On Stage: The Melvins @ Paradiso

It's been over thirty years ago that The Melvins formed and for most of that time guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover formed the core of that band. They have been a strong influence on the development of grunge music and they play a mix of punk, metal and hardrock themselves. I can vaguely remember that I've seen them play about twenty years ago or so. It's about time that I get reacquainted to this unique band.

The Melvins at Paradiso Amsterdam, June 6 2016

Osborne is changing slowly into a cartoon character with his wild hair and dressed in some sort of psychedelic dress. However it is characteristic for the band that never made any concessions and are always going their own way. This becomes clear tonight where they play a big variety of songs, going from punk to sludge and doom metal, classic and glam rock and back. Bass player Steven Shane McDonald completes the line-up, where he also appears on the latest record Basses Loaded that features every past member focusing specifically on the bassists. He's a good addition to the other two and it's great to see him play in his usual fashion, totally submerged into the music and very active on stage.

It's remarkable how eager and inspired this band still sounds and looks after all these years. Osborne is walking around like a caged tiger playing his heavy riffs and explosive solo's while Crover is hitting his drums with great force but at the same time with great precision and suppleness. He is playing some great grooves that form a solid base for the other two. There isn't much interaction with the crowd but this band can let the music do the talking.

The setlist is very varied and unruly, largely ignoring the two albums that came out this year, where Three Men and a Baby (with Mike Kunka as Mike & The Melvins) took fifteen years to finish. Plenty of covers make it into the set including a vicious 'Halo of Flies', the epic Alice Cooper song. The three seem to have thought their setlist through, since it seems they are not randomly mixing styles but are actually balancing it out. And they keep the best for last when the last couple of songs are heavy rockers with plenty of fireworks for all three. This band doesn't do the obligatory encores but ends the night with their version of 'Take Me Out To The Ball Game'. The Melvins prove they are still a one of a kind band that still has plenty to offer after all these years.



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Setlist:
01. Eye Flys
02. Deuce (KISS cover)
03. Queen
04. The Kicking Machine
05. National Hamster
06. Magic Pig Detective
07. With Yo' Heart, Not Yo' Hands (Malfunkshun cover)
08. Leech (Green River cover)
09. Frosted Flake (Redd Kross cover)
10. Euthanasia
11. Mr. Rip Off
12. Halo of Flies (Alice Cooper cover)
13. Sesame Street Meat
14. The Water Glass
15. Onions Make the Milk Taste Bad
16. The Bloated Pope (Melvins & Lustmord cover)
17. A Growing Disgust
18. The Decay of Lying
19. Revolve
20. Night Goat
21. Take Me Out to the Ball Game


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On Stage: White Lung @ Paradiso Tolhuistuin

Canadian punk rockers White Lung have a lot going for them: earlier albums were well received and their new album Paradise may even be a game changer for them and a turning point. Their punk songs with a pop edge seems to go down well and people are starting to pick up on the band. Time to go check them out.



White Lung at Paradiso Tolhuistuin Amsterdam, June 2 2016

The band is bringing another band from Canada as support, shoegazers No Joy. By the time I arrive at the venue they have already started and I'm greeted by very loud guitars drenched in effects. But despite the volume No Joy knows how to balance it well and come up with some good melodies and vocals by singer Jasamine White-Gluz. Not a bad way to start the night.

Without further introduction White Lung start their set. The band shifts into gear right away and fire up one catchy punk sing after another. But it's like they get stuck into that gear for the whole night. All songs seem to be in the same tempo and sound alike a lot. Of course this not uncommon for punk music but White Lung also doesn't look like an energetic punk band either and actually come across as uninspired.

On top of that, the sound they have down so well on the new album is completely absent and what's left doesn't sound very convincing. Singer Mish Way seems to go through her rock poses on routine and stares into the darkness somewhat blasé. There's hardly any interaction with the crowd and it's obvious the people are far from fired up. As sudden as they appeared on stage they leave as well after the last song.

Maybe this simply wasn't their night, or they were tired or had an off day, but to be fair this was quite disappointing. I'll be spinning the record again an hope to catch them maybe again on a good day.



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Spinning: Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

You must have been living under a rock if the news about Radiohead's new album A Moon Shaped Pool didn't reach you. An immense buzz surrounded the rumours about new music and when it was finally announced together with a tour, the internet exploded. Now you can even get a bit tired of all the Radiohead news when music news sources seem to bring you every small detail as headline. Of course all critics wanted to get their reviews out fast and couldn't stop raving about the new LP. So is it really that good?

With this band you know that they are probably the most favourite group of the whole alternative music scene, if that is a thing, and can make you a bit sceptic. Noel Gallagher said: "If Thom Yorke fucking shit into a light bulb...it'd get 9/10" and it seems that's not too far from the truth. But when you listen to the new record, you know he didn't shit in a light bulb at all, since it's stuffed with wonderful music.

All the critics are simply right this time. Right from the start with album opener 'Burn The Witch' you kind of know they did it again and delivered a master piece. The lush strings that we hear in it are the common thread running through the album. In general the arrangements are simply beautiful and well thought through. Every song gets exactly what it needs. The guitar and stylish drums in 'Present Tense', the piano and strings in the sad 'Glass Eyes', it's all spot on.

Like 'Burn The Witch', some songs did already pop up years before and simply took a long time to finish. The band played 'Ful Stop' before and now made it onto the record with it's buzzing bass. And all the time there's the fragile voice of Thom Yorke, creating this scenic slightly melancholic world like on 'Daydreaming'. 'The Numbers' may be one of the best songs Radiohead ever came up with. It starts with weird noises and a ringing piano slowly unfolding itself, where halfway the strings kick in until it ends the way it started.

Mostly the record has a melancholic feel to it with some sad moments. It ends this way as well with 'True Love Waits' which is a dark sad song built around piano sounds. People that once loved Radiohead but couldn't follow the direction leaving their rock sound behind, will not really like this album either. But for anyone that can appreciate anything they did from OK Computer and Kid A on, it is possibly their best one since those two illustrious predecessors. Once you start listening you can't stop and it has ended before you know it...so you start playing it again.



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