Nicky & The Shouts
Celebrating a re-release from Nicky & the Shouts.
Here’s another cool story I found over on Wavlake. Apparently there’s only two surviving members of the band, but they’re getting a little bit of recognition (and #sats) thanks to a young fan who posted their music (maybe a surviving relative?).
Nicky and the Shouts were active from 1964 - 1968, releasing at least six singles (on 7” vinyl, btw, utterly punk rock if you ask me. ;) ) in their native Holland. There are some brief mentions of them on Twitter and Facebook thanks to some Dutch historians and rock ethnomusicologists that have chronicled the music of the time - and we’re really glad they did. This is a really great peak into the style of the time, not just in writing, but in recording as well. Let’s check it out!
For all you Shoegaze and Bedroom producers, there’s a LOT to love here. The open space. The drum tones. Vintage guitars. All very simple. And, how every track shifts a bit on the grid because THERE WAS NO DAMN GRID TO SNAP TO! ;')
When you listen to “Think,” listen to how sparse the drum tracks are - listen to the space it creates, and the subtle change that happens in the chorus. And you gotta love that classic organ sound - like a Vox Continental - but the driving force is the picking part on the guitar, and the tension that the flat 7 creates in the head. I also really dig the unconventional format, and how it fits with the lyrics and the title.
“Don’t Be a Fool” is definitely Beatles influenced, but you can also hear the groove the Iggy Pop used a decade later in Lust for Life. The vocal arrangement is great, love those lower harmonies, and the way they used the major 2 chord.
“Every Time A New Surprise” has a nice psychedelic feel in its opening and lyrics, and once again features some really tight harmonies and great chord choices. And that solo section with the piano and guitar in tandem is really cool. Again, I have to point out how much I dig the looseness of the track - and basically every track that came out in the 60’s. The feel and the flow were more important - not that everything was in tune, on time and perfectly packaged. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Rush, Taylor Swift, Depeche Mode - the massively produced stuff - but there is something much more honest about tracks like this than tracks you hear today.
“It’s Time” is definitely the highlight of the project. It is the epitome of a 60s pop track. Tight lower harmonies, tambourine, great Fender surf tone on the guitar, solo that mimics the main melody, uplift in the chorus, syncopated hits - it’s textbook, heartfelt, and a solid track - all the way through the fade out.
If you’re a young songwriter, I hope you’ll spend a few minutes with these tracks and take some inspiration from them. These arrangements are classic - there’s nothing extra in these tracks, it’s just the bare essentials. Plus, I’m willing to bet there were no punches on these tracks, it’s all live, probably all at the same time. If you’re an older songwriter, it’s a great trip down memory lane.
Check it out on Wavlake and send them some #Sats!
Practice your Dutch and read up on them here:
Streaming site that doesn’t pay as much as it should
In the spirit of Value4Value, if you like this blog and wish to support it, send your donation to phantompowermedia@getalby.com, thank you!