Album review overview: Dressed Like Boys, Saint Etienne and more
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are way too many to listen to them all, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why today we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews.
Dressed Like Boys – Dressed Like Boys
After years of making noise with DIRK., Jelle Denturck opts for the intimate course. On his untitled solo debut, he sings his way through eleven piano-driven ballads that sound as if Sufjan Stevens were having a bad day. Producer Tobie Speleman keeps the production deliberately minimal, sometimes too minimal, as if the budget ran out halfway through. Denturck does his utmost to sound vulnerable and small, but this act becomes predictable after four songs. Opener “Nando” promises more than the album can deliver, whilst “Healing”, by far the strongest track, proves he can write melody when he doesn’t hide behind forced fragility. The problem: we’ve heard all this before. Johan did seventies nostalgia much more convincingly and relevantly recently, and in this overcrowded retro genre, Denturck lacks distinctiveness. His queer thematics deserve better songs than these tame, predictable piano exercises. An honest attempt, but hardly memorable. (Jan Vranken) (5/10) (MayWay Records)
Hammer King – Make Metal Royal Again
By now, the German band Hammer King has been working to establish itself for more than ten years. This has been particularly successful in their home country, where their last two albums managed to reach the German charts. This album has already achieved this as well, reaching 11th place in the rock/metal charts. The band’s power metal is clearly inspired by several bigger names in the genre. In the first few songs, you can hear Latin lyrics in an operatic voice. The near-namesakes Hammerfall have also been a clear inspiration. Recognisable to many who are fans of this sort of music. Moreover, the production is spot-on throughout. Unfortunately, it must also be said that the songs themselves struggle to stick after a few listens. A decent record to put on occasionally, but sadly, it doesn’t really stay with you. (Rik Moors) (6/10) (Reaper Entertainment)
Collin Sherman – Life Eats Life
Saxophone, clarinet, strings, electric guitars, synthesisers, and drum machines: Collin Sherman is a multi-instrumentalist who played everything himself on “Life Eats Life”, an album that’s difficult to categorise but can best be described as something between fusion and ambient. Characteristic are the relatively simple melodies. Take the opening “Kepler-10b Prehistory” (Kepler 10b is an exoplanet discovered by NASA’s Kepler mission): the heart of the piece is a simple theme that’s developed with brass, low synth parts, and strings in succession, returning to the theme after the climax. This is also the recipe for the remaining five pieces. As a listener, you need some staying power, as the tracks are slow to get going. The title track, for example, is built on a single root note, over which various instruments then solo, without a recognisable theme being immediately established. Sherman’s music is primarily about evoking a certain atmosphere, and that’s often rather dark, even occasionally ominous, especially when a sort of military drum roll is added to the composition. Ironically enough, “Requiem” is the most uplifting piece. The closing track is the nearly eleven-minute “Action, Unrest”, a minimalist piece that begins with a bass sample and a rather irritating ‘crack’ in the sound, which makes us wonder if this was intentional. It’s certainly incredibly distracting from the saxophone improvisation. We’re checking out. (Jeroen Mulder) (5/10) (Collin Sherman)
Bony Macaroni – Death Drive
After their debut “The Big Bucks”, the Arnhem-based emo-pop band Bony Macaroni returns with “Death Drive”, an album that deliberately distances itself from hopeful narratives. Singer Stefan describes it as a snapshot of being in one’s twenties in the new ’20s, where the death drive seems to be seeping through. The album opens with “Katapult” and contains eleven tracks that capture well the tension between melancholy and energy. In the title track, Stefan sings “I live and think in absolutes. The vibes are bad, the drugs are good”, which summarises the album’s existential thematics. Producer Billy Mannino, known for his work with Oso Oso, retains the rough edges while providing the songs with sufficient punch. Highlights are “The Rotting 20s” and “Death Drive”, where the band transforms their generational frustration into catchy refrains. Bony Macaroni succeeds in making dark subjects accessible through their characteristic wink to the listener. Only the album sometimes lacks variation in the middle section. “Death Drive” confirms that the band has found their place in the Dutch emo-pop scene. It’s a solid follow-up that shows Bony Macaroni has grown since their debut. (Norman van den Wildenberg) (7/10) (Redfield Records)
Saint Etienne – International
The London electronic trio returns after four years with an album that proves their ability to remain relevant without betraying their characteristic sound. “International” feels like the soundtrack to a film you’ve never seen but in which you immediately want to get lost. Sarah Cracknell’s voice remains the perfect instrument for Saint Etienne’s dreamy electronic pop. On “Continental”, she glides effortlessly between different melodic lines, supported by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs’ subtle but complex arrangements. The song perfectly captures that melancholic cheerfulness that defines the Saint Etienne brand. The production shows a band that embraces the digital possibilities of 2025 without forgetting their analogue heart. “Embassy” combines vintage synthesisers with modern processing techniques in a way that sounds both nostalgic and futuristic. The international theme gives them excuses to experiment with different musical styles. “Bossa Nova 3000” adds Brazilian influences to their British electronic template, whilst “French Exit” has an almost cinematic grandeur reminiscent of their best soundtrack work. Textually, they remain true to their observational style, where ordinary moments are transformed into something magical. Cracknell’s delivery is always just between engaged and detached, which fits perfectly with the atmosphere of modern alienation that runs through the album. Although no single song has the instant-classic status of their greatest hits, “International” functions perfectly as a cohesive whole. (Jan Vranken) (8/10) (Heavenly Recordings)
