indie rock
The Netherlands might be one of the most underrated countries as far as music is concerned. I often talk about their bands with other people and they just lift their shoulders. Yet, bands like Golden Earring, The Gathering, Shocking Blue, Pestilence and Junkie XL have certainly put their mark on their respective genres. Besides, let's not to forget Eddie Van Halen, who is still regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. There is a massive amount of talent in The Netherlands, with many artists exploring the boundaries of genres, finding unique ways to express themselves and paying tribute to the wonderful world that music really is.
Mummy's A Tree resides in Nijmegen. The band was formed back in 1996 by Stefan van den Berg in order to cope with his mother's early passing. Inspired not only by this tragedy but also by the 'Jesus Christ Superstar' musical and Beatles albums, van den Berg started composing his own songs. On his first concert he tells people that his guitar is made from a graveyard tree. More concerts and three albums followed. 'Strange Darling', 'Loft Music for Millions yet Unaware' and 'Cadmium' each came with a different line-up and a different musical vision. Now, 'Goodbye Stratosphere' has been released. For this album, Stefan invited Martin Luiten (guitars), Rick Weren (bass) and Imre Elzer (drums).
The album opens with 'A Little Lightness' which immediately showcases the emotional yet experimental nature of the music. In a way, the music follows a path similar to artists like The Beatles, David Bowie and Pink Floyd but van den Berg is not afraid to deviate from that path and get lost in the woods. 'Oak Tree Yard' is a quite strange but mostly fascinating song, borrowing from psychedelic rock and Americana. It has a very narrative nature, a gloomy overtone but still something playful. The gritty but immersive ballad 'Heaven Is A Game' is one of my favorite tracks here. Here, hints of grunge rock seem to appear, coated in an emotional singer-songwriter jacket. There must be at least on Buckley album in van den Berg's collection.
Now, there are some big names in this review and I have to say that Mummy's A Tree didn't borrow their easy-listening capacities. Most of the songs have an experimental nature, which needs more than one quick listen to be fully appreciated. That obviously doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the excellent guitar work in '1000 Years', not at all. It just means that this album needs to be explored, needs to grow on the listener. It will demand your full attention. But if you are a sucker for deeply emotional music, songs like 'I'm Going Down' and 'Pyjamas & Snow Boots' are definite must-hears. This is all excellent indie rock, laced with old school psychedelic pop, recommended for everybody who like his music a tiny bit different.
Serge
Mummy's A Tree resides in Nijmegen. The band was formed back in 1996 by Stefan van den Berg in order to cope with his mother's early passing. Inspired not only by this tragedy but also by the 'Jesus Christ Superstar' musical and Beatles albums, van den Berg started composing his own songs. On his first concert he tells people that his guitar is made from a graveyard tree. More concerts and three albums followed. 'Strange Darling', 'Loft Music for Millions yet Unaware' and 'Cadmium' each came with a different line-up and a different musical vision. Now, 'Goodbye Stratosphere' has been released. For this album, Stefan invited Martin Luiten (guitars), Rick Weren (bass) and Imre Elzer (drums).
The album opens with 'A Little Lightness' which immediately showcases the emotional yet experimental nature of the music. In a way, the music follows a path similar to artists like The Beatles, David Bowie and Pink Floyd but van den Berg is not afraid to deviate from that path and get lost in the woods. 'Oak Tree Yard' is a quite strange but mostly fascinating song, borrowing from psychedelic rock and Americana. It has a very narrative nature, a gloomy overtone but still something playful. The gritty but immersive ballad 'Heaven Is A Game' is one of my favorite tracks here. Here, hints of grunge rock seem to appear, coated in an emotional singer-songwriter jacket. There must be at least on Buckley album in van den Berg's collection.
Now, there are some big names in this review and I have to say that Mummy's A Tree didn't borrow their easy-listening capacities. Most of the songs have an experimental nature, which needs more than one quick listen to be fully appreciated. That obviously doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the excellent guitar work in '1000 Years', not at all. It just means that this album needs to be explored, needs to grow on the listener. It will demand your full attention. But if you are a sucker for deeply emotional music, songs like 'I'm Going Down' and 'Pyjamas & Snow Boots' are definite must-hears. This is all excellent indie rock, laced with old school psychedelic pop, recommended for everybody who like his music a tiny bit different.
Serge
