Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 26/02/3016
Label:
Long
Branch Records/SPV
A hightlight of the album is the longer, more epic sounding “Numb”,
which has a huge “Meddle” era Pink Floyd feel to it with a chug reminiscent of
parts of “Echoes”, and organ work not to dissimilar from the great Rick Wright.
Stunnenberg also gets chance to showcase his solo chops on guitar too. “Get
Well”, the penultimate track on the album, also has the same feel. The
sprawling tones from the band, and otherworldly vocal make for some great
psychedelic progressive rock.
“Get Well” CD//DD//LP track listing
01
Blisters (03:28)
02 Meet me at the bottom (04:10)
03 Choose sides (03:33)
04 Numb (06:07)
05 Midnight cruise (04:42)
06 Carabiner (03:01)
07 Those who are awake (04:16)
08 You got me howling (03:31)
09 Get well (08:06)
10 Hands down (04:26)
02 Meet me at the bottom (04:10)
03 Choose sides (03:33)
04 Numb (06:07)
05 Midnight cruise (04:42)
06 Carabiner (03:01)
07 Those who are awake (04:16)
08 You got me howling (03:31)
09 Get well (08:06)
10 Hands down (04:26)
The Review:
Birth Of Joy
are a Dutch trio from Amsterdam who deal in the sounds of psychedelia, firmly
rooted in the 60’s. Think of an influential band from that era and you will
almost certainly get a hint of that here. Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, The
Doors, Led Zeppelin etc could all be namechecked here.
Throughout the album, the organ of Gertjan
Gutman propels the band; whether it be plugging away in the back ground or
taking centre stage. Opening track, “Blisters”,
opens with a simple organ melody before the guitar and drum crash in. “Blisters” is a good name for the opener
as it’s pace is urgent and sets the precedent for a fuzzy trip back in time.
“Meet
Me at the Bottom” slows the pace after the opening.
The rolling bass line moves fluidly with the organ before a quite magnificent
coalescence of all quarters of the band blow the record wide open with a
brilliant mid song riff. This coming together of the band using all their
facets is used expertly on “Choose Sides”
too.
Kevin Stunnenberg’s vocals throughout the album
showcase a wide variety of styles from harsher, gravelly tones to a near
falsetto in parts. Throughout the vocal range, the sight of psychedelia is
never lost. This style is also enhanced by the excellent production on the
album.
A hightlight of the album is the longer, more
epic sounding “Numb”, which has a
huge “Meddle” era Pink Floyd feel to it with a chug reminiscent of parts of “Echoes”, and organ work not to
dissimilar from the great Rick Wright. Stunnenberg also gets chance to showcase
his solo chops on guitar too. “Get Well”,
the penultimate track on the album, also has the same feel. The sprawling tones
from the band, and otherworldly vocal make for some great psychedelic
progressive rock.
Bob Hogenelst makes up the triumvirate on drums.
His work on the single, “Hands Down”,
is splendid. The changes in tempo from the drumroll that opens the track to the
dance infused beat over the chorus are excellent. As the album closer, it is
just as urgent as the opener. Between the beginning and the end, the band
navigate through the best parts of an era that when played well, is
sublime. Any fans of the aforementioned
bands/styles will lap Birth Of Joy’s latest
release up with joy.
“Get
Well”
is available here
