Back Again

 

A few days ago I returned from my sabbatical. Several weeks away from all the present issues like war, energy crises and bad weather did me more than good for my soul and I could recharge my battery for the next months. It was dreamlike to be able to take care of nothing but myself again, read several good books and enjoy the country and the people in Sri Lanka. I have to admit that I listened to very little music during this time, which amazes me myself. But obviously it was time to let go of certain habits. All the more I enjoy listening to old and new sounds and reviving my blog. I've been thinking about what to start with for a long time and finally yesterday I came across the new song by Everything But The Girl.  Hearing something new from Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn after an absence of 23 years more than surprised me and at the same time I had great expectations of the group, which at the turn of the millennium was one of the best on offer at the time. And I have to say that not too much has changed. Musically, they still remain true to themselves after all these years, but without frantically sticking to the Everything-But-The-Girl interpretation of the noughties. All this is proven by "Nothing Left To Lose", which is a modern variant of exactly that electronic soul-pop with which the band achieved their fame back then. The result is a soundbed of agitated, darkly billowing synths and insistent beats, on which the singer's powerful, dark voice is perfectly underlined. This song shows how sorely Everything But The Girl has been missed, raising anticipation for the album to be released in April.