Rise Love. Eleni Era

Review one album from Cyprus and another follows. If there is a common denominator between Eleni Era and Freedom Candlemaker, it is both have released extremely mood sensitive albums with a hint at the exotic for western European ears like mine. (Next to the fact that Lefteris Moumtzis co-produced Rise Love, with Andreas Trachonitis, and plays most of the instruments.)

Eleni Era originally is from a village in Cyprus and left the island at the age of 18 to study piano in Berlin, where she lives and works since. She returned to Cyprus to record Rise Love, the collection of songs she wrote next to her professional work as pianist and conductor of a choir.

The result is an album that pays homage to her roots as plays well into western pop music of the more serious nature. Not more than once I hear the influence of Kate Bush come by but also Massive Attack and several atmospheric artist that, in my ears, do not produce music as I know/prefer it. On Rise Love it is an undercurrent mixed into the songs of Eleni Era. The result is all sorts of sounds that move under, through and over her songs, creating an extra layer to listen to.

Rise Love is the sort of album that allows me to sit back and be washed over by the music. All rush is gone. What remains is private time between me and Eleni Era's music and voice. The opportunity to listen to the many details on Rise Love. Details that make the album so interesting.

Promo photo: Constantinos Christou

The album hangs somewhere in between the past and the present. The sounds are often very modern, the production spacious. The mood of the album could have been created in the late 70s or mid 90s. Both in the U.K. though. A mood that has something mystical, as if there is more between heaven and earth. Listen to 'Not Her'. A song about personal change, but also as if the worldly presence of the body has just been left behind by the soul or spirit. The accompaniment sounds so fleeting, almost see-through transparent. (Not a little I'm remembered of Elenne May by this song. Come play in NL and this band should be the support act.) The mix of the little bells and atmospheric sounds create something special.

Listen to Rise Love and you will find several songs that work in this way, while others are more based around the piano of Eleni Era, so somewhat more traditional in sound. That is only where the story starts. Also here the songs have something special. Nothing is straightforward or simplified for the convenience of the listener. The percussion is always different from a regular pop album. The atmospherics make it different in sound and always a hint at modern electronics and beats could be involved. The exotic sounding Greek in 'Rain' and 'Beautiful Sunshine' makes it the more different but just as relevant musically. It all makes Rise Love more special.

On Rise Love there is a lot to discover. Eleni Era is a talent who is able to combine, 70s pop, 90s triphop and her classical training into something sounding like herself. With her high sounding voice she delicately brings her work to the listener, who in my opinion should give the album a well deserved chance.

Wo.

You can buy Rise Love here:

https://eleniera.bandcamp.com/album/rise-love


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

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

A Love Brand New. Jodymoon

Een van de best bewaarde geheimen van de Nederlandse popmuziek overtuigt met prachtplaat nummer 6 

Ik heb al meer dan tien jaar een zwak voor de muziek van het Nederlandse duo Jodymoon. Het is muziek met invloeden uit de 70s singer-songwriter muziek, uit de Britse folk, uit de Amerikaanse rootsmuziek en uit de klassieke muziek. Jodymoon maakt muziek die je al jaren lijkt te kennen, maar het is ook muziek die je keer op keer weet te verrassen. Het duo doet dit met een zeer smaakvolle en warmbloedige instrumentatie en met vocalen die je maar blijven raken. Jodymoon had al lang wereldberoemd moeten zijn in Nederland, maar het blijft helaas een goed bewaard geheim. Het is een geheim om intens te koesteren, maar het is er ook een om van de daken te schreeuwen. Prachtplaat. Nummer zes!

Het Nederlandse duo Jodymoon viert dit jaar haar dertiende verjaardag. Ik ontdekte het tweetal uit Maastricht in 2008, toen Jodymoon’s tweede plaat Never Gonna Find It In Another Story verscheen. Ik was direct bij eerste beluistering overtuigd van de kwaliteiten van het Nederlandse tweetal en verbaas me bij iedere nieuwe release van Jodymoon weer over het feit dat zangeres Digna Janssen en multi-instrumentalist Johan Smeets nog altijd niet wereldberoemd zijn; op zijn minst in Nederland.

Dat deed ik voor het laatst in de lente van 2015 toen het prachtige All Is Waiting verscheen (lees hier verder: https://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2015/06/all-is-waiting-jodymoon.html.). De vijfde plaat van Jodymoon overtuigde, net als zijn vier voorgangers, met wonderschone en volstrekt tijdloze popsongs.

De plaat kon wederom rekenen op lovende woorden op deze blog, maar het was zeker niet de enige recensie vol superlatieven. Ik was er dan ook van overtuigd dat de doorbraak van Jodymoon dit keer niet uit kon blijven, maar bijna vier jaar later moet ik helaas constateren dat Jodymoon nog altijd een van de best bewaarde geheimen van de Nederlandse popmuziek is. Gelukkig is er nu album nummer 6 en ook A Love Brand New is weer een plaat om hopeloos verliefd op te worden.

Heel veel veranderd is er niet. Multi-instrumentalist Johan Smeets zorgt ook dit keer voor een mooi, warmbloedig en veelzijdig klankentapijt. Het is een klankentapijt waarin organische klanken domineren, waarin subtiliteit het wint van grootse arrangementen en waarin strijkers zorgen voor de kers op de taart. Het is bovendien een klankentapijt dat ruimte schept; heel veel ruimte.

Jodymoon begeeft zich ook op A Love Brand New weer veelvuldig op de weg van de tijdloze singer-songwriter pop uit de jaren 70, maar schuift hier en daar ook op richting 70s folk, richting de rootsmuziek van het moment of richting klassiek aandoende songs.

In muzikaal opzicht heeft Jodymoon op haar nieuwe plaat nog wat stappen gezet. A Love Brand New is een prachtig klinkende plaat vol wonderschone klanken. Het snarenwerk op de plaat is van een bijzonder hoog niveau, maar ook de buitengewoon subtiele ritmesectie en de fraaie strijkers dragen nadrukkelijk bij aan het bijzondere geluid van Jodymoon. Het is een geluid dat op hetzelfde moment ontspant en intrigeert.

Het is bovendien een beeldend geluid dat garant staat voor fraaie beelden op het netvlies; zeker wanneer de instrumentale passages wat langer worden opgerekt. Jodymoon sleept je afwisselend mee naar de Amerikaanse woestijn, mysterieuze kloosters in het Limburgse land of een knisperend kampvuur op het strand, om maar eens drie uitersten te noemen.

In muzikaal opzicht is het weer smullen, maar ook in vocaal opzicht laat de nieuwe plaat van Jodymoon weer niets te wensen over. Ik schaarde Digna Janssen in vorige recensies al onder de beste zangeressen in Nederland en ook op A Love Brand New zijn de vocalen weer van een bijzonder hoog niveau. Het klinkt allemaal zo makkelijk en vanzelfsprekend, maar echt iedere noot is raak.

We hebben heel lang moeten wachten op een nieuwe plaat van Jodymoon, maar het Limburgse duo pakt gelukkig flink uit. A Love Brand New bevat maar liefst 13 songs en bijna een uur muziek. Net als op haar vorige platen overtuigen Digna Janssen en Johan Smeets met songs die onmiddellijk een goed gevoel geven. Jodymoon maakt ook dit keer volstrekt tijdloze muziek en overtuigt met songs die je al jaren lijkt te kennen, maar die ook geheimen blijven prijsgeven.

Ook na beluistering van A Love Brand New ben ik er weer van overtuigt dat de muziek van Jodymoon veel meer aandacht verdient dan het Maastrichtse duo tot dusver krijgt. Ik kan me er over blijven verbazen, maar geniet liever van de prachtige muziek die inmiddels al zes platen lang overtuigt en betovert. Er zijn maar weinig bands die dit voor elkaar krijgen, maar Jodymoon flikt het. Prachtplaat. Een diepe buiging is op zijn plaats.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt A Love Brand New hier kopen:

http://www.jodymoon.com/music/


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

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

 

Walkin' Shoes. Ted Russell Kamp

After all the punk rock and rock records reviewed by me over the past weeks, it was a pleasure to hear the Americana fuelled rock played by Ted Russell Kamp. Guitars rock, drums pound and the bass lays a strong foundation, yet something tells me to relax and lay back. Just listen and things will be fine and I do just that.

Ted Russell Kamp is a bass player from Los angeles who has toured with a host of bands and artists through the past decade and a half, but also has his own career. And rightly so as several songs on Walkin' Shoes have that quality I like in Americana songs. Walkin' Shoes is his 11th album.

Superficially Kamp is one of those artist who come out of that opened can where dozens of U.S. artist crawl out of once opened. There is a whole host of Americana and roots singer-songwriters and there simply is not a lot setting them apart for insufficiently trained ears like mine are. So where to start?

The first thing I noticed when starting to listen to Walkin' Shoes is the nice level of roots rock that Kamp presents. The sound of the guitars is just right. The riffs and lead notes or solo's sound like I want them to be. This is my inner expectations being tickled alright. A warm Hammond sound does the rest as does the slide guitar that moves in here and there.

The second thing is that Ted Russell Kamp's voice has this little edge, with a faint trace of hoarseness that make him extremely interesting to listen to. He is able to sing his lyrics so convincingly. When he sings "You can watch my tail lights shine" in 'Tail Light Shine', there's no escaping believing him on his word here.

Promo photo

The third thing is the album is sufficiently varied to keep my attention. Only rockers would not have cut it. Not all the variations make my personal cut. Especially when Kamp moves into more traditional country. On the other side of the spectrum 'Get Off The Grid' instantly reminds me of Grayson Capps and is so right. A sort of rockabilly with the lid on. This song is gripping and fun, while not giving everything away in an easy way.

The richness of Walkin' Shoes starts to really show when getting to the 9th song I am again pricking up my ears and become really entertained by 'Written In Stone'. A fine ladies backing joins in, while the song remains extremely rhythmic. Kamp knows exactly what he is doing here and the effect he wants to extract in his listeners -and does, without any effort it seems.

Yes, in a way Ted Russell Kamp fits into a mould that produced thousands of singer-songwriters in the country, Americana, roots segment of music. In the other he stands his ground extremely well, while covering a few grounds on the album. There simply is very little complain about. Let me rephrase that in a positive way: With the first album by Kamp in my possession he is up with the likes of Grayson Capps as far as I'm concerned and in my little bubble that is not a bad place to be. Ted Russell Kamp presented me with the album I simply needed to hear right now.

Wo.

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

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

Dragon Welding. Dragon Welding

Dragon Welding is not an album that in the first minutes of listening presents itself as a gift for my ears. In fact I noticed a certain resentment to the extremely busy and noisy 'The Builders'. The unrelenting sound and beat that simply go on and on, distracting me from what also goes on in the song. Like a clue in an escape room that keeps eluding me.

Dragon Welding is Andrew Golding who releases his first solo album under the anagram of his own name. Golding was a member of The Wolfhounds since the mid 80s and played and sang on all six albums released between 1986 and 1990 and in the 10s. Come 2019 it is time for a solo effort.

Dragon Welding touches on many styles, moods and sounds. As already mentioned 'The Builders' is all over the place, with Golding's voice as resting point, like the eye of the hurricane. In a way his voice is glued on to the rest. After this onslaught, that I start to appreciate more and more, Dragon Welding touches on a history of U.K. music. In 'These are Dangerous Time' the singing and melody brings David Gilmour (led Pink Floyd) to mind. The music is far too lively to be able to do so. In 'Slap' an African rhythm is mixed with a loud hardrock guitar melody/solo.

Promo photo

It becomes clear that on Dragon Welding Andrew Golding was not in for laying barriers on his creativity. It was allowed to explore any way it wanted to go and scrap later where things didn't work. The result is a very varied album, almost an understatement, with the listener unable to predict whatever could be next. If there is a pattern, it is the busy, sometimes even extreme rhythms and use of lead instruments and the laidback singing of Golding. Around him it all twirls around, with his voice in the middle keeping things together.

Take 'Join The Dots'. The drums play the same pattern without any variation. Chord changes are kept to a minimum for large parts of the song. All the instruments play a pattern on and on. A cadence is created, almost hypnotizing. A lead guitar flies in, but also plays basically the same notes over and over. It all blends into one major force. This is not totally typical for Dragon Welding but certainly a major part of the album.

Another impression I get, is that Golding has taken the songs he had written to the demolition squad before bringing out his welding kit and add new elements. Take the electronic 'The Dumb'. This song most likely was composed on a guitar or keyboard. That was only the start for Andrew Golding. The outcome is a totally different beast.

CD art

Next up is 'Bucket List No. 1', a folk outing on acoustic guitar like led Zeppelin used to be good at. Jimmy Page's technique of playing certainly can be heard here. In 'Bucket List No. 2' Golding also sings over the same melody. He keeps the song acoustic and steps away wisely in one way as now it is his own song, sadly he doesn't in the other because it would have been great to hear a Led Zeppelin like explosion in a new song. I'm not certain what I prefer, I notice. My mind keeps longing for a John Bonham drum pick up though, followed by the rest.

Nearing the end of the album even now the surprises keep coming. In other words Dragon Welding is an adventure, something that I can try to describe yet it will only truly be grasped by giving it a try yourself and preferably more than one. It took me more than one for certain. All I can do to goad you onwards is that I heard this little something that told me to revisit and I did and did again. Perhaps you will too.

Wo.

You can listen and buy Dragon Welding here:

https://dragonwelding.bandcamp.com/


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

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

A Broken Heart Is An Open Heart. Louise Lemón

Now that is a novel way of looking at lulluvuduh as we call it jokingly here in NL. 'Liefdesverdriet' or a broken heart. I bet most people never looked at it like that. A broken heart most likely is the start of something new; if one is open to that of course.

Louise Lemón is a Swedish singer-songwriter who goes beyond the girl with guitar image that is extremely popular these days. Lemón goes for a dark sound on her second album. Death-gospel is the little niche where the press would like to lock her up in. No one playing on this album was dead at the time of playing and there's no, deeply depressed, southern gospel baptist church choir in sight.

The sound on A Broken Heart Is An Open Heart is as dark as I think northern Sweden is in deepest winter. Gloomy at best, if there's light at all. Lemón has a dark voice she's not afraid to use. Neither is she in fear of taking on a song with the barest of accompaniment. 'Swimming In Sadness', yes, quite the title, only has sparse piano chords to which Louise Lemón tries to tread water at best to keep afloat.

Promo photo: Sophie Winberg Tyrfelt

The album opens with a song called 'Sunlight'. It sounds more like a wish for it than it is there to bask in. The person sung to is sunshine. It is a track that is ambiguous. There is a wailing guitar and singing. The music is of the barest kind, atmospheric synths and guitar. It is Louise Lemón who goes full out. My take was I'm listening to an alternative Whitney or Mariah. So if that is the soul element mentioned in the accompanying info, I'll grant it.

The album takes a more alternative turn in 'Montana'. It is here that her Swedish colleague Christine Owman came to mind. She is able to wallow in the darkness as well. 'Montana' is far larger in sound though. In the third song the album again takes a turn with a more poppy sounding 'Not Enough'. The darkness is not lifted in the music, in the singing it is. Louise Lemón uses her powerful voice to sing an all out chorus. Enough to make people sway at a minimum. Underneath is a dark guitar, while piano and drums are the front instruments.

Anyone listening to A Broken Heart Is An Open Heart will be surprised by the many sides to this artist. The same goes for the way she can use her voice. From a more closed way of singing to a forceful, all out storm. Moving through the album I notice that I do not like every song as much. Yet it is very easy to keep listening. Around every corner the next surprise awaits me. Not many albums offer such diversity in such an interesting and often good way. Take the long, dark guitar solo in the instrumental 'Susceptible Soul' or the poppy 'Cross', while the soul does move in the high sung 'Honest Heart'.

Promo photo

Like Christine Owman's album 'When On Fire' (read on here: http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2017/02/when-on-fire-christine-owman.html) A Broken Heart Is An Open Heart deserves attention and success. It is special and manages to set itself apart from many records released over the past period. A real tip it is.

Wo.

You can listen to and buy the album here:

https://louiselemon.bandcamp.com/album/a-broken-heart-is-an-open-heart


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

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