ware gezicht laten zien. Ook The Bright Side verleidt weer makkelijk door de heerlijke warme stem van Meiko en de aanstekelijke melodieën en refreinen in haar songs. Het is deze makkelijke verleiding die bij de eerste luisterbeurten domineert, maar ook dit keer blijken de songs van Meiko buitengewoon knap in elkaar te steken en voorzien van vele verrassende wendingen. De op het eerste gehoor bijzonder aangename instrumentatie zit boordevol invloeden en gaat net zo makkelijk aan de haal met psychedelische pop uit een heel ver verleden als met eigentijdse beats. The Bright Side klink vanaf de eerste tot de laatste noot bekend en vanzelfsprekend, maar zo vanzelfsprekend is de muziek van Meiko niet. Meiko is zeker niet de zoveelste 13 in een dozijn popprinses, maar een eigenzinnige singer-songwriter die haar knappe songs heeft voorzien van een onweerstaanbaar suiker- en glinsterlaagje.  Ik was na één keer horen weer verliefd op de zwoele klanken van Meiko, maar The Bright Side is sindsdien alleen maar beter geworden. Met The Bright Side haal je onmiddellijk de zomer in huis, maar deze plaat blijft interessant wanneer de herfst zijn intrede doet en staat wat mij betreft nog net zo prominent op de agenda wanneer de jaarlijstjes moeten worden opgemaakt. Laat je niet voor de gek houden door de buitengewoon zwoele en bijna onweerstaanbare popliedjes op The Bright Side. Meiko is echt een hele grote.

Erwin Zijleman 

Je kunt The bright side hier bestellen


of hier

See you in hell. The Resignators

You can listen to See you in hell here.

From the very first a-capella sung notes on See you in hell, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia band The Resignators makes it clear without a single doubt where this album is going to go: major party time! The well-sung intro is the start of an album that never wavers for a minute from a punky ska kind of music that is made to make someone move. When younger in the moshpit, when older just a little more in the back. The Resignators are at the top of their game on See you in hell. Songs are simply spat out at tremendous pace. Within 30 minutes the fun is all over, leaving the listener breathless, but all wound-up to start the album all over again and again. See you in hell has a strong, addictive quality to it.

The comic book like zombie album cover doesn't do the band right, as the quality of the songs on offer go way beyond the comic. Unless it's meant to show that no person can remain still, whether, standing, sitting or lying down (six feet under the daisies) of course. In that case ....

See you in hell is great fun to listen to. It charges the listener with energy and a good feeling all over. All songs have a great rhythmic bed in which the rest of the band can do its thing and excel as they have nothing to worry about or look back at what's happening. No matter that drummer Ben Sharp may barely reach over his drumkit, he's a phenomenal drummer who keeps a tight rhythm despite all other things that he puts into his drumming. He's all over the place. Together with bass player Naf he's the foundation of The Resignators.

Whether the guitar or keyboard fatten the upbeat or weave out into a solo outing, the songs pump on, are propelled forward. Over all this comes the brass section which add greatly to the fun. Unlike Larry and his Flask, who use copper sporadically, The Resignators have made it a staple of their sound, not unlike the 1980 UK ska bands. As a capstone there are great melodies sang on See you in hell as well. Perfect to sing along to. 'Shape I'm in' is the best of all worlds. The song breaths, rocks hard, fantastic lead lines by the brass section, a hard-rockin' guitar solo and a refrain that can only be shouted along to. All comes together in this song. Like Dropkick Murphies at their best.

The fun ends with 'I farking love you (A Frankston love song)', another farking great song. There's just one thing to do while listen to it: move around in a dancing like way and there's a second thing too: you may find you have an urge to sing along. See you in hell is a dangerous album for those that do not like to move nor sing. And an album to travel to hell and back for. No need to stay there, it's enjoyable under all circumstances and in all resorts. "I farking like it (An original Wo. statement".)

Wo.

You can order See you in hell here


or on their own bandcamp site

Searching for the young soul rebels. Dexys Midnight Runners

You can listen to 'Geno' here

or 'There there my dear here.

For years this album was my favourite of all time, till I stopped caring about ranking and just enjoyed music. At present it is 32 years old and was like a sort of religion to me for years. I decided to write about this album now that Kevin Rowland has released an album under the name Dexys that is so hard to listen to, that I can't get myself to write a letter about at this stage in time. How much does a person have to hurt himself on a record?

When legendary Hilversum 3 dj Frits Spits made 'Geno' his personal tip of the week somewhere in 1980 in his daily program from 18 - 19.00 hours called 'Avondspits' (evening rush hour) my interest was there straight away. I just had to know more. This was at a time that soul music was something that wasn't played any more. Aretha Franklin's comeback was through the Nutricia add on chocolate milk with 'Think' somewhere in the 80ties. (And the Blues Brothers who should've been called "Soul Brothers".) Soul was something of a distant past in 1980 and here were these English snotty guys wanting to teach the world a lesson on music. I just had to know more. When Searching for the young soul rebels was released I took the LP home and played it until the vinyl was grey and worn out.

Looking back on the album, now of course on CD and MP3, I'll admit that it is full of pretence and an over-estimation of proficiency, but what I still hear is deeply felt emotion. My ex-colleague Lourens, a classically trained trombonist, reviewed the album for WoNo Magazine some years back and simply said: "These guys can't play". Perhaps not, but does it matter if what they offer most likely is their soul. From the slurring voice of Kevin Rowland, to the all vibrant horn section, Searching for the young soul rebels is alive and kicking.

The album kicks off with an old-fashioned turning of a radio dial, static and flashes of music on radio stations and the message to burn the thing down. There's nothing worth while hearing on it. (Deep Purple, The Sexpistols, The Specials.) A clear message, not unlike in 'The Commitments' movie. And then the horns kick in. 'Burn it down' went straight into my heart. I even started reading some of the authors mentioned in the song, that Rowland accuses those sang to, not to have heard of. The horns even get better in 'Tell me when my light turns green'. There wasn't anything I'd heard like it and it went straight to my heart and soul. The intro to 'Couldn't help it if I tried' can still bring tears to my eyes as it is beyond the most desolate form of intensely lonely beauty.

Searching for the young soul rebels is all about a longing for what was and what is to come. Even the instrumental 'The teams that meet in Caffs' is full of it. It captures two moods: sad as well as hopeful and forward searching. Just like the hitsingle 'Geno' is about recapturing the past (of Geno Washington's Ram Jam Band) in Dexys Midnight Runners. The single of old is still so very alive. It's rhythm. it's posture and sense of urgency. More a statement than a song and because of that a great song.

'Seven days too long' was always the song I liked less and that has changed over the years. The optimistically fast paced song with the longing for the return of a seven days absent loved one is just a very fun song. And then the first notes of the already mentioned song kicks in, with the same effect as ever. It just hits me and makes me feel intensely sad. It plays a chord in my soul where everyone I've lost over the years seems to have gathered. Luckily the up-tempo 'Thankfully not living in Yorkshire it doesn't apply' takes me out of this mood and prepares me for the grand finale of 'Keep it', the poem 'Love part one' and the second single 'There there my dear'. Two great songs and a poem, yes on a record.

What I love about Searching for the young soul rebels (still) is the way that the horns play together in the melody and harmonics. The way the notes weave in and out of each other. The way they sparkle and make the songs stand out and shine. The Hammond organ that fills gaps so beautifully. The touch of rudimentary brilliance in harmonies sung by the band.

This version of Dexys Midnight Runners wasn't to have a long life. Two more singles, 'Keep it part 2' and the brilliant 'Soon', that I had to wait months for after ordering it. A change of record label. I saw them in the late spring in Brouwershaven in 1981. Then the band split up. Most went on to form the never to be heard from again The Bureau. The minority including Rowland and trombonist Jim Patterson went on in a new line up with violins on 'Liars A & E', breaking the way for the country alternative image on 'Too-rye-ay'. Which was to prove their commercial peak. Not their artistic peak though.

For Kevin Rowland his "winning days were thirty years ago" and he does show it on 'One day I'm going to sore', the new Dexys album. For the fans there is always Searching for the young soul rebels and 'Too-rye-ay', with 'Come on Eileen'. For those of you who have never heard Searching ...., you better check it out. It is one of the pearls of pop music. There's no other term that does right to this modern classic.

Wo.


You can order Searching for the young soul rebels here


or here

The Shakedown 8 (EP)

You can listen to the EP here.

The début EP of The Shakedown 8 shows a couple of things to the world. Let's go over them one by one, but not before I remember you of the gig I was at a few weeks back where I saw them do what they are very well at: Building a tremendous party on stage with an incredibly well structured set that with each new song takes the party one notch higher. Read more here.

Off course people, let's not kid ourselves, the ska-infused music The Shakedown 8 excels in stems from a long time ago. It's hey-day was even before the Doe Maar craze broke out in 1982. For just two years Madness, The Specials, The Selector, The Beat, Bad Manners were all over the charts, to disappear again. Is it a coincidence that this EP was made in the time that Madness and The Specials are playing for big crowds again, with Madness even having a great album under its belt? Probably not.

What I like about The Shakedown 8 is that the band obviously knows more than one trick. Although that all songs lean on the back beat, the listener is treated to a great rock guitar solo, a rock and roll style piano solo. Or an intro that also could take off into the soundtrack for MASH 2, before the guitar sets in that is. Some Zydeco? The band takes care of that as well.

The EP is special because of the different sounds that are allowed into the picture. An accordion can feature as a lead instrument as well as a guitar or organ. The piano does wonders to the sound. The singing may not be the strongest point of the band, but the raspy voice of Tak suits this music and when 'Big words' is sang home to great effect, there's nothing left to complain.

There are a few songs that stick out immediately on the five song EP. 'Let me in' is a great hit that a band like Rancid or, off course, The Clash, would not have minded to come up with. The already mentioned 'Big words' is a great song by any standard and 'No responsibility' is a great party song that gives everyone a hard time to stand still listening to it. 'Easily' has the exact same quality with the difference that the organ is even more prominent. That's four out of five!

What a joy at playing is portrayed by the band! That's another feature that shows through every pore of this EP. The Shakedown 8 truly like what it's doing. The band is proud of winning a The Specials contest in June. It can also be very proud of being The Shakedown 8. They have the best of several worlds within it. The way The Shakedown 8 is able to give a twist to its songs that make them stand out being its strongest feature.

Do I need to say more. I don't think so. If a band like Rilan & The Bombardiers can get airplay in 2012, then so should The Shakedown 8. Maybe it takes two good looking girls? Who knows. All kidding aside, this band deserves some support. These guys are talented at what they do, inventive and may be able to come up with a load of surprises in the future, given the chance.

Wo.

You can order The Shakedown 8 EP and other goodies here

We're almost back .....

... nature,

 ... and writing to start publishing again on Friday coming. After days off sunshine, an odd thunderstorm, with loads of ...

castles,

culture in churches,

on the Moselle.

Not to mention the great Mozel wines, see the Pünderich-Marienburg wines of 2012 in the picture on the right side, German beer and the local döner 'Zum Dorfsbrunnen' in Bullay. A great area to hike, bike and relax.

A holiday without one single musical event to report on, so let's start with ........ on Friday coming.

Wo.