Album of the month :
April 2003
MIAM MONSTER MIAM (B) :
" Forgotten ladies "
( Soundstation )
This is one of 2003's best and biggest surprises so far. Hailing from the area of Liège, Belgium, this pale young man in undertaker's suit had already released two albums, " Cum at the liquid fancy fair" in 1998 and " Hey Tank !" two years later. At the time, his music was like a D.I.Y. collage of surrealistic miniatures, sort of a cross between Syd Barret, Kevin Ayers, Dan Treacy ( TV Personalities), Lou Barlow and other loonies of the same type.
" Forgotten Ladies", his third output, is quite a different affair. On this occasion, Miam Monster Miam ( aka Benjamin Schoos) has got all the time and money he needed to achieve a masterpiece, and he has made good use of them. Never before had his music sounded so carefully thought-out, so rich, and - dare I say the word ? - so mature ... Fans of Miam Monster Miam's former style will certainly be surprised by the unexpected melancholic mood that emerges from most of these new songs. But, as sheer emotion replaces Schoos usual twisted sense of humour, this brings to the album a depth and density none of the previous releases ever approached before.
Recorded live in analogic studios with some of the best folk musicians around, " Forgotten Ladies" beautifully unfolds like an absinthe cloud poured into crystal water. It has the same misty beauty, the same bittersweet taste, and the same addictive qualities. On a mostly acoustic instrumentation ( accordion, harp, strings, woodwinds) and pristine arrangements by Renaud Lhoest ( Venus, Yann Tiersen) and Henri Graetz ( Autour De Lucie), Benjamin Schoos uses a lower voice than usual, with a soft vibrato that puts an extra touch of blue to his subtle melodies. His performance, added to the simple beauty of the words, the lavish yet subdued quality of the arrangements, and a heretofore inimaginable sense of harmony turn " Forgotten Ladies" into a decisive step forward for Miam Monster Miam, now close to artists like The Tindersticks or Louis-Philippe at their most sensible and inspired.
Looking at the altar-boy's face of Benjamin Schoos on the CD booklet, it's hard to believe that such a young man could deliver such a magistral work of classicism and elegance. Whether it's a sincere new turn in Miam Monster Miam's career, or a stunning actor's composition, the fact is that " Forgotten Ladies" already sounds like a timeless classic.
MIAM MONSTER MIAM :
http://www.miammonstermiam.com/
BOOKING: EDDY RIXHON
LABEL :