Archive for March, 2009
Jasper Erkens’ debut album: The Brightest Story
Posted by JayAre in Albums, Big in Belgium on 30/03/2009
Only 15 years old, Jasper Erkens became second in Humo’s Rock Rally 2008 (the biggest rock concours in Belgium). The singer-songwriter ‘with a bunch of hair‘ impressed the jury with an acoustic cover of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy.
A little more than one year later, Jasper has released his debut album The Brightest Story. The Gnarls Barkley cover that got him so far got so much airplay in Belgium that most people started to think Jasper wouldn’t be able to live up to the expectations. But they were wrong, so wrong. The sky is the limit if you can come up with such a great album at age 16. Just imagine what this little guy from Diest with a guitar will be able to do in a few years…
Tracklisting:
- Everybody is the same
- Waiting like a dog
- Crazy
- The brighter story
- Dear diary
- Elliot
- How could I know
- Pageturner
- Stay alive
- When would you tell
- Needed
The first single is Waiting Like A Dog and after a couple of weeks, Jasper already managed to take first place in Belgium’s popcharts:
Listen to Jasper Erkens on last.fm
And because we still like his Crazy-cover, here it is once again:
Waiting Like A Dog lyrics:
I’ve been waiting like a dog now
and i’ve been waiting to get back on my feet
I’ve been waiting like a dog now
waiting on the ground to get a treei’ve been wainting for hours
thinking back to times that call my name
I’ve been waiting like a dog now
despizing the one that i becameI’ve been waiting like a dog now
weeks will turn into months and months turn into years
every colour is the same now
there’s no black no white there’s only greyi’ve been waiting for hours
still there’s nothing changed
I’ve been waiting like a dog now
gazing at the backdoor once againand i don’t want to wait untill i die
and i know i know i know i know
i know i know i know i know
it takes time
don’t leave me behind
and i’ve been to places and seen many faces
but nothing that could ease my mind
don’t leave me behindI’ve been waiting like a dog now
I’ve been waiting like a dog now
I’ve been waiting like a dog now
I’ve been waiting like a dog nowand i know i know i know i know
i know i know i know i know
it takes time
don’t leave me behind
and i’ve been to places and seen many faces
but nothing that could ease my mind
don’t leave me behinddon’t leave me behind
but ease my mind
don’t leave me behind
but ease my mind
don’t leave me behind
but ease my mindI’ve been waiting like a dog now
Triggerfinger and The Black Box Revelation on The Great Escape
Posted by JayAre in Big in Belgium, Music News on 30/03/2009
Belgian bands Triggerfinger and The Black Box Revelation are performing at The Great Escape in Brighton (UK), one of the most important showcase festivals in Europe.
Both bands are playing on saturday May 16. During the 3-day festival, almost 300 bands perform live in more than 34 clubs. The festival aims at ‘export ready bands’ and reaches some 3.000 music professionals and 10.000 music lovers.
And what does The Great Escape have to say about The Black Box Revelation?
The Black Box Revelation are a totally fresh rock-sensation indeed, but duo Jan & Dries are “old souls” too, with roots in the blues and the sixties. The two friends from Brussels started playing together as “The Mighty Generators” when they were only 12 and 14 years old, kicked out their bass player, became The Black Box Revelation and have since risen in popularity with the music press adoring their debut album “Set Your Head On Fire”. On stage The Black Box Revelation are a runaway train, combining the best ingredients of idols like Led Zeppelin, The Datsuns, The Rolling Stones, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Stooges and the band follow up their European shows with Eagles of Death Metal with a performance at The Great Escape.
About Triggerfinger:
Triggerfinger hail from Belgium but play a brand of stoner rock that sounds like it was created in the Californian desert with a layer of smoke above their heads. Obvious comparisons can be made to Queens of the Stone Age and the various side projcets that Mr Josh Homme is involved in. After all, singer and guitarist Ruben has an identical earth rumbling growl to Mark Lanegan and that can only be a good thing. For every seductive shuffle that Triggerfinger create there is an accelarating ‘Fear and Loathing’ foot stomper to hypnotise and paralyse. It’s music that is designed to be played live and loud. Very loud.
Loud. Very loud… Rock on!
Try Triggerfinger with Short Term Memory Love:
New album for Ghinzu: Mirror Mirror
Posted by JayAre in Albums, Big in Belgium on 29/03/2009
Tomorrow, March 30th, the guys from Ghinzu release their third album Mirror Mirror. Although they come from Brussels, Belgium, their fame mainly reached France so far. But with the new album, Ghinzu hopes to get some airplay in Belgium as well.
Their music is often compared to Radiohead, but maybe that’s a bridge too far. Think more of a combination of (hard)rock, progrock and electronics. In the french press Ghinzu is often called “le dEUS wallon“, or the dEUS counterpart from the french speaking part of Belgium.
The new album Mirror Mirror is promoted with this rather cool video:
Tracklisting Mirror Mirror:
- Cold Love
- Take It Easy
- Mother Allegra
- Mirror Mirror
- Dream Maker
- The End of the World
- This Light
- This War is Silent
- Je t’Attendrai
- Birds in my Head
- Kill the Surfers
- Interstellar Orgy
Let’s wish them all the luck in the world, and maybe you can see them at this year’s Rock Werchter festival where Ghinzu has a spot in the Pyramid Marquee on sunday.
Enjoy their biggest success so far, Do You Read Me? in an acoustic version:
The Subs arrested in France after wild ride
Posted by JayAre in Big in Belgium, Music News, Music Video on 26/03/2009
For their new My Punk music video, The Subs decided to drive from Belgium to France on mopeds and film the entire trip.
Halfway there, a mad idea crossed their mind and they drove into a shop with their mopeds. Result: The Subs were arrested by the French police and they were obliged to delete the footage. Luckily, they managed to recover everything.
Official reaction:
“We had a great time and we would do it again anytime.”
That’s the spirit!
Game over for El Guapo Stuntteam
Posted by JayAre in Big in Belgium, Music News on 23/03/2009
El Guapo Stuntteam, one of our most favorite and loud live bands, is going to split. After four full albums and more than ten years of El Guapo fun, the Stuntteam members are looking for new challenges and new worlds to conquer (we wish them all the success in the world).
You can still expect a farewell album and one last concert on the 27th of March at Muziekodroom in Hasselt, Belgium.
Enjoy them one last time live at Montreux Jazz 2008:
You might know this one, Back From The Grave:
A Brand new music video: Mad Love Sweet Love
Posted by JayAre in Big in Belgium on 21/03/2009
A few days ago we wrote something about the new A Brand single Mad Love Sweet Love and we were not able to find the clip for it. Well looks like the guys from A Brand have been working hard ever since and now there is A-Brand-new (get it?) video for Mad Love Sweet Love.
In the song/video you might notice the Barry-White-like vocals from Michael Houston. He’s not a member of A Brand, he is a 63 years old street performer in Antwerp and you can often find him on the Meir, one of the biggest shopping streets in Antwerp.
Enjoy:
Lyrics:
You can call me mad dog, sweet dog
You can call me any name
You can call this mad love, sweet love
But don’t leave us astray
Oh no, we believe
This is a love supremeI can call you black cat, white cat
I can call you many names
Oh no, we believe
This is a love supreme
And you’re doing it, you’re doing it
Time and time againYou provoked
Twisted love
As you cast your wills
Upon the world todayMad love, sweet love
You ignore the people’s laughter
You ignore this mad cup slain
You know just what you’re after
Come and get it right away
Oh no, we believe
This is a love supreme
And you’re doing it, you’re doing it
Time and time againYou provoked
Twisted love
As you cast your wills
Upon the world todayMad love, sweet love
I don’t mind you talking dirty
It comes out so unashamed
I don’t mind you talking dirty
It comes out so unashamedMad love, sweet love
Mad love, sweet love
Mad love, sweet love
Mad love, sweet love
And you’re doing it, you’re doing it
Time and time againYou provoked
Twisted love
As you cast your wills
Upon the world todayMad love, sweet love
You provoked
Twisted love
As you cast your wills
Upon the world today