Songs (click the -icons
for audio) 1.
My Song
2. Even When It Rains
3. What If
4. Bunny Pie
5. Morning People
6. Mow The Carpet
7. Airplane
8. Yellow Pullover
9. Every Time
10. Soccer
11. Yeah Yeah
12. Ballromm Space-Cadet
13. Happy Tune
For
the time being, Stonedigger (a foursome from Sint-Truiden named after the profession
of Obelix) is still the best-kept secret in popmusic of Belgium. But very soon,
that will change compeletely. Not because they hang around in the most fashionable
places, or have a fab image. But because there is not one single Belgian group
that manages to write with such an enthousiasm and with such ease, such a collection
of golden melodies. Stonedigger-songs are easy to sing along with, and float on
catchy choruses and pretty weird lyrics. They refer to both the sixties and the
nineties and just about any song from their recently released debut album is a
potential single.
Stonedigger presented themselves to the world during the finals of Humo's Rock
Rally (edition 1996). They were "the best in the genre of catchy, happy guitarpop
with melodies in between third and fourth brake", said the jury of the contest
in their final judgement.
This didn't elude the people of the Dutch record label Brinkman Records, since
they offerd the group a record deal. One thing led to another, and with the help
of a golden fointainpen, Stonedigger is now on the same label as "connected
spirits" such as Nemo and Metal Molly.
In February '98, Stonedigger travelled in the direction of Koningshooikt, where
they teamed up with producer Jan De Rijck in the Motormusic-studio's and recorded
their self-titled debut.
At the end of July they gave a small taste of their abilities with the single
"Bunnypie" (not commercially released). In October that gem was followed
by "Airplane", a single that made it all the way to the top of the playlist
of a Serbian radio-station (was it the threath of Nato-bombings that did the trick
??).
The full-cd was released at the end of November. First reactions have been very
good
To be continued ...
In the press :
- "... Charming and exiting guitarpop. Expose yourself voluntarily
to tiny jewels such as "What if", "Morning People", "Mow
The Carpet", "Airplane"
and - as song written from the point of view of a pullover yet doesn't sound "woolly"
- "Yellow Pullover", and realize
that your hopelessly lost ..." - Humo, 19 januari 1999.
- "On the barometer of this ex-finalists of the Rock Rally from Sint-Truiden,
it's alway summer. Mercury-filled melodies, smart choruses, irresistable hooks
and well-lubricated voicework form the trademark of this company" - Dirk
Steenhaut in Metro, 2 december 1998.
Did you see a good (or bad) review of the album ? Send it to me !
My Opinion
There's reason to be happy in Limburg, it seems.
During the eighties, most of the groups that shot up from under the rusty mineshafts
were on the depressed and dark side (e.g. Siglo
XX, Struggler, De Brassers, Poésie
Noire ...). But today there seems to be a new sort of bacteria living in the
water of this eastern province : one of the merry kind, the kind that drives the
inhabitants to writing song about "copulating with a brontosaurus" (Evil
Superstars) or "a bicycle called love" (Nemo).
It's in that little row that Stonedigger fits in : as far as nonsens go, songs
like "Bunny Pie" (Bunny Pie in
the oven now, I've got ..), "Mow The Carpet"
(I'll mow the carpet, when you're gone), "Yeah
yeah" (I will catch your mouse, before it really eats your blouse) score
very high on the scale of Pawlowsky.
Quite juistified is that the cd comes with a warning sticker "This cd contains
a high amount of Happy Tunes". And it's also no coïncidence that the record
was released on Brinkman-records (the Dutch firm that realized that "laughing
with Belgians" can take a completely new dimension when you sign groups such
as Metal Molly, Nemo, Mitsoobishy Jackson and Stonedigger).
When depressed, consume in doses of three per day, for all others turning it once
a day will do. In short : what a load of utter nonsense, this album. Beautiful,
catchy and good-humour-giving nonsense, that is.
And your opinion?
Did I get it all wrong, or was I spot-on ? Do you want to share your opinion about
this cd ? Send it in, and I'll put it up here !
More about this group :
- I haven't found anything on the web concerning Stonedigger
- Contact :
Management & Bookings : L&S Agency, Postbus 5, 3800 Sint-Truiden.
Tel : +32/(0)11/67 17 01 / Fax : +32/(0)11/67 33 31
Group :
email : stonedigger111@hotmail.com
Where to buy this CD ? :
You can order this CD from a number of locations (prices researched on Janyary
20th, 1999, but nothing guarantees they still are the same when you read this).
The Lowest price is in yellow, the highest in red. This price comparison doesn't
take things into account like deduction of shipping expenses when ordering more
than 1 cd, bonus points, differences in guarantees ... Shipping prices are those
for customers in Belgium.
Have you seen this record elsewhere, do you own a CD-shop with Belgian products
in it, or if there's something wrong with my calculations : let me know.
Watch it : This site pays royalties, and was built and maintained in
accordance with the terms and conditions negotiated with SABAM,
the Belgian society of copyright-holders. Consultation of this site is free, but
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site. Please do not copy. Link!
-icons
for audio)
For
the time being, Stonedigger (a foursome from Sint-Truiden named after the profession
of Obelix) is still the best-kept secret in popmusic of Belgium. But very soon,
that will change compeletely. Not because they hang around in the most fashionable
places, or have a fab image. But because there is not one single Belgian group
that manages to write with such an enthousiasm and with such ease, such a collection
of golden melodies. Stonedigger-songs are easy to sing along with, and float on
catchy choruses and pretty weird lyrics. They refer to both the sixties and the
nineties and just about any song from their recently released debut album is a
potential single.