Fuzz You!
I had great expectations of Lana Del Rey’s debut album ‘Born To Die’. Since Video Games and Blue Jeans I’ve been fascinated with her 50s sound, her dark nasal singing voice, her style and looks (obviously). Much like one of her inspirations, Antony from Antony and the Jonhsons (the sadness of Video Games reminds me… [Continue Reading]
Of all the world class albums released by Dutch bands this month, the one that truly surprised me is by a band called Hospital Bombers. The main reason I was surprised is that I had never before heard of this band from Amsterdam, even though they apparently played at SXSW way back in 2008. The… [Continue Reading]
Last year I was a little early with my review of Lisa Hannigans’ new album. It had been released in England but we had to wait for it in the Netherlands…and now it has arrived! Lisa Hannigan initially attracted attention a few years ago as a background vocalist for Damien Rice on his legendary debut album ‘O’. Shortly thereafter she… [Continue Reading]
Could the Maya’s have been right? Are major changes coming to the world in 2012? It certainly seems so, what else can explain the fact that the best releases in the first weeks of the new year are not from the US, not from the UK, no not even from Canada (sorry guys) or Belgium, but from… [Continue Reading]
In 2009 it took me several months to value the Maccabees’ second album. Ultemately, I found Wall of Arms’ catchy mix of Talking Heads, Gang Of Four, The Futureheads, Arcade Fire and The Fall quite irresistible. Sadly, I have to start over all over again, because the band’s third album, Given To The Wild, sounds… [Continue Reading]
I have to be honest; the first time I listened to Howler, I thought it was some of the ugliest music I had heard in quite while. The grunting voice, the chord limitations, the compelling predictability, they made my taste buds hurt. I realized that to give up at the first rock-challenge would make for… [Continue Reading]
2012 is only a few days old, but yesterday saw the first major Dutch release of the year. The artist responsible is John Sigmond, better known as Blaudzun. After debuting in 2008 with a fine album full of moody folk songs, Blaudzun exceeded this achievement two years later with a beautiful album called Seadrift Sound… [Continue Reading]
Album and concert review Wolfendale, Patronaat, Haarlem, 14th of December 2011 – There’s a fine tradition around our way and that’s to dislike everything originating from the city of light. Normally, it’s not a very hard tradition to uphold, but two residents of that city in Brabant are determined to ruin it for us. Sander… [Continue Reading]
What’s wrong with the European music press that we must rely on Pitchfork to pick up on new local talent. It’s not that Copenhagen’s punk outfit Iceage aren’t loud enough. Their debut album, New Brigade, has been out for almost a year, unnoticed anyone this side of the Atlantic. Fortunately, we’re just in time to… [Continue Reading]
Another review we should have done months ago. St Vincent’s Annie Clark is a tiny woman with a huge musical imagination. Since hearing the dreamt up ‘Jazz-pop-chanson-theater music’ of her second album Actor (2009) I’ve been hooked. Her solo-performance last year in the Melkweg, as opening act to Grizly Bear was equally impressive, with a… [Continue Reading]