Cutthroat. Shame

Four albums into its career, I'd say that Shame has nothing to be ashamed about. With one heck of a debut album, a difficult second, a far better third and a great fourth the band has proven itself beyond a doubt.

With 'Songs Of Praise' the band entered my life with a bang. For certain three quarters of the album were spot on songs. With Cutthroat the band repeats that achievement. Let me state upfront that Cutthroat is Shame's best album since 'Songs Of Praise' and may be(come) its best.

The album kicks off with the title song and one of the singles. It starts with an as simple as it is effective riff. Bang!, here we go it says. 'Cutthroat' shows you already what the next step in Shame's career is. After the first two listening sessions I planned to start my review with the conclusion that Shame has not developed itself like a band like Fontaines DC has in roughly the same period. The conclusion is wrong though, as consecutive sessions with the record taught me.

The change is already announced after five seconds into the album when a few electronic keys notes interrupt that riff. All through 'Cutthroat' there are other tell-tale signs. The relaxation in Charlie Steen's voice is another. Next, there's some adventurism in the guitar playing that go down very well with me. All together it makes for a monumental opening song. If you can't stand it, there is not a lot of sense in pursuing listening to this album.

When 'Cowards Around' starts with a drum intro giving a tip of the hat to John Bonham's intro to 'Rock And Roll', not a lot seems to be able to go wrong from that moment onwards. And it hardly does. 'Cowards Around' is a more classic postpunk track. Energy flies around and the vocal delivery is nicely in line with The Netherlands' finest Lukas Jansen of Tramhaus.

Photo: Jamie Wdziekonski

Cutthroat diversifies with song three, 'Quiet Life', starting with an acoustic guitar. Charlie Steen is singing about living a quiet life that he never imagined wanting to have. (It's probably a part of growing up.) The song has loads of energy showing that a band like Shame is able to play a slightly different kind of song without losing anything of it stride, while adding a ton of melody. If The Kinks were a young band today, they may have sounded like this in 2025. 'Quiet Life' is a highlight of this album.

I'm not going to go into every individual song. With this album Shame makes a giant point. Nearly all songs, that leaves 'Lampião', although it has it's moments, I do not really know what to make of it, reach a high to very high level. Shame manages to maintain that level of energy that it is known for, while diversifying it's musical range. As if letting go of the prescribed boundaries of postpunk has opened the creative dams of the band members' imagination and creativity. More is happening, more exciting things, more (background and vocal) melodies and more inventive interludes. Cutthroat is an album that, despite its ugly title, makes me feel very good.

It all ends with 'Axis Of Evil'. With this song Shame dives deeper into the 1980s and releases its inner Franz Ferdinand. The song leans on electronics and a pulsing rhythm. It is a surprising as it is a good end of the album. With Cutthroat Shame delivers well beyond expectations.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Cutthroat here:

https://shamebanduk.bandcamp.com/album/cutthroat 

 

Four Second Fiddles. Global Charming

A new Global Charming album? Did I miss an email? I was pretty confused when I read somewhere that there was a new album by the Amsterdam postpunkers. And, no I had not missed an email. The band changed label and dropped off my radar.

That does not keep me from listening now that I know. Spotify is there and why not use it? My first impression is that in the five years since 'Mediocre, Brutal' not a lot has changed. Global Charming can still be found in the same niche. Perhaps it leans a bit more on the stalinist/Stachanovite rhythm of Talking Heads circa 'Fear Of Music', played a bit louder or brutalist and with even less compromise than the New York new wavers of old, but that is about it.

It is near five years that 'Mediocre, Brutal' was released, an album that I kept playing well into this decade. Come 2025 it was laid to rest among the thousands of records in my collection, replaced by all the newer postpunk (and other) albums of recent years and months. Listening to Four Second Fiddles, I have to admit that my first response is that the album does not add to what I already have. Yes, new songs, but very little new angles or songs that immediately grabbed my attention, like the first album certainly did. It being Global Charming, one of my favourite new bands from this decade, I will give it a second chance and come back to the album soon.

Several listening sessions further Global Charming and I are where we left off. I know exactly why I had a little quivers during the first session. Of all the new generation postpunkers Global Charming is the strictest. It comes closest to the bands that got me off listening to new music in the early 80s. Why I stopped reading 'Muziekkrant Oor', as it was called then. Bands I still can't listen to for the most part. Don't ask me why I do like Tramhaus and Global Charming. I do not really know, but forced to give an answer, it probably amounts to this: that I enjoy the adventurism in both band's music. The lack of dogma, as that is what I disliked so much at the time. Besides that, I can also point to bands like Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys paving the way. Both bands combine early 80s postpunk or punkfunk with golden melodies

On Four Second Fiddles Global Charming is somewhere halfway. Somewhere between the strictness of punkfunk and on the lookout for a good hook. In a certain way Four Second Fiddles sounds as if the band is awkward, even amateurish in its arrangements. But don't be fooled, the band's riffs are spot on. When the synth enters, it's always making a song stronger. Jilles van Kleef (vocals, guitar, bells), Sara Elzinga (guitars, synths, vocals), Fokke de Wit (bass, vocals), and Sjoerd Bartlema (drums, percussion, synths) know exactly what they are doing and to great effect.

Compared to Tramhaus nearly everyone in this country plays second fiddle. The four second fiddles in Global Charming deserve the same level of attention though. With its new album the band not only starts again where it left off. At a minimum the band re-enters at the same quality level. In time, who knows how I'll score the album. In any case, it is a must have.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Four Second Fiddles here:

https://globalcharming.bandcamp.com/album/four-second-fiddles 

 

Diederik Nomden and Philine live. Phil, Haarlem 31 August 2025

Photo WdN - vdB

The new season of performing arts traditionally is opened with free shows and Phil in Haarlem is no different. Thanks to My Love, I learned about 'Phil opens up', as in general I'm not into what plays at Phil. On the programme this Sunday was an artist that we saw live twice in the first half of the 10s, who at the time performed under the name Royal Parks, Diederik Nomden, now releasing his records under his last name, Nomden. As we were there, we decided to take a look at Philine and were pleasantly surprised.

Diederik Nomden 

Of course, since 2015 onwards Diederik Nomden's career took a totally different direction. From standing about 10 meters away from him playing, the distance became larger and larger, right up to Ziggo Dome proportions. With The Analogues he performed the studio albums of The Beatles to great success and if it hadn't been for Covid, the question will always be unanswered where the concept would have taken them.The band is no more and this spring Nomden released a new solo album 'Sooner/Later' and will be going on tour soon with a new project Timebox and a duo show with Bertolf.

In Phil he played a solo show, with several acoustic guitars and a piano. With his presence, voice and songs, he packed in the Phil café that was fully filled. My Love never stops saying that Diederik Nomden has one of the most beautiful voices in the land and I tend to agree. Things have changed though. From a somewhat timid support act around 2013, Nomden has become a very confident artist, telling anecdotes about his songs while playing them in a relaxed but secure way. He took us though his four solo albums. When I think of his music, it is always 'She' that floats into my mind. He played it as his second song.

I had not heard his latest album yet, but the songs that came by immediately packed me in. The very positive review in 'Oor' appears to be well-deserved. The surprise was an acoustic rendition of 'True Love That's A Wonder', one of Sandy Coast's biggest hits. That will be part of the Timebox shows that will travel all through the country from October onwards. Timebox is The Analogues, minus two. It will play Dutch hits from 1964 to 1974. Yes, tickets for Hoofdorp have been purchased.

In other words, the renewed acquaintance with Diederik Nomden as solo artist was a very pleasant one.

Photo: WdN - vdB

Philine 

Philine in Phil, it seems a very logical combination. I had never heard of the singer before. She played with a five piece band: two guitars, keys, bass, drums and a lot of harmony vocals. Who is in the lead here, there's no doubt about that: my band, my tour, etc. From what I've heard, Philine in influenced by the dreamy kind of music Dakota/Loupe made in this country and many others like Warpaint abroad. The other one came forward more and more during the live show: Stevie Nicks. The atmosphere of her biggest hits (with Fleetwood Mac) shone through the whole of the time.

The music was presented very rhythmically and certainly in the first half of the show made it too uniform. If however I heard right and that the lead guitarist is with the band since only very recently (three days?) than it's amazing what he has achieved in so short a time. If not, then I would advise to take more time for some variation in the arrangements, as having two guitars, keys and bass, allows for more melodies. I could hear a few playing along in my head during the show.

As said, things changed in the second half of the show, as the band seemed to get a bit looser and at the end even a guitar solo was played. I remember encountering Dakota for the first (and last) time in Amsterdam. Philine had the same impact on me. I can't tell yet what she sounds like on record, but will take a listen for sure, as a new song is released on Friday. The band goes on an extensive tour this fall and of a length that may make many a colleague band jealous. It may be worth your while to check Philine and band out.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can order Nomden's records here:

https://www.diederiknomden.com/shop

 

and Philine's music here:

https://philine.bandcamp.com/album/the-truth-of-living-in-reality 

still, there is the sea. Ambre Ciel

De Canadese muzikante Ambre Ciel debuteerde in juni met het prachtige still, there is the sea, waarop betoverend mooie en beeldende klanken samenvloeien met haar misschien nog wel mooiere stem.

Het voor de zomer verschenen still, there is the sea is het debuutalbum van de Canadese muzikante Ambre Ciel. Het is wat mij betreft een bijzonder album. De neoklassieke klanken die op het album zijn te horen hoor ik wel vaker, maar de arrangementen van Ambre Ciel zijn wel heel mooi en worden bovendien gecombineerd met invloeden uit de ambient en de new age. Het debuutalbum van Ambre Ciel wordt nog bijzonderder wanneer ze haar stem toevoegt aan de beeldende muziek. Ze beschikt over een bijzonder mooie stem, die warmte, gevoel en structuur toevoegt aan de songs op still, there is the sea. Ambre Ciel imponeert direct, maar dit fraaie debuut wordt alleen maar mooier en indrukwekkender.

Voor de release hoorde ik een preview van het album still, there is the sea van Ambre Ciel. Dit voorproefje maakte me echt heel nieuwsgierig naar het debuutalbum van de Canadese muzikante en dat album is inmiddels verschenen. Het is een album met acht songs en net iets meer dan een half uur muziek en in dat half uur maakt Ambre Ciel wat mij betreft diepe indruk. 

Het debuutalbum van de muzikante uit Montreal opent echt prachtig. In eerste instantie zijn er de neoklassiek aandoende klanken die direct zorgen voor een bijzondere sfeer, waarna de waanzinnige stem van Ambre Ciel invalt. Het is een stem om onmiddellijk verliefd op te worden, maar de zang van de Canadese muzikante wordt vervolgens alleen maar mooier en intenser. 

Dat geldt overigens ook voor de muziek in de openingstrack van still, there is the sea. De strijkers zwellen flink aan en ook de pianoakkoorden worden steeds wat steviger aangezet, maar de stem van Ambre Ciel blijft centraal staan. Het is een bijzonder mooie en subtiele stem die echt prachtig door de ruimte zweeft, maar het is ook een stem met een uiterst subtiel ruw randje, die zorgt voor flink wat gevoel in de zang van Ambre Ciel, die overigens ook violiste en pianiste is. 

De vijf minuten durende openingstrack van still, there is the sea is in alle opzichten imponerend. De zang en de muziek zijn echt wonderschoon, maar het is ook een track waarin de spanning prachtig wordt opgebouwd. Het zijn ingrediënten die terugkeren in vrijwel alle songs op het album, maar Ambre Ciel legt steeds net wat andere accenten. 

In de tweede track worden de klassiek aandoende strijkerspartijen gecombineerd met klanken die ik meer associeer met ambient of new age en bovendien zingt Ambre Ciel in deze tweede track in het Frans, wat zorgt voor een duidelijk andere sfeer. Het effect is hetzelfde want ook in de tweede track wordt je meegesleept door de breed uitwaaiende klanken en de prachtige strijkersarrangementen en imponeert Ambre Ciel met haar bijna onwaarschijnlijk mooie stem. 

Ik probeer het regelmatig met albums die in het hokje neoklassiek worden geduwd en dat zijn er tegenwoordig heel wat. Het zijn albums die ik in eerste instantie vaak heel mooi vind, maar uiteindelijk houden deze albums mijn aandacht meestal niet vast. Ambre Ciel doet dat wel en dat doet ze door haar stem toe te voegen aan de klassiek aandoende en beeldende klanken. Klankentapijten worden hierdoor songs en daar val ik makkelijker voor. 

Ook als de zang een tijd op zich laat wachten of helemaal niet komt houdt de Canadese muzikante me aan de speakers gekluisterd, want wat wordt er mooi en sfeervol gespeeld op still, there is the sea. De labels neoklassiek, ambient en new age kwamen al voorbij, maar het debuutalbum van Ambre Ciel bevat zo nu en dan ook passages die goed in het hokje filmmuziek passen en die bijna vanzelf fraaie beelden op het netvlies toveren. 

Bij eerste beluistering maakte still, there is the sea al een verpletterende indruk, maar hoe vaker ik naar het debuutalbum van Ambre Ciel luister, hoe meer ik word betoverd door de prachtige klanken, de fraaie spanningsbogen en de bijzonder mooie zang. Het debuutalbum van de muzikante uit Montreal doet het misschien nog wel het best wanneer de zon onder is. Daar moeten we op het moment wat langer op wachten, maar het is het wachten meer dan waard.

Erwin Zijleman

 

Je kunt still, there is the sea hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://ambreciel.bandcamp.com/album/still-there-is-the-sea 

Straight Line Was A Lie. The Beths

Yes, I did not hear it when I listened to The Beths' debut album. It happens that ears are not screwed on right at times. Things came out alright for some time now. When I heard the single 'I'm Not Getting Excited' for the first time, it struck me like lightning, stopping me in my tracks. Since that moment I'm a fan of the band, including the EP and that album that came before that moment.

Come 2025 and Straight Line Was A Lie was announced with singles that went down very well and here's the whole album, finally. The questions with a new album by a favourite band are: does it live up to expectations?; is there development? and; if there is, see question one and; if not are the new songs good enough to stand in the shadow of giants?

I can reassure you, all questions are answered with a big yes. Why?

First, Straight Line Was A Lie sounds enough like The Beths to be instantly recognisable. That has in part to do with the unique qualities of Elizabeth Stokes' voice but also with the sound of the band, that is very recognisable. Secondly, things are not just the same. There are a few ballads but also stabs at a lighter sound, while the songwriting and the playing are always well above par. Thirdly, there are more than enough musical surprises that make for very interesting listening. Finally, where the band sounds "as itself", the songs are very good.

The album starts with a take that usually is kept for the umpteenth year anniversary of an album. The band starts playing but as sometimes happens, someone is not in the same spot in his mind. There's an apology and then the title song starts anyway. Listening superficially, things sound familiar immediately. Listen more attentively and there already is lightness apparent that continues all through the album. It's in the multitracked vocals, in the "funny" harmony voices near the end and in the music. Yes, there's enough noise in 'Straight Line Was A Lie', including that lead guitar that is always on the edge of where the lead melody allows it to go, but beyond that there is a lot of more subtle melodies that adorn the track. It seems that The Beths' members were having fun recording the new album.

The band is also confident enough to bring the tone down immediately in the acoustic 'Mosquitoes'. "I'm only here to feed mosquitoes", Ms. Stokes sings. Yes, I know that feeling alright based on my camping experiences this year. What stands out though, is the power of the song. The Beths does not need power and noise to convince me how good it is.

'Mosquitoes' is the start of a musical adventure in which The Beths shows several different sides of itself. Songs in which a 12 string guitar seems to take in a bigger place. Just like Dutch band The Maureens showed with its last two albums, it changes the sound of the band considerably and here not because it brings The Byrds to mind. It doesn't, the guitar is incorporated into what the softer side of The Beths amounts to. Just listen to 'Metal' to hear what I mean.

Compliments must go to Jonathan Pearce as producer of The Beths, besides being the lead guitarist as well. He has led the band successfully to new pastures, that in part goes against his own interests as lead-guitarist. He is the one with the outrageous solo's that appear to fly off the road but always land on their feet. They are mostly gone here. Take the pure ballad 'Mother, Pray For Me'. To be honest, I had expected the song to be the weak brother on the new album. It's not. The elementary ballad, one guitar and one organ accompanying Elizabeth Stokes for most of the song, is pure beauty in the middle of the album.

Overall, The Beths shows a totally different side to itself. Slower songs, emptier and more delicate. Sometimes the surprising explosion or an instrument bursting in like in 'Til My Heart Stops' comes in later anyway. It makes this album more interesting by the song. Did I say that all my questions were answered with a yes? In five weeks I will go and see the band in Paradiso and can't wait to hear how these songs are translated live (but please do not forget 'I'm Not Getting Excited' in the set!).

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Straight Line Was A Lie here:

 https://thebethsnz.bandcamp.com/album/straight-line-was-a-lie