donderdag 4 oktober 2012

Review in German Wasser Prawda Magazine

 Wasser Prawda
By Nathan Norgel, Bluespfaffe
Joos TVD aus den Niederlanden ist für die „Wasser-Prawda“ ein würdiger Nachfolger des Musikgenies Frank Zappa. Auch auf seinem aktuellen Album „Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy“ liefert die Ein-Mann-Band wieder eine Mixtur aus Jazz-Funk, Pop-Rock und Humor.

Irgendwo gab es mal in einer Kolumne die nicht ganz unernst gemeinte Bemerkung, dass das Leben ohne ein neues Buch von Robert Gernhard wesentlich schwerer zu ertragen ist. Ähnliches könnte man auch über wirklich humorvolle und gleichzeitig intelligente Pop- und Rockmusik schreiben. Und seit Frank Zappa nicht mehr zur Verfügung steht für musikalisch anspruchsvolle und gleichzeitig humorvolle Alben, muss man hier immer aufmerksam Ausschau halten. Joos The Vanished Dutchman hat mich in den letzten Jahren immer wieder überzeugen können. Und wenn „Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy“ mit „Drool All Over You“ loslegt, dann ist klar: Hier ist wieder ein perfektes Party-Album entstanden im heimischen Studio: Funk-Jazz-Grooves, ab und zu ein paar prägnante Gitarrenlinien und Songs, die nicht nur davon singen, Frösche unter Drogen zu setzen sondern auch die ganze Hysterie um Facebook und Konsorten auf die Schippe nehmen oder Balladen um sämtliche Liebesschnulzen zu toppen. Auch die „Occupy“-Bewegung, nervige Freundinnen und andere Themen werden durch den Funk-Mixer gedreht und auf die Tanzfläche geworfen, wo sie sich prächtig machen. Fazit: Unbedingt runterladen und die nächste Tanzparty damit aufmischen! Auch als kostenfreihes Weihnachtsgeschenk ist das Album eine Empfehlung wert.

English

Joos TVD from the Netherlands is the "water-Pravda" a worthy successor to the musical genius Frank Zappa. On his latest album, "The Art Decoy Blue Beard Boy" the one-man band delivers again a mixture of jazz-funk, pop-rock and humor.
Somewhere there was once, in a column that is not entirely flippant remark meant that life without a new book by Robert Gernhard is much harder to bear. The same could also write about really humorous and at the same time intelligent pop and rock music. And since Frank Zappa no longer available for musically satisfying and humorous at the same albums, one must always keep attention on the lookout here. Joos The Vanished Dutchman has in recent years to convince me again and again. And if "type Decoy The Blue Beard Boy" with "Drool All Over You" gets going, it's clear: Here again a perfect party album was created in the home studio: funk-jazz grooves, and occasionally a few incisive guitar lines and songs who sing not only on frogs to drug taking but also all the hysteria, Facebook and the likes to make fun or love ballads to beat at all schmaltzy. The "Occupy" movement, annoying friends and other topics will be rotated by the radio mixer and thrown onto the floor, where they do splendidly. Conclusion: Be sure to download and shake up the next dance party with it! Even as kostenfreihes Christmas album is worth a recommendation.


vrijdag 28 september 2012

Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy: what proces? Progress!

Finally it's out there...now....got a second...?
Just like last year's record I´d like to fill you in with some details about the new one.
Well, the albumtitle came as a quick surprise: it was the flow and combination of the words.
The proces of songwriting goes on, even now, but it's just like a painting, you have to stop in time and say: it's finished. There has been a drastic change in the recording proces though. And some unexpected guests dropped in that have lead to spontanious combustions....
First, I had to profess myself with some new interface (Pro Tools) which had a positive influence on the process. Had a lot of fun with a whole new perspective on how to arrange the songs. Hey, only smooth recording here, no tape knots with too much hiss on it!
I play everything except for some organic samples, like woodwinds, strings, a few basslines and drums (although I can handle a stick I have got a "high" standard in my head for that). As long as the organic, human feel shines through. For example, my son Sam plays bass- his recording debut- on song 2, only for a few bars (to keep it "simple"), so I could use his funky slapping all the way through the song.
On another one-take session, my old pal Wijnand Brant (WB) improvised solo acoustic guitar on song 19 intensively along my moody piano instrumental, so I had a lot of various melodies to choose from. Only some didn´fit in or didn't gel, so I used the cut/paste method (sort of had to rebuild his lines as I do with other samples) to find a new structure. With his feedback I changed some parts. On song 11 I also used his picking from that session.
What makes this process always so furstrating are the details I often seem to struggle with. Mostly on the vocal (come on, a little more self-confidence TVD!) and the lyrical side. I ain't a perfect pitched studio-singer. "Give it all in one-take" does it for me. The intensity is there. And, no auto-tune for me! So there are always the little rough parts I have to correct, with the right feel in mind. Work on it!
Another slowburner are the words: they-not-always-come-easy. A first spontanious one-liner does the trick mostly, but it can take ages before words blend when I put them on a melody. Let alone, without being too pretentious, preachy or self-important. Work on it!
Aaaaarrrrggggh....
I 'm aware I´m not a live band, I just use the studio as a tool to make the songs work just as I have envisioned them in my mind. Basically it´s guitar or piano I work on and if I´ve got  a song worked out (a lot of repetition helps).
Pro Tools helps me out to do this all in a very flexible way. I guess many hermit studio- musicians recognize the things I do.
I don't care if It fits in a market, that's the exploitation side of milking out a blind cow. The market changes fast. As I write this, a huge merging is happening between Universal and EMI. I wonder who will have the power and monopoly over creativity. A more honest equal divided pay-system in the near future would be welcome(!)
To me, music is about emotion, freedom. To spread this around the world in a few clicks, is satisfying enough for me, because of the worldwide access. More people can listen. I thank them for that and for their patience to wait for this one. It is streamready (spotify) and you can even buy it! (iTunes, etc), just try out the widgets! Soon you can grab those new soundbytes on the right (scroll to "Grabbelton"). There's a lite version I saw somewhere by the way...You can support me by streaming the stuff (soon on spotify I hope). It's that easy...

Hey, but don't be a stranger, if this music means something to you.....I'd like to know.
You can give reviews on Jamendo, facebook or up here. It means a lot, more than a golden ticket....
Next up: the songguide, the moodswings

donderdag 20 september 2012

vrijdag 14 september 2012

Delay....

Just got a message from Routenote. There's a slight delay "it may have run into some problems at itunes". Wow, I hope they know what they are doing up there at iTunes. I did not use any foul or disturbing language on the album, as far as I know or did I?
You CAN find me at Amazon btw, uncensored:
 Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy
Hang in there folks...

maandag 3 september 2012

Teaser 3: When The Gutter Looks Up

Another preview from the new album "Art Decoy the Bluebeard Boy" to stimulate the mind.

                                      
                                   And a fourth teaser? Nope, teased you enough...

maandag 27 augustus 2012

Teaser 2: Bet That You Feel Better

Just a little snippet (to tease you) from the new album "Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy".
On Bas: Sam, my son. Hey hey, what a funky boy....


                                                        There is a teaser 3!

donderdag 23 augustus 2012

U wanna hear some, mmm? Teaser 1: Toy Tornado

Although I'm not a videoartist (that's why the short version), I know there are a lot of Youtube fettists out there. To stimulate their senses. So let's relax now, enjoy one of the turbulent instrumentals (yep, no voice here):

"Toy Tornado" (edited version from the new album for 2012 "Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy")

 

And yes, there will be a teaser 2!

woensdag 22 augustus 2012

Waiting.....

The album is  in the distribution hands of RouteNote, it's in "Pending Moderation". Waiting to be approved so to speak (maybe 20 songs is too much to handle), so it's still not clear when you'll be able to hear it on Spotify for example. Check anyway, you'll never know. Guess I'll have to knock on RouteNote's doors then. But.... this week I'll fill your head with a few (!) teasers from the album. So when it's officially released, I'll come outside..... so patience.