Seasons of your day. Mazzy Star

For several days we are looking back at bands from long ago. This time we turn our gaze to Mazzy Star that released a new album after seventeen years.

Music never is without surprises. That is one of the great joys of music and listening to something that I’ve never heard before. Somewhere in the 90s I heard an album by Mazzy Star, most likely 'Among my swan'. It was doom and gloom all around and, to my ears, just not much good. If I remember correctly it was also the last album of Mazzy Star, the last until quite recently that is. Why listen to it in the first place?, you might ask, having just read my first and last experience with the band. Well, that is because of that strange knack I have. Even if I did not like an album of a band I got into contact with, I will check out a next record any way. You never know. E.g. I’m glad I did with the latest Smith Westerns. It is even competing for my end of 2013 list, which I have to start making quite soon. And I’m glad I started listening, after quite some hesitation, to Seasons of your day.

Mazzy Star is the band around singer Hope Sandival and David Roback. It is around since 1989 and has made three records since then. Seasons of your day is number four. If anything this is a melancholy album. The mood is not cheery, but introspective and reflective. The acoustic guitar is the main stay of the sound, but there is a lot of blues in there too. And Drugstore. At first I thought the mid-90s band around Isabel Montero was resurrected as well. The emptiness of the sound, the spaciousness around Hope Sandival’s voice, everything spelled Drugstore. And I don’t care. (I may have been the only one in Nighttown that liked Drugstore, before the band’s memory was blasted away by one of the biggest talents in rock ever, Saint Jeff.) Season of your day is the more intriguing for it.

The slow, drawn out singing of Hope Sandival is just the right voice for this music. Listening to her on the headphone, she wraps herself around me, envelopes me with her seductive voice and draws me into the song, that slowly plays itself out. Clear sounding, up front, leading Mazzy Star, no matter what happens around her. Just an acoustic slide guitar (‘Does someone have your baby now’) of with a full band (‘I’ve gotta stop’), it is the voice that is leading and in control. It is not a sexy voice, far from. The seduction is in the slow, sensuous way of singing. That forces me to pay attention. It is at the same time a thin line. There are a few passages in ‘Common burn’ in which Sandival seems to lose control of her voice and at those, albeit sparing, moments, it is not a nice sound, moving towards a whine.

With ‘Common burn’ one of the most moody tracks of Seasons of your day is mentioned. The harmonica calling out like a ship lost out in the mist at sea. It as moments like this that Mazzy Star reminds of the acoustic side of the early 70s The Rolling Stones and a quieter Led Zeppelin. The rock side is totally missing here, which the two former certainly have. There is also a link to ‘Surrealistic pillow’ balladry. Title song ‘Seasons of your day’ certainly owns something to ‘Coming back to me’ or ‘Today’, Marty Balin’s great ballads from 1967. Mazzy Star also manages to give this song something extra, little bells, some strings.

With the smallest of effects one song is distinguished from another. ‘Lay myself down’ has this central tambourine mixed straight in the middle and a country flavor thanks to the pedal steel guitar in the background. Mazzy Star manages to define songs this way. Songs that are at best mid-tempo, uniform in style at their heart, but not in execution. It is this aspect, that I like best about ‘Season of your day’, together with Hope Sandival’s voice of course.

Another surprise as I already wrote. One that I’m very glad not to have missed.

Wo.

You can listen to ‘California’ here.

Stage whisper. Charlotte Gainsbourg

For a few days in a row we are going to look at recent releases from the great of past years. Stage whisper, although only about two year old is another, because of that fact.

Another sibling of Jane Birkin makes it to this blog this year. After Lou Doillon, Charlotte's stepsister, (click here), Stage whisper deserves attention. Although the album was released in December 2011, I opt to write about it, as I only got to know the album recently and really, really like. My introduction to Charlotte Gainsbourg was with the album 5:55, she made in 2006 with Air. The album that evoked the mood and sound of 'Moon safari' so brilliantly and to my mind surpassed it easily. After the album 'IRM' (2009), her collaboration with Beck, Gainsbourg released Stage whisper, a double album with a studio and a live side, again in collaboration with Beck.

Side A is the studio album. The album kicks of with a harsh dance beat where Gainsbourg's thin voice literally battles it out with the background. She comes out winning, of course. This is her album after all. It is a battle none the same. Voice and "band" could be seen as two loose entities. The same goes for 'Paradisco', one of the singles taken from Stage whisper. The singing might well belong to another song, a chanson of a sweet sounding French singer. At the same time the combination works. Guitars give the songs an edge of indie rock, making the combination even more intriguing.

The combination of traditional melody and experimental accompaniment is another aspect that I truly like about Stage whisper. Listening to 'All the rain' one hears a seemingly simple melody, behind which a lot is going on. Sounds, snippets of playing, instruments fading in and out, together making up a song that is a pleasure to listen to. 'White telephone' has a baroque sound, violins or horns popping up, giving the song a very stately appearance.

The music of Charlotte Gainsbourg is not warm. It remains cool, somewhat aloof, but at the same time intriguing and interesting. There's a mix, that makes her stand out among the competition. From 5:55, the clean pop dance influenced album with Air, she has made a step forward since into more experimental music, without losing herself in the process.

Disc 2 is a live album. What I was interested in most, was to find out whether Gainsbourg would stand up to everything happening around her. In 'IRM' I very much doubted whether that would happen. On 'Set myself on fire' she sounds strained, but also a rock star. Charlotte Gainsburg is in control of the song and starring the show. Her songs come alive on stage. A firm drummer, different keyboard sounds and a live guitarist, who helps making the songs stand out in all the right places. The mechanical sound of the records makes room for live music. The natural way in which the busy 'Set myself on fire' blends into the slow and moody 'Jamais' is impressive. The tempo changes, the sound unwinds and 'Jamais'' main melody appears from the "noise". At the same time Gainsbourg finds her live voice and doesn't look back in the rest of the set.

Both sides of Stage whisper together make for an excellent album. Everyone who likes to explore just a little behind the regular pop song, but still likes to find something of it in more experimental music, may completely find things to his or her liking on Stage whisper. In the studio and live.

Wo.

You can listen to 'Paradisco' here.

In utero - 20th anniversary super deluxe. Nirvana

After a break e continue our short series. For a few we are going to look at recent releases from the great of past years. Let's take a look at In utero's re-release. 

In utero, Nirvana’s third and last studio album, was released around the date my son was born. I got the album soon afterwards and set the sound system like I was used to set it, with the little fellow sleeping in his Maxicosy. Within a few days after his birth I knew for certain that there was nothing wrong with his ears, as after the first three ticks of Dave Grohl’s sticks the dissonant and loud guitar kicked in the little fellow had his arms and legs stretched out in four directions and let out an even louder yell. Welcome to the world of Nirvana. It worked as years later he was walking around with a Kurt Cobain t-shirt I bought for him during a holiday. I had learned a valuable lesson.

This year we celebrate the 20 years celebration of In utero’s release with a special luxury edition, with all the sort of extras that such albums bring. I’m not going into them, except note that the live album attached to it, shows how a dynamic and exiting band Nirvana was. What a loss it was that Kurt decided to join that infamous group, one that I feel more sorry for each year I grow older. Guys (and girls), you’re missing out on so much fun and growth! No, I want to go into In utero itself. How good is it 20 years down the line?

To set the stage. Yes, like almost everyone else I got on board of Nirvana with ‘Smells like teen spirit’. Like a lot of ‘Nevermind’ as well. Some I deemed too loud, but heard the quality of most songs, including the rage called ‘Territorial pissings’. Kurt Cobain thought ‘Nevermind’ too commercial, I think it probably scared the hell out of him. The insecure and angry kid from Aberdeen was still inside the worldwide pop idol and not bound to go away because of some success. Probably the opposite. Cobain decided to come up with a harder, rougher and less commercial album. He succeeded, as I did not really appreciate the album in 1993. I just did not think the songs as good as ‘Nevermind’s. Too loud, too edgy to listen to in a comfortable way. And then he came up with the MTV show, which was brilliant and then just shot himself.

Now it is 2013. I have played In utero through the years to remember all the songs, but the 20 year celebration is a reintroduction of sorts. And one of the pleasant kind. Twenty years down the line I can only say “wow”, what an album. In utero is a near perfect album. Holding several perfect popsongs, some under an ugly, nasty even, veneer, but brilliant popsongs non the same. Take ‘Frances Farmer will have her revenge on Seattle’ e.g. This song has the Nirvana/The Police dynamics, but has a brilliant chorus. Kurt singing, shouting, crying, reaching out in a desperate way with the last threads of his vocal chords hanging in shards at the back of his throat. The contrast with the subdued ‘Dumb’, cello and all, can not possibly be bigger. But also ‘Dumb’ is a beautiful song. Unfortunately the main message “just happy” did not apply to Kurt Cobain. These are just two examples of a set of songs that is close to too fantastic to be true.

What was the role of the two other members? They catered their front man mostly, I suppose. In Dave Grohl, Kurt Cobain had a young, great power drummer, that at the same time could totally hold back. And someone who could sing. (As well as write songs, which the world found out on the b-side of ‘Heart-shaped box’.) Krist Novoselic was his big bass player that played all the notes in between. Not very much getting attention nor asking for it, like most bass players. Still, together they made Nirvana what it was, were part of the sound that the world fell for. They were Nirvana together.

In 2013 Kurt Cobain would have been 46 years old. Unimaginable, as his young face is still looking at us from t-shirts and sweaters worn by youngsters that weren’t around when he was alive. An icon like Jim Morrison was for my generation in the 80s and early 90s. There is no telling where Nirvana or Cobain solo would be at now. I’m very sure that it would not be as big as ‘Nevermind’ made them. In utero saleswise already proved that. Like Pearl Jam never got over ‘10’. Nirvana could have had a career like Pearl Jam though, as a revered relic from the grunge days that still sells records and can play bigger shows and head line a festival every few years. We’ll never know, what I can say, is that with the demise of Kurt Cobain a more than averagely talent left us, who had more up his sleeve than we had the chance to find out. A waste of talent his suicide was, but an act of desperation we have to respect. Sad but true.

In utero remains a relic from a gone age. Next year we’ll be celebrating the 20^th year release of the only album of that other lost icon of the 90, the one that drowned in a freak swimming incident. Two huge losses. So sad. The one question that will never be answered remaining is, what would Dave Grohl have done had Kurt lived? Foo Fighters or no Foo Fighters?

Wo.

You can listen to 'Heart-shaped box' here.

Days are gone. Haim

Haim is een trio uit San Fernando Valley, California, dat bestaat uit de zusjes Alana, Danielle en Este Haim. Alana, Danielle en Este groeiden op in een muzikale familie en kregen een gevarieerd dieet aan goede popmuziek met de paplepel ingegoten. Hierna gingen de zusjes hun eigen muzikale weg en deden ze nogal uiteenlopende dingen. Sinds vorig jaar vormen Alana, Danielle en Este Haim en dit trio wordt tot dusver stevig gehyped. Dat is helemaal terecht, want met Days Are Gone hebben de zusjes Haim een erg goed en ook nog eens zeer verrassend debuut afgeleverd. Days Are Gone heeft zich stevig laten beïnvloeden door de muziek die de zusjes Haim thuis te horen kregen, maar bevat naast de invloeden die je verwacht bij meisjes uit het zonnige California (er komt flink wat Fleetwood Mac voorbij) ook heel veel onverwachte invloeden, hiervan komen er heel veel uit de 80s en 90s, waarbij drie hoofdstromingen opvallen. Aan de ene kant hebben de Haim zusjes heel goed geluisterd naar 90s R&B bands als TLC en Destiny’s Child, maar aan de andere kant hoor ik ook heel veel van de muziek die de protegés van Prince in de 80s maakte. Denk aan Sheila E en Wendy & Lisa, maar ook zeker aan Jill Jones (die voor zover ik weet aan de hand van His Royal Badness één briljante cd maakte). Tenslotte heeft Haim met haar honingzoete popliedjes ook wel wat van de aalgladde maar o zo lekkere platen die het meidentrio Wilson Phillips maakte aan het begin van de jaren 90. Haim is gelukkig niet in het verleden blijven steken, maar vermengt de sterk aan de 80s en 90s herinnerende invloeden (hier en daar lijken het The Thompson Twins wel) met moderne synthpop en de eigenzinnige indie-pop. Days Are Gone is een plaat vol opzwepende ritmes, lekkere vocalen (ergens tussen Paula Cole en Leona Lewis), heerlijke gitaarloopjes, authentiek klinkende synths en vooral heel veel vrijwel onweerstaanbare popliedjes. Days Are Gone ademt vaak de sfeer van het verleden, maar is tegelijkertijd een avontuurlijk en bijzonder eigentijds klinkende plaat vol invloeden. Waar de platenmaatschappijen momenteel bij voorkeur de hand op de knip houden voor debuterende artiesten, mocht Haim flink uitpakken met producers en studiotijd, waardoor de plaat werkelijk perfect klinkt. Bij beluistering valt verder op dat de zusjes Haim ook uitstekend uit de voeten kunnen op hun instrumenten, wat de dosis respect voor de plaat nog wat verder opvoert. Hoewel het zeker niet mijn favoriete genre is vind ik persoonlijk de songs met flink wat R&B invloeden het spannendst, maar ondanks het brede palet aan stijlen bevat Days Are Gone geen slechte track. Met name de Britse en Amerikaanse muziekpers hebben het afgelopen jaar wonderen verwacht van Haim. En verdomd: de zusjes Haim maken het nog waar ook. Heerlijke plaat met echt geweldige muziek.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt hier luisteren naar 'Forever'.

 

LIVE Soul Sister Dance Revolution, Paard van Troje, 28 november 2013

Foto HareD

Ja hoor, we hebben er weer een. Zo’n uitermate lekker Haags bandje, in de lijn Golden Earring-Anouk- Kane- en hoewel nog niet tot de zelfde hoogte gestegen, eventueel ook Di-rect. Zoals ik in mijn impressie van Parkpop al meldde kunnen deze jongens echt lekker muziek maken. En nogmaals: die muziek heeft niets met soul te maken, noch met dance. Hoewel je er wel lekker op kunt dansen, daar niet van.

De Soul Sister Dance Revolution bestaat sinds 2009, maar kwam pas in april van dit jaar met hun debuut cd, Playground Kids. De roem was hen al wel vooruit gesneld, want op basis van hun debuutsingle ‘Hold the Line’ werden zij eind 2012 zowel 3FM Serious Talent, als winnaar van de  Haagse Popprijs voor aanstormend talent. In die tijd waren zij ook supportact bij de clubtour van Di-rect (en deze maand trouwens twee keer bij Golden Earring). In januari 2013 volgde de single ‘Hearts’ en op 17 april stonden ze in De Wereld Draait Door, waar ze ook zwaar bejubeld werden door Nico Dijkshoorn - of dat louter een aanbeveling is laat ik hier even in het midden.   

Soul Sister Dance Revolution bestaat uit Thomas van der Want – Gitaar & zang, Laszlo Barz – Gitaar & zang, Jelger Durieux – Drums & zang, Michael Baumgarten – Bas en Camiel Meiresonne – Toetsen, percussie & zang. Zie voor info en YouTube fragmenten:  http://soulsisterdancerevolution.wordpress.com en www.soulsisterdancerevolution.com

De kleine zaal van het Paard was niet helemaal uitverkocht, maar toch wel erg lekker vol. Klaarblijkelijk hebben de jongens ook een soort boyband-uitstraling, gezien het opvallend hoge bakvisgehalte onder de aanwezigen. Dus WoNo-lezers van een zekere leeftijd: ga naar een concert en neem gerust je dochter mee. Maar geef haar wel goede oordoppen, of wees anders zeker dat ze een hard deuntje aankan. De Soul Sister Dance Revolution is namelijk niet voor watjes, hier wordt stevige maar o zo lekkere herrie gemaakt.

Maar niet herrie om de herrie, er zit volop melodie in. Zanger Van der Want heeft een redelijk       

Foto HareD

veelzijdige stem, en brengt zijn nummers zonder al te veel poespas. Dat was in heerlijk maar schril contrast tot de zanger van het bandje uit het voorprogramma, WOOT. Die jongen had vreselijk veel maniertjes en praatjes, maar speelde veel mindere muziek, dus dan is het irritant. Niets van dat alles bij Van der Want, Barsz, Durieux of Baumgarten. De uitzondering is Meiresonne, die ongelooflijk druk heen en weer springt achter, voor en om zijn orgel. Hopelijk voor hem is hij op zo’n avond aan de drank of de pillen, dan is het gestuiter maar tijdelijk. Anders is het werkelijk een serieus geval van ADHD.

Playground Kids is een mengeling van pop en rock, niet echt te vangen in een hokje. Veel gitaar, harde bas en drums, maar ook orgel en allerlei aanverwante special effects. Beetje Queens of the Stone Age zoals ze zelf zeggen, maar ook zeker Urban Dance Squad. Nou ja, ga zelf maar luisteren!

Zowel concert als cd kent geen zwakke compositie. Tijdens het concert werden beide singles goed ontvangen, maar uitschieter was zeker ook ‘Soldiers of Love’, dat op een gegeven moment spontaan door de zaal werd meegebruld, klaarblijkelijk ook tot verbazing van de band zelf. Van der Want gaf maar als verklaring ‘oost west thuis best’. Het was inderdaad een thuisconcert, met veel mensen die de nummers goed kenden, waaronder ook moeder Van der Want, die nog even hartelijk werd begroet door haar zoon. Mijn persoonlijke favorieten waren  ‘Baby Geselle’ en ‘Eye of the Storm’. Tijdens ‘The Ripper’ ging het even mis, dat moest over, maar dat was geen straf. Al was het maar omdat het de woorden ‘Lucy in sky…. fell into rehab’ bevat, waarlijk een mooi teken van historisch bewustzijn voor zo’n groepje jonge muzikanten. De avond werd afgesloten met een nieuwe nummer, dat veel moois voor de toekomst beloofd. Bij de laatste nummers werd zelfs nog even gepogo-ed. Ik kon de verleiding maar net weerstaan…..

HareD

Je kunt hier luisteren naar 'Hold the line'.