Van daluren naar piekmomenten

Omdat ik haar laatstgeborene, Stukken Van Mensen, zo geweldig vond, was ik ook heel erg benieuwd geworden naar de vorige van Mira. Die heet In De Daluren en blijkt, na ettelijke beluisteringen, voor een debuut behoorlijk matuur en al heel… Mira. Het sappige accent, de gevatte teksten, heerlijk druipende ironie, omgekeerd zelfbeklag, preoccupaties met de domheid van het BV-dom en andere kleurders van dagen.

Zijn er dan geen verschillen/evoluties te merken? Jawel, hoor. De instrumentatie op dit debuut is prima, verfijnd of wat steviger waar nodig, maar globaal wat traditioneler. De opvolger is zeker een pak gedurfder, wat elektronischer, frivoler en speelser (met dank aan JMX ongetwijfeld), hier en daar wat gevoeliger. Ander verschilpunt is dat nummer 2 zeker hit-gevoeliger materiaal bevat, net iets catchier, evenwel zonder aan eigenheid en (vooral) eigengereidheid in te boeten. Gevolg: meer airplay (in de piekuren dus). Zodat ik ze kon leren kennen…

A threesome of music, joy and entertainment (3)

2009 drove me to an artist that did not appeal to me AT ALL, but managed to put out a single that made me wanna buy his album.

(3) Entertainment

The single was Last Of The English Roses and the album is Grace/Wastelands. Who suspected a romantic soul behind the tough mask of Peter Doherty? That he was able to transform convincingly (at least musically) from loose celeb and daredevil to gentle… gentleman? A soft-voiced crooner, who makes ’sophisticated’ sound like British again? A bit retro too.

I love the artwork. Sensuality. A lost love. A young woman in delited despair, waiting for a boy to kill her, 25 and still alive? Maybe it will do to break her heart? Or just wait, for a new love to… grow on a tree.

I don’t care what the part of Stephen Street of Graham Coxon was in (co?)writing, producing or other guidance. This is a darn good album.

A threesome of music, joy and entertainment (2)

Now here’s a 2009 record that was a pleasant surprise for me.

(2) Joy

She’s angelic, demonish, elf-ish, poetic, soft and brutal. Adorable. She sings, whispers, cries, howls and rips your heart out. Artist. She (mrs. Natasha Khan) creates music that’s not heavy in itself yet very outspoken. Feathers and fur. The most varied rhythms, instruments and vocal hooks are mixed into an overwhelming sound, a mindblowing trip between a rock and Two Suns.

Get carried away on the wings of joy of this breathtaking medieval electrobabe, this newborn fairy of piano magic. Get hit by Bat For Lashes. The dream you dreamt hoping you were Daniel. Seductively carressed.

But I can’t stop thinking of the late Lunascape. It was probably less eclectic, more electronic and ambient, but still…

A threesome of music, joy and entertainment (1)

2009 has already seen the release of various lovely works of music (check out previous notes). A certain threesome however has not yet been given the attention they deserve (shame on me!).

(1) Music

All The Plans by Starsailor combines the best of their 3 previous records (musically and lyrically), and more…

There are the softer acoustic sounds, the great melodies -let’s dance-, some heavier guitars/emotions and on top of it the very distinct vocals. The touch of electronic, subtle backing vocals and lots more of tasteful sound bites complete this extremely well balanced and inspiring record.

Soon I regretted not having bought the edition with the acoustic extension. But, hey, that’s what iTunes is for… Will love the guys forever for assuring me that luckily I don’t have his eyes…

Zij snijdt mij… in Stukken Van Mensen

Soms mag je ‘t niet forceren. Ik denk daarbij aan Mira en mij. Stilletjes groeiden we naar elkaar toe. 1 Liedje op de radio. 2 Liedjes op de radio. 30 Seconden voorbeluisteringen op iTunes.

Toen kocht ik haar en sneed zij mij… in Stukken Van Mensen. Met haar snedige taal in heldere, zeldzaam natuurlijke en sexy Vlaams(ch)e klanken.

Ondanks de mooie, verstilde passages -gebracht met sensuele stem- onderscheidt* Mira zich vooral met de meer nerveuze (neurotische?) songs en in licht absurdistische sferen badende teksten. Maar ook: een dik compliment voor de speels-experimentele arrangementen.

Die snijdende blik op de hoes maakt mij niet uit, want ik heb mijn hart aan haar verloren, op één of andere planeet. Ik mag echt niet klagen.

*Niet te vergelijken, maar toch even verwijzen naar die andere straffe madam, annex zingzangliedjesschrijfster met volstrekt eigen stemgeluid en avontuurlijke arrangementen Eva De Roovere (ook levend).

Talking about Sea and Power

One of my favourite indie bands is British Sea Power, so I wholeheartedly shouted “Yes” when they asked me Do You Like Rock Music?

And now, kind of suprisingly, they’ve composed a soundtrack to the 1934 documentary Man Of Aran, by Robert Flaherty, showing the harsh life at those Irish islands (off the west coast). So not only did I want to get their CD, but also have a look at this movie. And what an impressive experience it turned out to be.

The power of the sea, its overwhelming might, through this black on white eye. No hiding here (we’re all in this together). All to get the boat on shore. Get wet now, will you. We definitely should fix that hole. Look for sand in the crevices. Spread it on the sea weed. Grow potatoes. Lessons for youngsters: how to catch a crab so you can catch a fish. But leave the shark hunt to the grown ups. We need oil for lamps.

And what a fine craft is shown. Camera positions, framing, the imagery and its editing, the stills, the shadows, capturing the enormous splashes.

I was highly impressed by both the movie and the (new) soundtrack. Both are so powerful and completely take you onto the rocks and the sea of Aran. These are the kind of surprises you love BSP for. Feel the shivers when you hear how the theme from the song True Adventures (from Open Season) gently comes back again in… It Comes Back Again.
Let’s call them Irish Sea Power (for now).

Straight from Ireland and very untrue

As a huge fan of An Emotional Fish (a follower from ‘Celebrate’ -still mad about it- and their debut -strong pop-, to ‘Junk Puppets’ -rock it, baby- to ‘Sloper’ -sort of folk-pop’ish-) I was oh so excited in 2002 to find out that leadsinger Gerard Whelan had returned to the planet of music as Jerry Fish and assembled the Mudbug Club to help him out. So I got their CD Be Yourself to hear a detached, relaxed sound with jazzy lounge music full of positive vibes. And I was really happy to see that mr. Fish collaborated with his former emotional co-species. Of course I couldn’t resist buying the 3 EP’s from the CD as well. 2004 saw the release of the live CD/DVD “Live at the Spiegeltent” that both perfectly capture the joy of playing and performing. But then… silence.

UPTO NOW… as them Mudbuggers are back with the beautiful The Beautiful Untrue. I had to go upto the source to get it (shame on local and internet stores!), but that resulted in a signed copy (thanks, Jerry!).

True they remained to the essential approach as described. But it’s even more refined and some distinct female voices bring something… ecstatic.

It builds on the finest tradition of romantic crooning. But don’t forget to add some latin influences. Sometimes it leans more towards whispering, sometimes towards weird cabaret, Gavin Friday-style (he’s Irish as well and I’m a fan as well). A deep, dark voice, clear trumpets and horns, a well-placed touch of guitar makes some great late night movie lounge atmosphere on a little glittering disk.

Check out some videos (new & old). Look at the (sometimes shy?) rock star. Do I see a future crooner behind those eyes?

Left.Free.Right.Music.Left.Right.Right.Now.Left

A while ago I bought some new music around the corner, including Viva La Vida (or Death and All His Friends) by Coldplay. By the end of the year (i.e. 2008) my jury even put their Prospekt’s March on top of the pack.

And now the guys kindly give away the live album LeftRightLeftRightLeft (for free, yes).

Go get it, tiger.

What colours to paint your horrors in?

Luckily, The Horrors themselves use a lot more than just Primary Colours on the album of that name. Maybe lyrically ‘horrors‘ is too much translated into (only) the loss of love, the dark side of romance. But overall they do create a genuine and wonderful mix of dark vocals, happy vocals, distorted guitars, detuned guitars, fuzzy synths.

Warning! Following references serve only to paint a picture without having heard the band (though I doubt whether that’s possible). The opening tracks remind vocally of Interpol’s debut. Guitars are fuzzy in the best My Bloody Valentine tradition. Some songs excitingly drag along like only The Swans could. I will not mention Joy Division.

Tonight: dubbed in Blood: FF

Franz Ferdinand’s Tonight: music2dance2. Perfect tunes to seduce those pretty girls -who don’t understand boys- to… dance. And a little kiss?

The boys fool around. Laugh. Dream. Create super sound moves. Don’t be afraid if you hear their voices. Plunge into the unbearable lightness of dancing. It’s taken to an extreme hyperlucid level on the bonus CD Blood: Thunder. Synths. Echoes. Kinda like some ancient Bauhaus B-sides (In Fear Of Dub, Here’s the Dub, Ear Wax).And what a great job on the visual aspects again. Had some heavy night out (dancing), guys? Now get away you blood sucking paparazzi!