Metal Molly "The Golden Country®" (2000, Double-T-Music / Sony - DTM137101-2)
Songs (click on the -icons
for a small audio-sample)
1. Happiness (we're all in shit together)
2. The Bomb
3. Elvis went blind
4. Suncomfort International
5. (at the speed of sound of) Hopelessness
6. Julee Andrews
7. 1/2-arsed cowboy
8. Idaho
9. Sunwear
10. Love=The Most Expensive Drug
11. Ghost
12. Magpie
Musicians :
- Allan Muller (vocals & guitar)
- Pascal Deweze (vocals & bass)
- Gino Geudens (drums & vocals)
- Stoffel Verlackt (guitar & vocals)
Guests :
- Bart Zegers (double bass)
- Gethin Liddington & John Leach (brass)
- John Gullis (cello)
- Raf Van Looveren / Tom de Haes (bugel)
All songs/lyrics : Allan Muller & Pascal Deweze
Produced by Mark Wallis
Recorded at Loco Studio's (Gwent, Wales, UK)
Photo's : Michiel Hendryckx
Artwork : Beeldeman
My opinion
The missing link between "Surgery For Zebra" and this "The
Golden Country®", between the debut-cd that had Metal Molly storming
onto the stage so enthusiastically that they fell of it on the other side, and
this cd, with which they walk onto the stage so politely that the thing doesn't
even need a vacuum-cleaner afterwards, that missing link will probably remain
hidden forever. Because in the five years between these two, Metal Molly was out
of business. Not enjoying the well-earned success that "Orange" &
Co had brought them, but out of business aka splitted. The closest to this "missing
link" is probably the solo-project of weirdo Alan Muller, who showed
with his "Cabbage" some of the evolution
that these guys from Tremelo (now living in Antwerp as the rest of the scene)
have gone through.
Statement of the year is probably the thesis that "The Golden Country®"
contains probably more guitars than "Surgery For Zebra" : technically
speaking (there is now a guitar-player more than before, in casu Stoffel Verlackt
of Flowers for Breakfast) correct, but while the guitars of the Metal Molly's
used to screach and bite, the guitars are now plucked and strummed and carressed.
Apart from the conclusion that this record can boast a wonderful sound (compliments
to chef Mark Wallis who gave the music room to breathe and a warm sound),
a first glance at the record also reveals how "corny" Metal Molly were
and are. The songtitles alone already reveal this : "Julee Andrews",
"1/2-arsed cowboy", "Elvis went blind", "Happiness
(we're all in shit together)". They must have had a jolly good time amidst
the sheep of Wales.
Musically speaking, the band surfs through some thirty years of musical history
in the 12 tracks present, sometimes coming frightfully close to the original (on
the song "Sunwear", that original is even the old Metal Molly, on other
occasions the aim was probably the Beatles and Beach Boys). The net-result are
some fine popsongs, with a sligh melancholic backbeat, nice multi-part vocals,
weird lyrics, beautiful arrangements and the occasional extravaganza. The nicest
songs are certainly the quiet "Idaho" and "Hopelessness",
the come-on-whistle-along single "Sunconfort International" and
the twisted twists and turns of songs such as "Julee Andrews"
and "Happiness".
Metal Molly (more cheese!) is back : the five years have made them more mature
and corny, but the class-act is still very much evident.
And your opinion?
Did I get it all wrong, or was I spot-on ? Do you want to share your opinion about
this cd ? Send it in, and I'll put it up here !
This Album in the Press
- Dirk Steenhaut in Metro (De Morgen) : "The atmosphere is often
disarminly nostalgic, the instrumentations are much richer, the multi-part vocals
reminded us of the Beach Boys on more than one occasion ... Listen ... and yield".
- Sacha van der Speeten in Rif-Raf : "The omnipresent melancholy
is lifting this album to a higher level ... but when the band starts freewheeling
too enthusiastically, the compositions end up out of the track ... This second
Metal Molly sets the competition in the shirt with a handfull of jewels.".
- la in Humo : "... the incoherent 'The Golden Country' wants to
go in too many directions at once. That this is never a good idea, will be confirmed
by any quartered medieval chap you'd ask. No, just as we had programmed a special
function-key to put "THIS IS BELGIAN AND SO IT'S MEGAFANTASTIC!' with one
key-stroke, it turns out that we cannot judge this Metal Molly more positive than
: not unpleasant and therefore not quite good enough. Shit!"
- Dave Peeters in UptoMusic
: "The Golden Country is the title of the newest Metal Molly brainchild
on which we hear a band that has gone trough an enormous growth process ... an
album full of uncut diamonds that only reveal their beauty after a number of listenings."
- Bart van Dormael in Café
Belge : "A cd that immediately strikes the eye because it lacks
the jollyness of their hit 'Orange' and has compensated this with more depth.
What has remained is the beautiful double vocal-part of guitarist Allan Muller
and bass-player Pascal Deweze. The new Metal Molly takes some time to get used
to, because you'd expect something completely different, but it's certainly worth
the while".
Did you see a good (or bad) review of this album ? Tell
me about it !
Where to buy this CD ?
You can order this CD from a number of locations (prices researched on May
23, 2000, but nothing guarantees they still are the same when you read this).
The lowest price is in yellow, the highest in red. This price comparison doesn't
take things into account like deduction of shipping expenses when ordering more
than 1 cd, bonus points, differences in guarantees ... Shipping prices are those
for customers in Belgium.
Have you seen this record elsewhere on the net, do you own an online-CD-shop
with Belgian products in it, or if there's something wrong with my calculations
: let me know.
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