Hi Robert. You wanted to talk about Post Malone’s new album. Why do you have a soft spot for him?
‘Let me state first: a record doesn’t have to be rock solid to be very tasty. At the end of the year, I often find out that the albums I’ve listened to the most are the worst. Evolution from Disturbed for example, a pretty bad metal band. Their vocalist David Draiman has such an old fashioned rock voice that I love very much. Completely out of date, I haven’t written anything about it either, but in the meantime I really enjoy putting it on when I’m vacuuming on Saturday morning.
‘That principle also applies to Post Malone, although I do have it higher. He is looked down upon a bit, but I do have a soft spot for him. He is a white rich man’s son, started making heavy metal and then thought: hip-hop is doing well now, I can do it better. Well. But the music he makes is slightly ironic, witty, and he has a fun, lilting style of rapping. He’s a little quirkyYou shouldn’t take him too seriously.
His last record Twelve Carat Toothache (★★★☆☆) is his best, full of not too heavy sentimental songs. Just nice to set up when you are gaming or working, for example. But there are also very strong tracks on it, such as insane† Big beats, good song. Everyone can use that for a few days.’
And Vieux Farka Touré also made its best album to date, you said.
Vieux is the son of the legend Ali Farka Touré, who wonderfully combined traditional Malian music with American blues. Insane, mystical music. He wasn’t discovered in the west until the 1990s, when he went on to record with Ry Cooder. If you don’t know him yet: listen to the album Red & Green† Incredibly good.
His son Vieux was trained by his father to be an equally great guitarist and singer. He only oriented himself a bit broader, and made pop music with an indie singer, among other things. It was never very impressive, I thought, until this new record Les Racines (). Vieux has made beautiful songs, in which he sings about the problems in Mali. It is honest, not a show record, and the plucking guitar sound never bores. The number Gabou Ni Tie for example, peerless. Every new record in this genre is very welcome: if you close your eyes, you’re gone immediately.’
One of the most acclaimed and successful indie bands of the moment is playing this weekend at the festival Best Kept Secret: Big Thief. Their latest album with the impressive name Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (★★★★★) according to reviewer Menno Pot was daringly long (no less than twenty songs), but without a moment of weakness.
In addition, Friday is a soul day for the festival: the 82-year-old soul singer Mavis Staples will perform, who released the live album Carry Me Home released a ‘pure and moving record’. Texan Leon Bridges is also on Best Kept Secret. A special talent, reviewer Gijsbert Kamer called him. ‘He sings modestly, the tempo remains slow and he slowly draws the listener deeper and deeper into his emotional world. It is pleasant to stay there.’