Deadbeat Passenger – Demo

Deadbeat Passenger – Demo
Self released – 2010
Rock, Blues, Garage, Psychedelics
Rated: ****

After The Bloody Honkies ceased to be and the members went their separate ways, the brothers Mul started their own project called Deadbeat Passenger. It was a short-lived project that garnered serious attention but could not hold on to the magic that was felt during the first sessions with the lovely drummer Danielle van Gaalen and bassist David van Lochem. We are left with a three-track demo and a song that was added to a Dutch collection record. It has a similar sound to the Honkies but with more roots and Americana influences and even has something that usually only Norwegian bands have. Something cold but steamy and something wide, weird and full of air. Driven by fat blues riffs that flusters the gut and excites the blood that courses through your veins the songs put their hooks in you on a first listen. Wild driving music! And since it’s Valentine’s day; let’s profess our love to the lovely Danielle!

Myspace

The Bloody Honkies – The Gospel Of

The Bloody Honkies – The Gospel Of
Sonic Rendezvous – 2007
Rock, Blues, Garage, Psychedelics
Rated: *****

Today we visit one of the albums that started the rise of the Nijmegen, Arnhem and Achterhoek region as the rock center of the Netherlands. Drinking buddies from little villages surrounding Lichtenvoorde found a home in the barn of their guitar player baptizing it as the Magic Barn. Soon their sound developed into something raw and savage. A deeper and soulful version of garage and blues then anything else coming from the Lowlands at that point in time. They called themselves The Bloody Honkies and before dissolving again and starting a string of other bands they were able to release one brilliant album called The Gospel Of. It is an atavistic version of sixties and seventies garage; and with their high energy and wild spirit they never sound as a copy but as their own original version of all that came before. Absolute stunning album!

Myspace

The lady speaks...

Gods Monkey – Room For A Pony

Gods Monkey – Room For A Pony
Self released – 2011
Rock, Alternative, Psychedelics, Stoner
Rated: ***

Eindhoven Rockcity; this used to be a true slogan till the Nijmegen area captured the flag and ran with it. But with bands like Hijos De Mayo, Komatsu and Gods Monkey there is a good reason to assume that the tide might turn. The guys started in 2009 and released their first three-track demo the following year. This garnered enough attention to start recording a full-sized album with the productional help of Peter van Elderen of Peter Pan Speedrock and the illustrious Theo van Rock. (Mostly known from his work with PPS and Rollins Band.) It results in a groovy rock album entitled Room For A Pony that meanders through the stoner landscape just as easily as that of the seventies rock, alternative metal, smoky blues, gritty grunge and contemplating psychedelics. Sometimes it sounds a bit allover the place; but it is never stereotype, and when those places visit Tool, Therapy?, The Cult, Queens Of The Stone Age, Peter Pan Speedrock, Life of Agony and Tin Machine whose complaining?! Not me!

Homepage
(downloadable via their)

Bandcamp

Hijos De Mayo – In Sound Underground

Hijos De Mayo – In Sound Underground
Self released – 2011
Rock, Stoner, Noise, Post
Rated: ****

Before the Eindhoven foursome Hijos De Mayo came to be; the members played in illustrious bands such as Gifkip, GodsChosenDealer, Moral Anxiety, Red King Rising and The Ghouls. It started off as a three-piece instrumental band in 2006 after Gifkip dissolved and during those formative years they released two EP’s. When Boukje added her vocals they released their The 4-Track Tape Adventures EP. So with the adding of vocals and a change in drummers; 2008 became a pivotal year. After which work started on their first full-sized album called In Sound Underground; which was released almost exactly a year ago. With their icy and ominous version of stoner combined with noise and postrock they deliver a perfect soundtrack for the winter months. It has a mysterious atmosphere that is sometimes quenched by a wall of sound or subdued by multi-layered details and accents. And only occasionally put aside for a more cliche take on rock; but overall Hijos De Mayo attempt to make their own blend, a beautiful sauce that goes with almost every kind of dish…

(downloadable via their) Homepage

Navarone – Navarone

Navarone – Navarone
Self released – 2009
Rock
Rated: ***

Navarone was founded in the year of our lord 2008 and is described by themselves as Led Zeppelin taking a ride in Aerosmith's Rock ‘n Rollercoaster while The Black Crowes and Pink Floyd are trying to convince Soundgarden to taste some of their home made psychedelic brew. And they are pretty much right on the money there; as long as they meant for their brew to be a watered down version and that the only reason someone might o/d. or go psycho on it is because of their lack of tolerance for the middle of the road. But with a full-sized album on the horizon we do hope that they will deviate from that path a little and try the muddy left side or gravelly right side; cause there’s enough food for inspiration and thought here. Masterful axe-slingers; superb vocals and wicked drums. So let’s bring a toast to good days in the studio and the devil pushing them in the right direction… Like Tom Delforterie from Radio Blackout did with his version of the Navarone song The Devil's Got A Hold On My Head…

Homepage

Supersonic Megafuckers – Couple of Tunes

Supersonic Megafuckers – Couple of Tunes
Self released – 2005
Rock, Punk, Stoner
Rated: **

Last year we already paid attention to Easy Trigger, which provides easy digestible rock that neighbors that of the simplest Foo Fighters and Queens of The Stone Age tunes. American radio rock with a poppy and punky feel. But before Easy Trigger came to be in 2009 two of the members already played in Trunk and the three-piece Supersonic Megafuckers. The Megafuckers were able to score free studio time in 2005 and came up with a six songs EP called Couple of Tunes. And it’s easy to hear the later Trigger sound in these songs. Their no-nonsense rock tunes with their simplistic punk feel all last for about a minute and a half a piece. The biggest merit of these tracks however is the bit of raw power and energy that manages to seep through the otherwise melodic and facile sound. Simple music with balls…

Myspace

Kate Moss speaks...

Bender speaks...

The Rott-Childs – Riches Will Come Thy Way – A Musical

The Rott-Childs – Riches Will Come Thy Way – A Musical
Rough Trade – 2011
Rock, Punk, Hardcore, Noise, Stoner
Rated: ***

Does everyone still remember El Guapo Stuntteam? One of the best bands to ever sprout from the Belgian soil. A band that gave the definition of rock a new meaning. And from those original six members, two of them are still together. The rest of them are dead, missing in action or institutionalized in either a nuthouse or prison. (Or played or are playing in bands such as Eat Lions, The Sore Losers, Rise And Fall and Vermin Twins.) But the two that have still been able to escape the evil clutches, founded The Rott-Childs in 2009 and released their first full-sized album Riches Will Come Thy Way – A Musical last year. Sticky rock ‘n roll that incorporates the hectic feeling from noise and the baroque madness from Nick Cave bands. Hyperactive chaos rock that does not aim to please but to derange and turn your head upside down. Steamrolling freaks that will pulverize you with their highly inflammable ramshackle rock, punk and noise banded together in a strange and benevolent angularity. These guys will rip the flesh of your bones and feed it to starving lama’s and other beasts with humps. Yes; they are that eccentric…

Homepage

Black Bottle Riot – Black Bottle Riot

Black Bottle Riot – Black Bottle Riot
Suburban – 2011
Rock, Southern, Hard, Blues, Stoner
Rated: ****

It took these guys nearly two years to complete their album; not because they are slow, sluggish or lazy. But because they wanted to experiment and be able to scrap things when they did not work after some time. Their shows contain hard rocking grooves and half-naked cheerleaders and their music developed from more seventies and stoner rock to this… Introducing Nijmegen’s own Black Bottle Riot. On their self-titled record they give us tasty biker tunes hailing from the Deep South and inspired by bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Crowes and Allman Brothers. They’re a tight outfit that convinces with every note and often sound like some long lost American rockband. And where the first few tunes start off a bit wavering; it is the long haul that counts. Like a slow starting truck they hit you hard when they get to full speed and leave you on the ground like some stink infested roadkill. They have a pendant in licks, kicks and dirty guitar tricks. The BBB brings heavy dynamic southern blues that provides the perfect soundtrack for a night filled with bottles full of riot!

Homepage

Ten Page Pilot – Into The Eyes of The Armed

Ten Page Pilot – Into The Eyes of The Armed
Self released – 2011
Rock, Grunge, Stoner
Rated: ****

Last year during the Dutch Courage Month we already announced the fact that the four Limburgian friends of Ten Page Pilot were on the verge of releasing their first full-sized album entitled Into The Eyes Of The Armed. This pure little gem was largely overlooked and has not received the attention it deserved in 2011. For where their EP Circle Lines from 2008 leaned heavily on their roots as Nirvana cover band and lacked a little spirit of their own. Their new record sports that, even more Smashing Pumpkins influences and whole truckload of Dutch spirit. It tells a complex story about mankind and uses a heavy groove, ripping guitars and manic drums to tell their tale. But they also dare to hold back and go for the emotional note and show they know that it has merit to compose a true song. These guys use their full scale of ability in every way or direction their courage takes them. Melodic stoner with massive grunge influences. We have lift off…

Homepage

Dutch Courage Month

Dutch Courage Month

The worst thing about this season is the fact that you can get ill for no apparent reason. The flu is always right there waiting for you to take your breath away and make your body ache. And when you finally recover after a week of sweating and fevering; there is another form of flu waiting to take you on yet another ride for some weird and possibly fascists reason. I hate being sick. Ooh well; but that’s not what I came here to tell you freaks; there is no use in complaining about some illness you can only really just sit out. I am here to tell you all that the second edition of the Dutch Courage Month starts today! Posting bands that have some sort of link to the Lowlands. Incorporating the Flemish against their will into one big country and searching for that one solid gold piece of riffing that you guys out there might not have heard yet. Last year we did this thing for the first time in honor of Insane Riez, his blog and his one-time collections. So it is only right that we continue this year old tradition. Cause you know what they say; everything worth doing, is worth doing right! If it ain’t Dutch, it ain’t much. And good people, drink good beer…