Dutch Master
Listening Post 50. No nation rich in musical talent seems simultaneously so remote and yet so tantalizingly close to the English-speaking world as the Netherlands. At the top of an impressive array of Dutch singer-songwriters is Guus Meeuwis, who has won a pile of music awards, and a knighthood, in his native country. Morgen (Tomorrow) displays the mix of love ballads and classic rock that is as much of a trademark as his studious, dark-rimmed glasses. Jij Bent De Liefde (You Are Love) showcases his crystalline voice, backed by piano and soft percussion: “I am in love every day with the same woman,” he sings, “Until my last autumn/Until my last breath…” (video 1). Eternity is at the center of Rome, in which the eternal city serves as a romantic motif: “Rome was already beautiful to me, but it was more special when I saw it with you,” he observes, “The wine was good, but richer when we drank it together” (video 2). The album has a generous range of melodies and styles, from the folk tone of Onze Wereld (Our World) to the country sound of Kus Van Mij (A Kiss from Me); from the piano-driven title track to the reggae flavored We Zijn We (We Are We) and the classic rock Dankjewel (Thank You). It’s a shame Meeuwis isn’t better known in the wider world, though in 2015 he did become the first Dutch artist to sing in London’s Royal Albert Hall. If there is musical justice, he will do many more concerts abroad. (Universal Music B.V., The Netherlands)
Bonus video: Meeuwis’ 2009 single Dat Komt Door Jou (Because of You) is a mesmerizing adaptation of A Te, a love song by the Italian singer-songwriter Jovanotti: “I will write a song today with words about you, just for you,” he sings, “And you’ll sing softly with me.”