| CD REVIEW Navel |
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Band : Navel Although the info page delivered along with our download promo copy of this album mentions the age of this Bäle, Switzerland based band to be of 3 years, I’ve found traces of the band on a 2003 compilation album (entitled Speak Up – check the band’s MySpace page). Up until Summer 2008, Navel was a four-piece, when Eve left the trio of Jari (vocals/ guitar), Michi (bass) and Steve (drums) in favour of other occupations! Possibly she didn’t feel the band was goin’ anywhere? Ah well, she wouldn’t be the first to make such a mistake! Following a couple more compilation appearances other than the one mentioned above, in 2005 & 2006, the band debvuted on the German-based Louisville Records label with their 2006 7-inch Forsaken Speech. They followed that up in 2007 with the 4-track 7-inch and CD-EP Vomiting. In February 2008 came the single Somehow, which was an introduction to the Frozen Souls album (on which the band not only recorded a bunch of new songs, but also re-recorded a couple of older ones) which was issued in April. From that album the band culled the single Keep Me Dry (featuring the single exclusive track “Doll”), and eventually they just (in September) released a new single entitled Here’s A Song (written & recorded especially to be able to participate in the Basler Pop-Preis competition for which they were nominated – they eventually won the competition). In spite of the young age of its musicians and the band’s relative anonymity, Navel has already done several tours both in Europe and the US (with none others than Queens Of The Stone Age, Wolfmother, and even Sonic Youth). The band plays a mixture of sounds coming from the high times of Grunge, Noise, and Alternative Rock, putting the likes of Melvins, Pixies, and Sonic Youth on a pedestal as their main influences. Eventually, the band’s high-profile gigs and tours were to attract the attention of the French branch of Roadrunner, who decided to re-issue the band’s album in order to give it a wider distribution than it’s known to date! As one can imagine from the mentioned influences, the songs are somewhat varied, and to that you can add the fact that some even have (semi-)acoustic passages (check the balladesue “Blue World”, for instance). In a couple of the songs one can still hear the presence of Eve…through her vocals (check “Is It You”, where she does a duet with Jari, the Noise-shortie No Name N°12 –which is actually a no-lyrics track - and “Out Of My Way”, where she’s the sole singer – a trick from Sonic Youth, eh? – and then she also brings some less remarked backing vocals – meaning she’d easily be replaced by a male singer in those cases…ah well, providing that singer can deflect his voice appropriatedly, and otherwize…well, the trio will simply had to mmake do with the means they have, I guess). To get a whiff of Navel’s music, it suffices for you to surf on over to myspace.com/navelofswitzerland, where the band posted more than enough (including the latest single) for you to get acquainted with all facets of the band! Navel was supposed to come play at Gent’s Café Video on November 9, but due to illness that gig had to be postponed. For the Dutch music fans who’d fancy to go & see a Navel show, go to Groningen’s Vera or Untrecht’s Tivoli on 10 and 12 Dec. respectively. 87/100 Tony. |