Artist: DISARME Who: Franco-Malagasy songstress tackles themes of generation Y (literally ‘why’). Disillusionment, lack of meaning, ideals turned upside down within the margins
of a world always known in crisis
The self-taught artist-musician expresses in this song the yearning for change
in a world that stifles the senses and dreams. Staying true to the music of her
teenage years, she finds her own resonance between the rock of the ’90s/early
2000s and today’s alt-pop-rock.
TUTV: It’s both the mellow progression and shadowy vibe at work here
that turns Change into a sort of chill-out experience of intimacy. Disarme‘s
near-whispering vocals, tranquillizing guitar sparks and the withheld tension
lift this ruminative beauty to an endearing accomplishment. Daydreaming
moments start here.
Last Wednesday, Brooklyn‘s pop-folk dreamers BIG THIEF
played in the beautiful park Rivierenhof in Antwerp, Belgium.
Frontwoman/songwriter Adrienne Lenker, who released her 6th, widely praised solo
LP Bright Future last March, drew all attention with her heartfelt and poignant voice.
The set consisted mostly of new songs, but as it were vintage Big Thief, mixed
emotions musings, they all were received with much approval of the enthusiastic
crowd.
Here’s one of the new ones, titled Taker.
My favourite one of the 90-minute set was Vampire Empire which they
started playing live last year. An acoustic version of the song is on her
new solo album.
A funny thing happened when they ended the show with a steamy newbie named Incomprehensible. When the band returned for 2 encores, they played that song again,
but much slower.
Lenker explained that they wanted it to play it again, but slower, as it should be done, because the first time was too fast on purpose because she needed to pee urgently. Laughter all over the place. To end a magical night in a green surrounding, they
rocked out with Grandmother, also a new piece.
One small negative remark. I was a bit disappointed because BT didn’t perform one
of their most gripping songs ever, Change from their latest album Drag New Warm Mountain I Believe In You which came out two years ago. I’m pretty sure they didn’t
it because they played that ‘Incomprehensible‘ one twice.
Just got my ticket for indie Brooklyn folk band BIG THIEF, fronted by the ravishing Adrianne Lenker. They play in Antwerp, Belgium on 14 August. To get in an early
dreamy mood I’m listening right now to their compelling 2022 LP Dragon New
Warm Mountain I Believe in You.
I hope (I’m pretty sure) these two heart-rending songs will be on the setlist.
They’re ready for a long 2023 tour and shared in advance this call-up
to teachers to bring their students to their show’s soundchecks to learn
them about creativity, music, playing shows, songwriting or whatever the
pupils want to discuss. Looks a good idea, but don’t send the youngsters
away like another brick in the wall, Big Thief.
I saw them myself in Belgium last August, but this version
is way better than the one I witnessed. But hey, you can’t
beat a sign-along audience of 70.000.
Where: KNEBWORTH (UK) Liam‘s massive and biblical concert at the historic
(rock) field confirmed once more that our kid still is
the man for the masses.
Artist: ANIKA Who:: Fascinating Berlin-based artist Annika Henderson who released
her wayward, self-titled solo debut LP in 2010. She also made two
notable LPs with Exploded View. You can stream Obey (2018) and Exploded View (2016) here.
Anika: “It’s a moment caught in time. This album had been planned for a little
while and the circumstances of its inception were quite different to what had been
expected. This colored the album quite significantly. The lyrics were all written there
on the spot. It’s a vomit of emotions, anxieties, empowerment, and of thoughts like,
“How can this go on? How can we go on?”
Key-line: “I think we can change, we all have things
to learn, about ourselves and about each other.”
AllMusic/Heather Phares says: “Change’s artful, heartfelt expressions of frustration
and hope aren’t just perfect for the transformative time in which they appeared, they’re
also an exciting and satisfying reintroduction to Anika the solo artist.”
Full review here. Score: 4/5.
Turn Up The Volume says: I can’t help it but from the first spin on of this most
intriguing longplayer, images of the mysterious Red Room in Twin Peaks popped
up on the screen in my head. The red-blooded color, the uncanny atmosphere, the
chill-out tune in that specific scene (listen below). Anika would fit in there just perfectly.
Her bewitching intonation, her magnetic timbre, her human-mind quest, her jazzy Kraut-pop-esque euphony, all contribute to the scarlet shadows wandering in my mind when listening to Change, again and again.
Artist: ANIKA Who: The musical alias of Berlin-based artist, Annika Henderson.
She released her compelling self-titled solo debut LP back in 2010.
She also made two most impressive longplayers with Exploded View.
You can stream Obey (2018) and Exploded View (2016) here.
New single: CHANGE “I think we can change. We all have things to learn, about
each other, about the world, about ourselves.”
Turn Up The Volume: Anika is a natural-born misfit. She did/does
it always her way with stirring stories, her magnetic voice, and her
drop-dead cool presence. I love Anika for all that. Change will not
change that. Her view on humankind’s future is optimistic, but the
only realistic manner for all of us to survive these troubled times
where racism, sexism, political extremism, and lots of recurring
social problems still hurt our society.
