| CD REVIEW Not So Much |
|
|
Band : Not So Much Not So Much is a young Antwerp area based Belgian Alternative/ Punk Rock quartet composed of singer/ rhythm guitarist Dieter Stryckers, lead guitarist Sam Van Geetsom, bassist Hendrik Van Den Bergh, and drummer Fabian Van Doorslaer. Following a first rehearsal (without Sam) in Fabian's attic room during the Summer of 2008, the original trio had a second rehearsal (just as a joke and more than 6 months later) at Mortsel's Café Bp...but the joke became more serious as the rehearsal continued, and the nucleus of a new band was born! A nucleus, because the guys felt they still needed a lead guitarist...something which was remedied when some time later (February 2009) the band was completed with the addition of Sam. What started as an adolescent joke (the lead guitarist had his 16thh birthday only this year) soon became a véry serious thing. With a first show planned at Deurne's Deurnestraatfeesten in May 2009, the band still didn't have a name. Everybody came up with some ideas, but there wasn't anything they could agree on. Then, by a coincidence with an exchange student, the name Not So Much came up...something to which everybody agreed, as it had a funny touch they could use (let's not forget the band was borne from a joke!). Their first gig apparently impressed some influential people at Mortsel's City Hall, who were collaborating with Café Noir to put together a list of bands to play at the town's first Rock Noir event at the end of June...event to which the quartet was invited to play as second act on the main stage. This blossomed a feeling of confidence in the band, announcing they would record a live CD during a concert in late August, promising also to rehearse a bunch of new songs. After another gig in September, the band took things easy on the live front, to concentrate on writing new songs and developing some of their older ones. In the meantime they also decided nót to have the live recordings mixed, due to financial issues and sound quality problems...and record a couple of songs for a debut demo in stead. Those recordings took place over the Christmas holidays, and the demo was presented at the above mentioned date during a show at Mortsel's Café Revue. A bit later the band participates in the Rockrally @ Edegem band competition, which they do nót win, but a week later then won the Audience Price at Wiltrock Demobattle in the form of a support slot on August 17 for The Opposites and one of the band's influencial favourites, the Kids. On September 1 the band announced that they'd already sold out their demo twice, and was ready to continue their dream by going on a first mini-tour come late October. These kids may be young, but they already know how to make a seasoned music lover's head twist to attention...and if they can hang on long enough, here's a new Belgian legend in the making! Right, so what's it all sound like, because “Alternative/ Punk/ Rock”, as cited on the band's official Internet page at myspace.com/notsomuchtheband, that's somewhat vague, isn't it? Well, imagine the guys' influences including The Kids (hey...!), Pennywise, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, Funeral Dress, Belgian Asociality, AC/DC, and a shitload of other bands (check the rest of the list yourself)...oh wait, maybe this is the wrong way to approach this. Right, so imagine a fairly simple but catchy adrenalized Power Rock basis with fluent and interesting solo guitar parts, and a singer with a slightly hoarse voice...oh wait, this description isn't gonna give a such a clear idea of what this band sounds either. So, why don't you just listen to the 5 demo songs? I mean, they're all posted at said MySpace page anyway! Just have a listen, and enjoy! 88/100 Tony. |