Bouwvakker says: ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Although the production isn't that friendly to our environment...

Lately we like to listen to:

- Bill Callahan: "Sometimes I wish we were an eagle" This is the best we heard in a long time, from him but also in general. Bouwvakker really digs this record in every sense; humor, intense, great sounds.

- The Hand "Berries from the Rubble "
When we first meet The Hand in Italy on the musica nelle valli festival 2009 we were very impressed and so was our daugther Uma. We directly said they should come over to Winsum and do a show, they just did. We love their intimate music, Kora, banjo, guitars, harmonic vocals. Wow!

- Ichi "mono" / "fly hoop inverness"
At that same festival Ichi (touring with The Hand) amazed us with a very impressive live performance. The kids love to dance on this music at home, that means something nowadays! Ichi just played in Winsum as well and we can just say one thing: Ichi rules on stage!

- Alela Diane "to be still"
Already for more than a year Alela Diane put a spell on us! This woman can sing and write songs. We love to wake up with her music. it's one of the best things we saw in 2009, music which a lot of people will like, we think. Quiet folky songs played with a full band. Inspiring!

- Alela & Alina "st"
This is Alela and Alina, the girl doing 'backing' vocals in her band. Actually she does just as many vocals as Alela. Their voices together sound like angels cuddling you to a deep sleep.

- Bob Corn "From the wooden floor "
In february we did a show for Tizio in Groningen, together with Ham Radio. He's still amazing. His new cd (6 songs) contains contributions by Larry Yes and his crew and the Callers which we toured with in 2009. Cool cd.

- Systems officer "underslept"
We still love pinback and armistead his stuff. It was long since systems officer delivered her first egg and this the second one. More diverse, it's even possible to dance to this one. Great music, warm, melodic and intelligent.

- Damien Jurado "Saint Barlett "
Exciting new stuff from the man himself! Delivering a sixty sound with huge delays on vocals, drumpaterns and a sense of hitmaking! We dig this again!

- Rachael Dadd "Moth in the motor"
This is Rachael from The Hand. Very good solo 10"record. We can hear references such as Sufjan Stevens and Tory Amos but very personal, very Rachael. Love this! Beautiful artwork, again!

- Oldseed "The terror"
Cpt. badass first show was with this fucker from Canada. Man, he delivers intense stuff playing live. We especially love the first song on this 10", released with a little help from Wot NXT!

- Fleet Foxes "Fleet foxes"
Fleet foxes are hip! They are a bunch of hippies with a very distinct beach boys sound but oh, it works out so good. At first we couldn't get into it, it took a while. But now we love it.

- Bon Iver "For Emma, forever ago"/ "bloodbank EP"
Bon Iver is hip as well. Listening to it, the vocals reminded us very much of TV on the Radio. In an acoustic way! This was our summer 2009 music. And still we cannot get enough of it.

- Jose Gonzalez "in our nature" / "veneer"
Jose Gonzalez. Another guy who was hyped especially through his contribution to the sony commercial with the coloured balls. He's got an own sound, accoustic and warm. Sometimes a bit like the Kings of Convenience. Veneer is an old cd of him, good, but in our nature is much better.

- Andy Skellam "Molten Sea"
Andy came along as a surprise act with the hand. He's got a great, dark voice and sublime guitarpicking. Listening to his music he must dig Smog or other work of Bill Callahan.

- Maldives "Listen to the thunder"
A large band (a lot of people) playing countryfolk in the way Magnolia Electric Co. does. Good stuff.

- Comaneci "you a lie"
When Franscesca Comaneci came over in october 2009 to play on the last MFTD show we already knew her since she booked a show for us in Ravenna, Italy earlier that year. She's got a strong, warm voice. Maybe a bit like Hope Sandoval from Mazzy Star. And a bit jazzy like Callers do.

- Wig Smith "A means of escape through the hedge "
Wig (actually Will Smith... but who wants to be called Will Smith....) is the other part of The Hand, also doing having a solo career on the side. And it's very good! Strong songs! Love it!

- My bubba and mi" "st"
Three sweet girls from Danmark making bitter sweet songs

- Iron and Wine "the creek drank the craddle"
Old but very intense. Love this Graig!

- Silver mt. Zion "Kollaps Tradixionales"
A new record of the Silver mt Zion orchestra and tralala band! More harsh, more songstructured, great!

Good stuff From old playlists:

- Damien Jurado: "Caught in the trees"
Great record, more pop than ever, good songs. Have listened to it a little too much now.

- Tiny Vipers: Hands across the void"
Nice moody folk songs, a bit like a quiet Scout Niblett

- Callers: Just myspace 'till this far but sounds great and warm.

- Magnolia Electric Company/ Jason Molina: "Sojourner" boxset. Wow, music for hours and hours of listening! Especially the Nashville Moon is spinning around in the CD player. On CD only...

- Pinback: "Autumn of the seraphs" Superband, always great stuff, warm en good sounding pop. A pity about the terrible gothic artwork though.

- Scout Niblett: "This fool can die now" Especially good because Will Oldham has contributed to some of the songs. Scout Niblett is like Kate Bush, Tori Amos and PJ Harvey in one. Great voice, especially when she gets into the song.

- Bob Corn: "we don't need the outside" MFTD will be the tourpartner of this great Italian sing/songwriter. Sometimes like Smog? Honest and creative with full beard!

- David Bazan "Fewer Moving Parts" Great and more positive? as usual... Also check out his new 'band' headphones!

- Richmond Fontaine: $87 and a guilty conscience that gets worse the longer I go" Nice stuff, melodic and warm sounding country pop for the mellow mooded.

- Mice Parade "Mice Parade". This selftitled 12" is continueing the path Adam Pierce went on after "Obrigado Sausade". "Bem Vinda Vontade" of two years ago already had more vocal parts and this time Adam and other vocalists (Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab and again Kristin Anna Valtysdottir of Mum) add an easy listening feel to Mice Parade's mindblowing drum-orientated music. Expect complex experiment with a wonderful touch of naive melody. So great! Don't doubt to check out his other releases or any of the releases on Adam Pierce his Bubblecore label.

- Unsane "Visqueen". Something totally different than the review above but not so different when you look at the musical progress of Unsane. This is definitely better and more dirty (as we want Unsane to sound!) than their "Blood Run"of some years ago. This is rock with good production but still a very dirty and mean feel to it. Back to "Total Destruction" next time?

- Glos "Harmonium". This Richmond band is almost too poppy and mainstream for the bouwvakkers but some of the songs on this record are actually quite good.

- The National "Boxer". This band has a lot of different sounds. Sometimes you think you are listening to a Lambchop record, at other times its like the Cakekitchen, twisty poppy like Modest Mouse or Electric President. Reminds me of modest mouse at times. This is band is hyped around the globe so handle this with care... Hypes are mostly explosive balloons filled with fake air. Anyway, this record has good things in it and less interesting things.

- Fridge "The Sun". Fridge isn't a really popular band. What they do is difficult, combining a band with experimental electronics. Most of the times this is a recipe for bad music. We can all sum up the examples. I have followed Fridge throughout the years and it got a little quiet around them, probably mainly because Kieran Hebden (yes, Mr Four Tet) is a busy with Steve Reid or Four Tet remixes. There was a time that I digged Four Tet ( for "Dialogue", "Pause" and especially for "Rounds", nowdays he cannot really grab me by the throat as he used to do. The same things happens with Fridge sometimes although I really can appreciate this record for its experiment and the nice sounds used, as I did "Happiness" and "EPH".

- Bill Callahan "Woke on a whaleheart" Smog's Bill Callahan solo again back to his to better times? After some "Ok ...mmm" records this one is going in the direction of older Smog stuff. And we dig that!

- Shellac "Excellent Italian Greyhound". Again repetitive heavy rhythms and biting guitars. Shelac as usual. Nothing new actually but that doesn't matter although I miss the strong songstructures of "At Action Park".

- Low "Drums and guns". Another LP from the master of slowcore. Although they have been around for some times they always manage to put a different tone to their typical sound. This quite radical as well! the most startling thing about Drums and guns is that all the vocals (and sometimes the melodies) are hard panned to the right channel. This is an album that sounds totally dislocated from life itself and that's probably exacly what the band tried to achieve this time...

- Rob Crow "Living well". Frontman of one of my favourite bands Pinback has/had a lot of other projects/ bands at the side. Now he chose to stay home and record his own songs in his own warm sound. Poppy all the way and very Pinback at times. We can see him with his kid pictured on the insidesleeve and we can hear babysounds through some songs. The songs are like you are taking a warm bath. Don't be fooled by the metallook and the heavy beard...

-Gantz - "La Chambre des morts". Unfortunately Gantz has split up. I have been fortunate to see them a couple of times and played a show with them in Paris once. Gantz was a band from Besançon and was intense and full of emotions. This is their last testament. More postrock than ever! Also check out their older stuff which is emocore all the way, french style of course.

- Damien Jurado "And now that I'm in your shadow". Damien Jurado never dissapoints his listeners. Again a great record. Less rocking as the previous "on my way to absence". It is as he is returning to "where shall thou take me". Marvelous music. I hope he will come around once again in 2007.

- Dyse "houthakkertje" 7" I've played with these guys two times last year and both shows were incredibly intense, tight and rocking. Wow, this is a two man band that does their own thing, in a very succesful way as well! A new record will appear on Southern Records. Check out these dudes. You can listen to their music on their website. This is a band that should play in Groningen at least once!

- Jason Molina "let me go". Jason Molina as always. After all he did with Songs: Ohia and the Magnolia Electric Company (NEW RECORD: Fading Trails = very good as well) he is a very strong solo sing/songwriter. He sketches dramatic scenes and has a very real way of describing feelings. Jason Molina will perform at the Vera club in Groningen at February the 2nd (2007) and will return in april with the magnolia Electric Company (25-04-2007) My advice: don't miss out on these ones!

- Marat "demo 2006". Marat was a great band from Groningen which existed for just a year. In that time they managed to generate a lot of enthousiasm. This four song demo on Yellow Dog (8cm cd) is catchy and raw all over. I am happy to have shared a small tour with them in Germany (autumn 2006). Their music is harsh but melodic emocore. They have a distinct Uranus sound with Envy and Takaru moments. You can listen to their music on their myspace. Beware, once the song is in your head, it might take some days to remove it from you brain. Marat, rest in peace.

- Barrahead "we are your numbers". Although this isn't a very recent release, it's the latest release of this Danish band and I haven't been able to buy it anywhere although the benelux distribution is done by a dutch label. This band plays noise-rock in a calculated but creative way. Although I think their debut record "Songs and Departures" had more interesting moments, this stuff is certainly worth listening. There should be a new record late 2007?

- Yo la tengo "I am not affraid of you and I will beat your ass". Birte's favourite. They played a great show last autumn in the Vera club. Nice and very varied record.

- Iron Cage "We turn our heads" Good music by good people. You should see this band live! Emotion loaded hardcorepunk with balls, big hairy ones!

- Socrates "Vultures, Hyenas and Coyotes" This 7" is a great fuck-up! Two man band of my french soulbrother Frank is going strong on noisecore. Think Ruins, PAK, Flying Luthenbachers etc. Nicely done at Frank's label Gaffer Records. Also check out the four way split with four great bands on one cd! (El Eje Del Mal, Shooting Vitor Francis, Socrates and Violent Breakfast.

- Tragedy "Nerve Damage" Tragedy as we know them. Nothing new here, just heavy rocking hardcore punk with a fat sound.

- Tunng "Comments of the inner chorus" Sounds sometimes a bit like Four Tet but nevertheless Tunn G has an own view on what music should sound like.

- The year of "slow days" " B. Fleischmann with friends going countrypop. Very warm and natural sounding

- Electric president "s/t" Sometimes this band suddenly sounds like my personal hero's Pinback and also like Modest Mouse. At other time I hear the pixies and the likes... Nice record, especially the first song. New record on morr out now!

- Black heart procession "The spell" The black heart procession is a very good live band which over and over prove they control the art of making sad music. Although I prefer their first three records above the last two, this one is a little darker again than the tropical shit they brought to us some years ago.

- Psapp "The only thing i ever wanted" Psapp's last record "Tiger my friend" is a great one! With this record they continue their route.

- Mojave 3 "Puzzles like you" Although I like Mojave's last record "Spoon and Rafter" better, this one isn't bad at all. More happy sounding and poppy than before.

- Machinefabriek "Marijn" Machinefabriek is Rutger and he is probably the most active dutch musician around. A lot of atmosphere, a lof of variation. Check out all his other releases as well!

- Early day miners "al harm ends here" Nice melodic laidback stuff. Think of a more poppy and tradional Spokane or Low.

- Michael Andrews: music from the movie "you and me and everyone we know" This movie is very cool! And the music is even better. Intimate and very warm.

- The books "Lost and Safe" Eperimental sing/songwriting. Also check out their "Thought for Food"

- Don Caballero "World Class Listening Problem" Don Cabalero as always, of course with other bandmembers... Drummers are difficult people...

- Dictaphone "Vertigo II" jazzy electronics which reminds me of jaga jazzist and Lars Horntveth.

- Sonic Youth "Rather ripped" This band shows that they still can make songs as well as experiment. This record is more song based with the typical Sonic Youth drive.

- Mono "You are there" I have seen Mono twice and have some of their older records. They kind of bored be for a while but this record seems more balanced without the standard postrocktricks they tried to pull on you.

- Rand & Holland "Tomorrow will be like today" Great record on staubgold (2003) which has been turning the table quite often last years. There's a new record (Caravans) coming out in February 2007. Hope to get this one in some way.

- The Sound "from the lions mouth"
Relatively famous, relatively unknown. This band has been very influential. This 1981 record has a very modern sound like bands like les savy fav and modest mouse.

- A silver mt Zion "this is our punkrock". Man, this a great record. We just can't get enough of these choires. Very original, very pure, very intense, very real. Sometimes Efrin Menuck just get's a little to overdone in my opinion, the band as a group is very strong. Live they are very impressive! Hope they will come to Europe soon again.

- Today is the day "Willpower". This has been a favourite for very long now. Perfect music when you're pissed and down. "... I look in your face and I know that you are lying..." A pity of the macho metal attitude they carry around with them.

Old and older stuff from old playlists:

- Godheadsilo "Elephantitus of the night" Godheadsilo is a band to worship once in a while.

- Jesus Lizard- All stuff!! Especially their first records are totally insane. If you like this, check what they did before as well, Scratch Acid.

- Anodyne "Lifetime of gray skies" There are few hardcore bands which sound pissed and make complicated but still rocking hardcore. Anodyne has a today is the day sound but combines that with a punk attitude. Marvelous stuff, all they did actually!

- The one AM radio "A name writ in water". Beautiful pop with an electronic edge on level plane records.

- Smog "Red apple falls" Once in a while you listen to something again which you lost in a way. Found this cd back and it feels like it's too long since I have listened to it. "the morning paper is on its way, it's all bad news on every page..."

- B. Fleischmann "the humbucking coil" 12" B. Fleischmann introduces guitarsounds into his exciting and calming electronics. Warm sounds for a cold winter.

- Casiotone for the painfully alone "Etiquette" 12". New record of this lofi electronic artist. A more open and varied sound (compared to his last record). A little in the vein of Smog maybe...

- Sinaloa "footsteps on floorboards" 12" Great melodic emoband which reminds me of bands like Maximillan Colby, Van Pelt & Reiziger. Worth to see live as well!

- Ampere & Sinaloa "split recording" 12" Two US bands touring some weeks together throughout Europe. Ampere plays chaotic emo (check their great 10" as well!) Sinaloa see up here. Great artwork by the Sinaloa guitarist!

- Tortoise & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy "The Brave and the Bold " 12". Actually I do not like covers... But this is something different. These underground icons come together to put their hands on some well kwown and less known songs. (songs by Elton John, Bruce Springsteen etc.).

- El Camino "At Jenny Richee". Dutch melodic postrock with a creative edge. Check them out!

- Zeni Geva "Agony for Desire" 12" Great noise by Japanese Noisemaster K. Null.
- Jesus Lizard "Goat" 12" Actually almost all Jesus Lizard records are great, but this is one lately spins at the record player quite a lot.

- The Black Heart Procession "Three" 12". Record 1 and 2 are such treasures as well but this one really is dark hitsong material. New record coming up and a new tour! 25th of may in Groningen... Looking forward to that one.

- Bob Dylan "Highway 61 revisited" 12" Webmaster Hanz is dwelling on Bob lately and right he is!

- The Reindeer Section "y'all get scared now , ya hear!" cd Great lofi sounds with nice melodic interacting vocals... Birte's contribution to the list.

- Circle takes the Square "as roots undo" 12" (chaotic emo at its top! Not recommended to those who need more grip...

- The Julie Mittens, live recordings on cd, great experimental music featuring Michel Wotnxt, taking you to unknown places.

- Blame Game "Honey and Salt" 12" (experimental emocore)

- Low "The Great Destroyer" cd, Low more destroying than ever

- Buried Inside "Chronoclast" 12", we (the last mile - new 12" More Plastic Illusions out now) ) have played with this band wed. 16th of nov. at Vera. Nice band.

- Kepone- "Ugly Dance" 12", convincing you that life sure is an ugly dance. This has rocked my mind for so many years now

- Spirit Assembly "welcome to Lancaster county" 12" totally underrated emotion loaded hardcoreband from the '90's.

- Songs Ohia: "the Magnolia Electric Company", great music, great lyrics, real feelings here! Perfect for driving a car.

- Killa "Silmat Sulkaset" cd on Kraak, indyfolk from Finland.

- Hangedup "clatter for control" 12" on constellation (experimental sounds from a violin and drums)

- Damien Jurado "on my way to absence" 12" (with friends)

- Unsane "blood run" 12" (unsane as always)

- Allee der Kosmonauten 12" (sounds like neurosis with vocals that may remind you a bit of Rorschach)

-Trapdoor Fucking Exit "be not content" 12" (emo as it was meant to be)

- Unwound "leaves turn inside you" (recorded in their own Magrecone studio and turned out quite psychedelic)

- No means No "wrong" 12" (a catchy classic with fine humor)

- Paul Newman "only love can break your heart" 12"(inventive noiserock for all moods)

- scraps of tape "read between the lines at all times" cd (great show at vera 2005, hardcore post?)

- man's best friend "the new human is illegal" double 12" (inventive hiphop)

- isis "panoptican" double 12" (dark like other isis records)

- magnolia electric co. "what comes after the blues" 12" (more and more moving towards Neil Young)

- the saddest landscape "lift your burdens for this is where we cross" 10" (great emo on Narshadaa)

- hood "outside closer" 12" (progressive hood)

- subtle "a new white" double 12" (complex & creative hiphop)

- styrofoam "nothing's lost" 12" (with friends, on morr)

- overmars "affliction, endocrine...vertigo" double 12" (DOOM!)

- silver mt. zion "horses in the sky" double 12" (more choir!!)

- damien jurado "on my way to absence" 12" (invited some friends this time)

- cottonhead "state river widening" 12" (think of lumen, tarantel, tristeza)