Upcoming reviews:
Dan Bern - Dog Boy Van EP
Ryan Adams - Love & Hell pt. 2
Cell - Slo-Blo
Latest buys/gifts/finds:
Ian Clement - Drawing Daggers
Guy Clark - The Dark
Chemical Brothers - Surrender
AC/DC - Live at River Plate
Cell - Living Room
Upcoming shows:
Mar 21
Apr 1
Apr 15
June 19
Sep 4-5
Oct 22-24
Nov 27
Christian Kjellvander [Breda]
De Staat [Bergen op Zoom]
Ordinary Elephant [Utrecht]
Sorry [Brussels]
Crammerock Festival [Stekene]
Left of the Dial Festival [Rotterdam]
The Veils [Nijmegen]
Recently visited shows:
Mar 14
Mar 10
Feb 27
Jan 31
Dec 29
Dec 27
Nov 23
Oct 31
Oct 23-25
Oct 18
Aug 2
May 30
May 4
Apr 25
Mar 28
Feb 05
Feb 01
Dec 5
Dec 4
Nov 22
Oct 22
Oct 17-19
IST IST, Rude Films
Flip Noorman zingt Shane MacGowan
A.A. Williams, Spotlights
John Coffey, Mood Bored, L.A. Sagne, BUG, Grote Geelstaart, SNAYX, Heavy Lungs [Out of the Ordinary]
Marathon, Heavy Lungs, Eosine
Tim Knol plays Tom Petty
Flip Noorman Animal Farm
Chuck Prophet & his Cumbia Shoes
Bleech 9:3, Cowboy Hunters, Curser, House Arrest, The Empty Threats, Mên an Tol, Van Zon [Left of the Dial]
Ghostwoman
Kaboutertje Putlucht, Micky Nomimono [Totaalfestival]
Soapbox, Dictator, Smudged, Honeyglaze, Basht. [Block Party festival]
Karate
Pixies, The Pale White
Heather Nova
De Mannen Broeders
Marathon, Hiqpy, Maria Iskariot, Crackups, Ramkot [Out of the Ordinary]
Het Zesde Metaal, Dressed Like Boys
The Southern River Band, Us
Johan, FIEP
Crowded House, Liam Finn
Famous, Big Warm Bed, C Turtle, Canned Pineapple, Christian Music, Cloud Cafe, Crackups, Heavy Lungs, Hyper Gal, Man of Moon, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Meryl Streek, Miss Tiny, Nerves, Samuel Nicholson, The Orchestra (for Now), Van Houten, Wax Head [Left of the Dial]
List of personal favorites:
Anywhen - The Opiates
Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen
Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
Black Atlantic - Darkling, I Listen
Broken Records - Let Me Come Over
Ane Brun - My Temporary Dive
Deep Purple - Made in Japan
The Frames - The Cost
Kashmir - No Balance Palace
Madrugada - The Deep End
Noir Desir - Des Visages des Figures
Currently reading:
De Beste Muziek Verhalen van 1945 tot Nu samengesteld en ingeleid door Leon Verdonschot
posted [19.03.2026]
released [2001]
[sub]genre: rock
rating:
Comment:
No More Shall We Part and The Boatman's Call had been in my record collection for quite some years and for long I didn't have the courage to listen to them. Nick Cave somehow fulfilled me with fear. "You wanted something darker" my friend Jesper wrote on a post-it he stuck to The Best of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds he sent me. That probably didn't help. And then early 2024 Nick Cave announced a tour. My friend Hugo suggested we should go. Aware of the legendary status of the man and his band, I couldn't let this opportunity pass. As the date was getting closer, Nick Cave released Wild God that received heavy rotation on my favorite Pinguin Radio. The songs grew on me quick and I really got excited about the upcoming gig.
And that excitement got rewarded. Nick Cave proved a storyteller, a preacherman, a black soul selling his gospel. An incredible band featuring Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood on bass - as Bad Seed Martin Casey was absent due to health issues - Warren Ellis was there and a 4p soul back-up. I was amongst die-hard fans, worshippers of his religion. I didn't know a lot of the songs, but it definitely opened the door to finally start listening to these albums that had been screaming for attention for all those years.
In my mind the image of No More Shall We Part is stuck to Nick Cave as if it all began there. But here is some 15 years of music before that. Even the duet with Kylie is. The best of Jesper sent me is covering that period, I will dive in later.
In my humble opinion No More Shall We Part is a very solid album. It's very hard to select your favorite song from. Songs are lyrically multi-layered. Surreal stories that might be partially, but hopefully are not fully autobiographical. Melodies often evolve around small piano or violin earworm snippets. Some songs build up to erupt while others present a warm bath for the battered souls. It's all here. I have selected three songs, but I could've easily chosen differently. No More Shall We Part has become one of our favorites. Thanks Hugo for inviting us for the concert!
As I Sat Sadld by Her Side
And No More Shall We Part
Hallelujah
Love Letter
Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow
God Is in the House
Oh My Lord
Sweetheart Come
The Sorrowful Wife
We Came Along This Road
Gates to the Garden
Darker with the Day
The Beatles
Free as a Bird
posted [26.02.2026]
released [1995]
[sub]genre: pop
rating:
Comment:
It was 1995 when Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr rejoined with the intention to record some background music for the Anthology documentary. Recording new songs as The Beatles was not an option, because they agreed that if one of them was not in the band, the others would never replace him. So without John, who was killed 15 years prior, no new Beatles songs.
However... Paul McCartney then asked if Yoko Ono had any unreleased recordings by John. She came up with two tapes that had a note on them, reading "For Paul". The tapes included unfinished versions of Free as a Bird and Now and Then, the song that - with a little help from AI - would eventually be released as the final Beatles single. For Free as a Bird George Harrison and road manager Neil Aspinall came up with the idea of adding vocals and instrumentation to the demo. Paul took the idea to Yoko and Sean offering them the option to veto the endresult.
Free as a Bird received very mixed reviews from a musical gimmick to exploiting the Beatles brand. But the song also won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance. In 2015 and 2025 both the song and video would have state of the art remixes and reworkings to mark anniversaries that would - yes indeed - shamelessly spotlight (re-)releases.
Free as a Bird
I Saw Her Standing There (The Full Take 9)
This Boy (Eavesdrop)
Christmas Time (Is Here Again)
Johnny Cash
American Recordings IV
The Man Comes Around
posted [15.02.2026]
released [2002]
[sub]genre: Country
rating:
Comment:
The Man Comes Around is the last of the American Recordings that saw the light of day while Johnny Cash still roamed the surface of this earth. A friendship with producer and label owner Rick Rubin that started in the early 90s eventually led to 6 albums of traditionals, originals and a remarkable choice of cover versions. Rick Rubin saw Johnny Cash perform at Bob Dylan's 30th anniversary concert and felt that Johnny Cash was unfairly been writting off by the music industry. Offering Cash a great deal of artistic freedom - something that held him back in the 70s and 80s - won Cash over to start recording again. The Man Comes Around is considered the best of the American Recordings and amongst Cash's finest work.
Johnny Cash seems well aware that his days are numbered. The album opens with The Man Comes Around containing numerous biblical references to judgement day. The last track of the album is Vera Lynn's We'll Meet Again. A final salute from the Cash clan to the one passing on and vice versa. In between Cash is battling his demons on the Nine Inch Nails cover Hurt and telling vivid country and western stories on Give My Love to Rose and Sting's - yes indeed, from the Police - I Hung My Head. He takes us to church on Danny Boy where the bagpipes make place for the church organ and teams up with Nick Cave to pay homage to country greatest Hank Williams on I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry to break a(nother) heart on Tear Stained Letter. As if he's saying: "that album sums my life up quite nicely."
There are an awefull lot of highlights on this record, but for me it is definitely Bridge over Troubled Water. The counter melodies sung by Fiona Apple are second to none. The upright bass played with the bow that paves way for the gospel choir - that isn't actually a choir but a collision of instruments - is just splendid. But then again, should I consider Desperado where Don Henley vocals are out of this world and by the way did you know that John Frusciante - yes indeed, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers - wrote the riff on Personal Jesus? And what about the things that Sam Hall says without saying? Too many options...
