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Album of the month : November 1999

 

 

Daryll-Ann ( NL) : " Happy Traum "

( Excelsior )

 

THE PERFECT POP SONG !!! It's a long long time since it was last heard ( God only knows , The Beach Boys, 1966 ). Fortunately, there is still people fool enough to act as if nothing ever happened and keep on searching for their own philosopher's stone. Amsterdam based DARYLL-ANN are of this precious kind, and never before had they got closer to their aim than on this 3rd album, by far their most coherent and best to date.

Drawing their sap from 60's/ early 70's roots (The Beatles - More Macca and Harrison than Lennon - and The Beach Boys of course, but also Simon & Garfunkel, Gene Clark, Badfinger, Stealers Wheel...), they succeed in building up a peculiar sound, lovingly reminiscent of the past yet utterly personal and contemporary. What is it due to? Perhaps it's the high-perched, alluring voice of singer Jelle Paulusma, or the brilliant lace-knitting guitar work displayed by Anne Soldaat, unless it is the band's ability not to sound overly nostalgic and to maintain an equal distance between reverence and irony. Also, their welcome unpolished approach makes them steer clear from the bland prettiness often inherent in this style of music.

Ultimately, though, nothing here is more important than THE SONGS. What songs !! Beautifully crafted and instantly hummable melodies that come and coil up to your cerebral convolutions as if a special niche had been booked for them. If All by myself is DARYLL-ANN's own Stuck in the middle with you, and Freedom's a gift their Everybody's talking, what can you say of a gem like Ask anyone? A Beatles-style melody ( "Something inside that was always denied..." ) that winds and waves on an elastic bassline à la Angelo Badalamenti while a magic flute adds its gentle trills in the background. Splendid, but not more or less than the 1'52" of The miracle legion (Miracles like this are NOT legion, for sure) or any other track on this outstanding record.

These songs will keep you warm when it's cold outside, and they'll be like a breath of fresh air when the sun gets too hot. Get ready to welcome them as close companions for a very long time.

 

 

EXCELSIOR RECORDINGS:

mailto:jeroen@excelsior.recordings.com

Homepage: http://www.excelsior-recordings.com/

 

www.daryll-ann.nl

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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