Melou

"The name "Melange" wouldn't have been a bad choice either. The band featuring singer Annie Goodchild presents their debut album Communication, a surprising cocktail of soul, jazz, folk, reggae, bossanova, swing and blues. Melou was founded in 2005 in Guatemala. Nowadays, Utrecht is their base, although country borders never seems to stop them. The debut got it's name from Melou's experience "that music is the most ideal way of communication". Goodchild's sultry and at the same time strong vocals occasionally bring to mind Vieira's (of Zuco 103). She shines in the first track and stays illuminated. The other musicians show their talent, especially through the interludes, which could just as easily be mini jam sessions. This is a cocktail that you'll order again and again!"

(January 2008 edition of FRET magazine)

"De naam Melange had niet misstaan. De groep rond zangeres en muzikante Annie Goodchild presenteert op haar debuutalbum Communication namelijk een verrassende cocktail van soul, jazz, folk, reggae, bossanova, swing en blues. Melou werd opgericht in 2005 in Guatemala. Tegenwoordig is Utrecht de uitvalbasis. De groep tourt veel in buitenland. Melou is vooral in Barcelona hot. Landsgrenzen vormden nooit een barriere. Het debuut dankt zijn naam aan Melou's ervaring 'dat muziek het meeste ideale communicatiemiddel is'. Goodchilds zwoele en tegelijkertijd pittige stemgeluid doet bij vlagen denken aan dat van Vieira (Zuco 103). Ze schittert in de openingstrack en blijft fascineren. De andere musici laten hun talent o.a. zien in de intermezzo's die even ongedwongen klinken als jamsessies. Melou een melange die je nogmaals bestelt. "

(January 2008 edition of FRET magazine) - Fret Magazine

March 18, 2007

Melou is a band that brings together all elements of music, culture, and diversity of personality into one tightknit group. Their debut album, Communication, is to be released March 27th on Whatabout Records. As one of the most original, talented, and versatile groups out there, definitely check out their website and their MySpace for more information.

WERS: Alright, we’re here with Melou...I’d like to talk a little bit about personnel. Now, the album was recorded in Barcelona, you guys formed in Guatemala, it seems that part of the originality is bringing all of this together. Lots of people are credited on the album, could you tell us a bit about personnel, how you got all of these people together?



Annie Buechl: Well, nothing was pre-planned or anything. In Barcelona, we were recording in a studio and some other musicians were recording in the same studio. There was a trumpet player and an accordionist and we were like, Hey, let’s jam! We jammed and got to know each other and decided we needed to do something. And through this Argentinian band, The Negritos, who were also recording there, we have an interlude with them but it’s more like a drum circle with "Yah!" in the background.

WERS: Did that have an impact on how you recorded the album?



AB: Yeah, for that one we just put one or two mics in a room and just jammed out. That happened three times. Also, we needed a cello player. Martin saw a girl on the train with a cello, asked her if she wanted to jam and she said yes. We had a fiddle player from the street too, that was cool.

Maarten Reijnierse: We just asked them in and said, "This is the song," let them hear it a couple times and jam over it. Then we put them in the room with the mic and that’s how it came all together.

WERS: And the album’s coming out soon, ten days?



MR: Is it already ten days? It is, officially it’s out in ten days. There might be a little delay.

WERS: What kind of finishing touches are you putting on the album, how are you preparing yourselves for it?



Jimmy Lavin: We haven’t been rehearsing much, but we’ve been playing a lot of live shows. We’ve been just trying to get prepared for it.

MR: Play as much as possible, get stage confidence.

AB: Yeah, and since this group of people is new, I guess we’re just trying to get to know each other musically, too.

MR: We hang out a lot, drink beers a lot.

AB: Pabst Blue Ribbon!

WERS: And then the album release party is at King’s Bar, can you tell us a little bit about that? What’ll be going on?



AB: I think it’s all ages.

JL: It’s April 3rd, it’s the first Tuesday in April, it’s gonna be all ages, it starts at 8 o’clock, and it’s open to everyone. But you can’t wear work boots...you’ll get kicked out of King’s with work boots.

MR: I had terrible boots...

AB: I think a hundred people should show up in work boots...

WERS: We didn’t know! We had no idea!

JL: A bunch of people chain smoking downstairs...but next Tuesday, it’s gonna be a cool night. We have Charlie from Overweight opening up, a great guitarist and vocalist. It’s gonna be a fun night. And if you hate it, you can go bowling, so it’s a win-win situation.

WERS: What else do you guys have coming up, are you still planning on touring this summer?



AB: Yeah, I don’t know if any of us actually know the trip...

Max: It’s not much of a tour, it’s more of a spiderweb tour, a bunch of dates around here.

MR: We leave for Holland May 21st.

AB: Woo hoo!

WERS: What do you have planned for out in Holland?

AB: We’re gonna play a few festivals and a few shows.

WERS: Alright, cool. Anything else you’d like to mention?

MR: The album is released under Whatabout Music, by our friend Dave.

AB: Yeah, Dave Bianchi, he’s the man...with the plan. - WERS Radio

January 21, 2007

Having formed in Guatemala and honed their sound from Brooklyn to Barcelona, hailing from here in Boston all the way to Utrecht, Netherlands, Melou has a sound that is as rich as it is diverse. With a seemingly infinite number of influences, from jazz and blues to the folk tradition of countless countries and generations, their new release aptly entitled Communication is simply amazing.

Beginning with the catchy, upbeat "Ain't No One," Melou sets the pace declaring outright that there "ain't no one to slow you down." However, to assume that they would continue on this trend could not be more inaccurate. The second song begins softly and slowly; just as soulful as the first, but entirely different. Opposed to the folksy, almost bluegrass feel of "Ain't No One," the second sounds like a cross between "Girl from Ipanema" and Sam Cooke. Lead singer Annie Buechl's soulful vocals soar over tight, tranquil, exotic rhythms as she sings, "You are the one who I sing to. The melody, it'll always be true...All the birds way up in the sky sing so sweet for you and me." The classically romantic theme of giving flowers to a loved one may seem peculiar, as the lyrics indicate ("Mother may ask me, why do I grow these gifts for you?"), but the true emotion, the feeling of passion and the pure entrancement of love are more powerful than any peculiarity.

In addition to Buechl is a group talented enough to tackle, and better yet, beautify, any genre. With Maarten Reijnierse on lead guitar and backup vocals, Max on bass, Jimmy Lavin on drums, and Coen Kaldeway on saxophone, the group seamlessly brings together years of musical experience, despite having formed in the winter of 2005. Their style is sublime, their technique unpredictable and their sound truly all-encompassing as evidenced by a blend of dub/reggae grooves, an electrified blues onslaught, some funk, and even an melodica-fueled psychedelic finale.

It's difficult to epitomize a sound so far-reaching, a style that has spanned various regions of the globe, and experience from orchestras to traditional South American bands, but Melou manages to bring all of this together delicately and gracefully, to communicate, if you will, all of this experience into a sound that is truly their own. Something this unique and this special is simply invaluable. Check out their new CD Communication on March 27, 2007 or refer to one of their websites (listed below) for more information.

www.melou-music.com

www.myspace.com/meloumusic

- Will Selfridge
link: http://www.wers.org/reviews/?id=53
photo's: http://www.wers.org/dynamic/imagezoom.php?article=401&pic=7 (photo's Live @ WERS) - WERS Radio