by Conor Lochrie (@conornoconnor)
It’s been a strong year for the independent music scene in the Netherlands. In January, noise rock outfit Neighbours Burning Neighbours released a strong 7”; in March, Lewsberg – sounding very much like the Velvet Underground – gave us one of the best albums of the year, In This House. Those two come from Rotterdam but they now have competition from their Amsterdam counterparts Global Charming.
While their compatriots reside in – arguably – the cooler Dutch city, Global Charming have emerged from the capital’s underground scene, hidden away from the tyranny and boorishness of British tourists that have all but ruined Amsterdam’s inner city. Perhaps that’s why their debut LP, Mediocre, Brutal, is suffused with such a sense of ennui; you’d surely feel the same way if you had to trudge to an inane office job each day past hordes of drunken and strange revelers.
The quartet - Jilles van Kleef (guitar/bells/plates/vocals), Sara Elzinga (guitar/synths/vocals), Sjoerd Bartlema (drums/percussion/synths/vocals) and Fokke de Wit (bass/vocals) – make sharp and witty post-punk that discusses the banality of everyday existence. They utilize repetitive rhythm to reflect the consistent monotony of their – and our – daily routines. What saves Global Charming – and their audience – from being subsumed by the emptiness are their sharp jolts of guitar licks and self-aware satire barked by van Kleef.
It may be their debut but there’s some serious name recognition backing the band: the record was released by the wonderful Dutch label Subroutine Records on October 9th, while it was mixed by none other than Mikey Young, once of Eddy Current Suppression Ring. Their opening song, “Office Hell,” is one of the best post-punk anthems of recent years. Operating with a stop-start playful rhythm, the beat is unsettlingly slow and stuttering; above it, van Kleef’s disdain and weariness can be heard in every snarky vocal. “Well it’s summer in the streets / But our winter never passed” is sardonic poetry at its finest. “Adult hell,” he cries later, and the wry smirk with which he delivered the line is unmistakeable.
Van Kleef is a commanding lead vocalist, just as Jonathan Richman and, more recently, Parquet Court’s Andrew Savage were before him. There is so much control on the record, from the vocals to the instrumentation. Songs often end suddenly and without warning; they are done, they have nothing left to say on this matter, onwards to the next thing. The entire album itself is under 25 minutes, a sharp and short collection of acerbic thoughts.
“Curveball” is as darkly droll as “Office Hell,” “Her body’s so thin / No trauma / No sickness / A vessel for success,” van Kleef notes of a (perhaps) potential suitor. The momentous driving rhythm of “Celebration” sees the band then mock the unceasing ubiquity of office parties. When they go softer, it still works. “Heal” is a pleasant pop tune, with a surprising but intriguing ‘gloop’ sound interspersed in its meandering rhythm. “Born to be a Knife” and “No Compromise” are a louder alternative rock twin centre to the record, full of relentless energy and chugging and fast-paced rhythm
Sharp guitars bounce back and forth on “Soft Fruit,” dovetailing nicely with the chanted vocals (the rhythm is reminiscent of Parquet Courts’ “Bodies Made Of”). These chanted vocals and gang vocals are something Global Charming do well, like post-punk contemporaries such as Shopping. On “Soft Fruit,” van Kleef and Elzinga say “Nothing for you / Nothing for me” to each other, recognizing their feelings of passiveness and disconnection.
“If It Is” ends the album on a more pleasant and light note, much less abrasive than what came before. The guitars are melodic and loose; the jigging rhythm is backed by weird percussion; ersatz keys interject when they please. Their chanted gang vocals are also noticeably different: this time van Kleef and Elzinga remind each other that “I’m here,” reducing the previous disconnect. Perhaps our friendships, the band seem to say, are what free us from the blackness of modernity.
As a mockery of rote routine, Global Charming have provided a resonating record for a sympathetic audience. Mediocre? Certainly not. Brutal? Yes, but in a positive way. If there was any justice, this album would allow van Kleef to leave the dreary landscape of the office behind for good but the music industry and the world is rarely that kind; the winter may never pass. Global Charming clearly know it and we do too. It’s why their self-deprecating and self-aware album connects so well. At least their rhythmic post-punk can make the dullness of modern life sound a little better.