From: Philippe.Schepens@ping.be (Philippe Schepens) Newsgroups: soc.culture.netherlands Subject: HOOR: loof mijn arme schapen KEES en MARTIN ! Date: Mon, 08 Jan 1996 21:16:25 GMT Dear Martin, dear Kees, After listening with attention to your above-mentioned work of art, we would like to provide a *consumer evaluation*. "Oorloof, Mijn Arme Schapen" (Earleaves, My Poor Sheep) ------------------------------------------------------- Martin Bier Vocals and Guitar Kees van den Doel Ney This album features songs in English, in Dutch and one song in an undefined primitive language called Keesian (Doeliaans, in het Nederlands). The combination of vocal, guitar and ney yields surprising results. The unity of inspiration seems very well achieved. What is truly amazing is how well the ney fits into essentially blues music. Our subjective preference went undoubtedly to "Wimpy van Nassouwe". We concur that the way this version of Holland's national anthem sounds deserves a prize. The way the ney punctuates, with fluidity and grace, the tragic virility of the nearly recitative but forceful vocal results in a very original equilibrium. This anthem is totally reinvented without losing its primitive epic significance as developed by the author and composer Marnix van St. Aldegonde in the 16th century. The song in Keesian language is another succesful item. It transports the listeners to primitive prehistoric times. The typical speech defect [actually the switching of a 'h' into a 'r' when situated at the third place in some nouns], so characteristic of Keesian language, is developed in an utterly artistic manner, and puts the listener in the mood of primitive people surviving in surroundings of extinct flora and fauna. "Manuela" is an ingenious presentation of feelings of love and tragedy. The ney beautifully emphasises the accurate vocalization of the mood of a heart twisted by utmost love pain. Both blues songs ("Down and Out" and "Got the Blues") demonstrate magistrally that the ney *is* an instrument which enhances the special mood generated by this well-known class of contemporaneous western music. The artists populating the "Dutch Corner" were not afraid to also sing two childrens' songs. "Hand en Voet" (Hand and Foot) is directly inspired by the highest source of Western philosophy and theology. With phenomenal artistic and scientific exactness it is a clear tribute to the image of the "Mystic Body" as described by the well-known Jewish author Paul [ex-Saul] in his Epistles (see especially the1st Epistle to the Corinthians: Ch 12, v.14-30). In this highly adapted musical version it achieved its objective to shock the listener with the impact of 'full contact' with his/her own body and that of others. The other song meant for children "Kleutertje, luister" (Child, listen) is even more biblical than the previous, giving the exact mood of adults when they try to make their children obey. The perfect way of describing the notion of parental authority can only be matched by the known descriptions in the Old Testament of the Bible. It is a song of almost Abrahamic inspiration. It reminds us that during the first 18 months of a child's life we try to make it move and say things, whereas during the following 18 years we try to make it sit still and listen. Martin's voice is especially resounding in this song. It is astonishing to realise how great artists who claim to be atheists (and *are*) remain devastated in their sub-conscious by the hurricanes of the deepest judeo-christian inspiration. Another jewel of lasting value is "Broekhoestaubade" (pants-cough-aubade). This wonderful song is devoted to the Dutch writer and poet Gerard Reve for his 72nd birthday. Just like Reve, Doel and Bier transform themselves into the greatest laudators of the ground floor of the human being. This is nothing less than fartology being transbottomized into the greatest artistic blissfull ecstasy. It shows, in a whirling and explosive outburst of the ney that brown is a fantastic color and that the fart is an explosion of artistic bliss. This is the typical Revenesque combination of baldness and fartitude where the cranial end of man (when dehaired) reminds the philosopher and the artist of its caudal end. This is played with great precision and a sense of artistic humor by Bier/Doel. Two more protesting songs "Cut the smut" and "Love, Death and Religion" provide the listener with a perfect blend of song and ney accompaniment, the apert philosophical thinkings of both musicians, and partly their view on a better and more free world, out from under the implacable shell of rigorous morality and religion. Their common education at the time they were together at the Alkmaar high school and even in cops' outposts and jail marks both musicians and gives them the menacingly dark-colored humor typical of grimly educated independent thinkers. ******************************************************* ICONE assigns the high award of <3 Oehoeboeroes with star> for this effort. Keep'm comin', boys ! ******************************************************* To order your copy of the cassette, send e-mail to: Martin Bier Kees van den Doel Please remit $2.- to help pay for the production + postage ($1 in USA, $2 outside) ============================================== I.C.O.N.E.