The press on 'Powderblue'

By: Geraint Jones
In: Comes With A Smile, June 2004

For further evidence of the increasingly widespread influence of Americana you need look no further that Powderblue. Slotting quite snugly into a niche in between The Walkabouts at their more restrained and Laura Cantrell with a nod to Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, whose Dry Town they cover here, Powderblue do not hail from the Pacific North West, New York or California or any point in between on that side of the Atlantic which you could be forgiven for surmising. Rather, somewhat unexpectedly, especially given the quality of the songs, performances and the singing, they're actually from the Netherlands.
Fronted by Marjolein van der Klauw, who writes all the songs here bar the aforementioned Gillian Welch and David Rawlings cover, a song they don't appear to have recorded themselves incidentally, on the evidence of this, their second album Powderblue are certainly deserving of the kind of praise and recognition afforded their US counterparts. Marjolein van der Klauw's understanding and genuine love of the form is clearly apparent throughout. Sweetly voiced, warmly produced, intimately arranged and performed with several sympathetic and accomplished musicians, although much as David Rawlings provides the foil for Gillian Welch, the bulk of musical support here is provided by one man, Jac Bico, a multi-instrumentalist whose backing vocals and discreet embellishments on dobro, pedal steel, banjo and much else besides form an integral part of Powderblue's make-up.
Any sceptics out there who might consider Americana from the Lowlands at all lacking in authenticity should forget it immediately because this is undeniably a superb set of great music irrespective of Powderblue's geographic origins. I'd recommend seeking this one out now as it certainly doesn't deserve to become an undiscovered gem. You won't be sorry.

Comes With A Smile

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