Music:
Member Since: 4/2/2006
Band Website: phantompuercos.nl
Band Members: John Koolen:
Guitars, slide, lapsteel, mandolines, vocals.
Marcel van Hal:
Bassguitar, vocals.
Peer de Cocq:
Drums, accordeon, washboard, trumpet, vocals.
Tonnis van der Luit:
Lead vocals, guitars, banjo.
Bookings:
www.phantompuercos.nl
Influences: Ryan Adams, Apostle of Hustle, The Band, Black Mountain, Roy Buchanan, Buffalo Springfield, Calexico, JJ Cale, Johnny Cash, Clem Snide, The Denver Broncos, Drive by Truckers, Flying Burrito Brothers, Friends of Dean Martinez, furtips, Howe Gelb, Giant Sand, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Led Zeppelin, Meat Puppets, Willie Nelson, North Mississippi All-Stars, Okkervil River, Pink Floyd, Sparklehorse, 16 Horsepower, Thin White Rope, 22 Pistepirkko, Uncle Tupelo, Velvet Underground, Hank Williams, Woven Hand, Neil Young.
Sounds Like: CD Review Woold by David Cowling from www.americana-uk.com
Dutch style total Americana
These songs were recorded in the space of a week in a barn in Woold (Holland or the Netherlands), and it has resulted in a sound where there is actual interaction between the elements - it is a style that fits with their mostly traditional Americana sound. Neil Young can be mentioned as well as new-traditionalists like Drive-By Truckers; there are masses of guitar interplay, plenty of escalating guitar arguments that almost get out of hand. The first third is almost entirely in this style.
‘In A Hole’ heralds a change of formation, lighter, more towards indie-pop, guitar freer bubbling around figures rather then powerful riffs, vocals less intense and even snatches of harmony. Then the fiddle and banjo comes out and we move to Uncle Tupelo style ‘Bear Mountain Bloodbath,’ a celebration of the working man completed with a bluegrass coda. By the time we get to ‘Woold’ things have become more bucolic and even lyrical as a pretty melody is surrounded by ringing guitar strings that build to a controlled and sustained instrumental that doesn’t outstay its five minutes.
I can say without doubt this is the best Dutch Americana I’ve ever heard - it can be a little formulaic at times but there’s enough of their own personality to keep it interesting and the guitar playing is good throughout. They even have the sense to end with their most experimental song ‘Put Me Up For Sale’ that leaves me wanting to hear where they go next.
Date review added: Friday, December 21, 2007
Reviewer: David Cowling
Related web link: The new Dutch masters
CD Review Woold by RON from www.rootstime.be
Dec 2007
Americana on clogs. But i don’t mean this in any demeaning way because these dutch ghost pigs make truly beautifull americana like the best bands from the States in this genre do . They didnt run to some fancy equiped studio to record their album. These guys just drove from Nijmegen to Winterswijk. To an old barn from the Vaags family in Woold, a small area of Winterswijk, which gave the album its name. In the middle of these beautiful surroundings they recorded this album all but live, in one week. I already gave it away, this has become a very atmospheric and succesfull little album. Their “hogstyle music†agrees with me. It’s the phrase they use in their logo, a happy little king-pig which seems to be inspired by Little Feets’ own illustrator Neon Parks.
But lets talk about the music itself. Phantom Puercos are in luck: one of my favorite bands is “The Bottle Rockets†and their music just happens to sound somewhat like it. Sometimes it sounds a bit darker, like in the powerfull “Snowâ€, a song full of nice little “soundscapesâ€. Guitars are used in this song to build up atmosphere, something they have in common with Calexico. John Koolen’s slide guitar is excellent here, a magnificent song. Sixteen Horsepower or the belgian Admiral Freebee can be refered to as well to describe the vocal sound of Tonnis van der Luit. In the song “In A Hole†his voice matches Admiral Freebee's even more.
The somewhat dark atmosphere at the beginning of the song “Woold†changes into a more sunny guitarsound as the song progresses. John Koolen knows how to paint with guitarsounds like no other and he painted a beautifull still life here, Woold in all it’s rural peace. “Ten Dirty Nails†is another dark, threatening country song, because of, again, the exquisite guitarplay of John who makes his steelguitar weep and cry to create an intensly sad mood. “Alls Falls Down†is lightly influenced by “The Band†and “Put Me Up For Sale†the final track of the album is yet another one in the “Country Noir†genre.
With their desolate guitar sounds, desert blues, and pitch black vocals, in sharp contrast to the deep greens of the Winterswijk meadows they were able to create an excellent, american sounding album. One with a value which probaly exceeds its budget by far. Or to summarize in their own words: I’m not hostile to that hogstyle music, I can keep on playin’ it till the pigs come home!
(RON)
CD Review Woold by Hugo Vogel from www.altcountry.nl
December 2007
Do you know where Woold lies? Me neither. The four members of Nijmegen’s Phantom Puercos however did know. They travelled to this area behind Winterswijk to record their first fullgrown album. Once settled in a barn, they taped the 12 tracks of their album appropriately called Woold. And somehow, but this can be my imagination, this rural environment seems to shine through the music of this swines brood.
The mood of the album changes like the weather in April, somtimes grimm like in “Snow†and suddenly sunny like the next track “Pictures of a grassy creekâ€.
Musically these guys seem to be somewhere between “The Bottle Rocketsâ€and “Crazy Horse†with their guitar dominated countryrock. Indeed not a bad place to be. In “Cheap Drinks And Heartaches†they are themselves, tempo wise, trotting away on a horse, bottle at their lips. Sometimes “16 Horsepowerâ€(again a horselike phenomenon) , comes to mind. For instance in the icy, terrifying “Ten Dirty Nailsâ€, the only song also present on their demo. The final track “Put Me Up For Sale†allows guitarplayer John Koolen to excel at his lapsteel.
People, this is a mighty fine album. And, although not most important, it comes with a beautifull booklet too.
(Hugo Vogel)
CD Review Woold by Johan Gottschalk from Backline Magazine
December 2007
A couple of men, aged somewhere around 40. Halfway the journey of life, the glass still half-full. Resigned and reflective. What went well, what did i fuck up and what is ahead of me?
These thoughts are put to music by the Phantom Puercos from Nijmegen, resulting in a truly magnificent album, recently presented in poptemple Doornroosje. The whole thing was recorded in one week, in a barn, in the area Woold near Winterswijk. Hence the album title and one intriguing 5 minute instrumental track got its name from that place too. All instruments were recorded simultaneously and the album consists mostly of first-takes. This created a raw kind of authenticity. Very nice.
Anyone who likes Neil Young and similar artists should act now and get yourself this beautifully designed disc for only 10 euros.
(Johan Gottschalk)
DE AFFAIRE - INTIMATE NOSTALGIATRIP with PHANTOM PUERCOS
Drôhme-stage opens great.
Text: Maarten Wagemakers zaterdag 14 juli 2007
Phantom Puercos is no blank page in this part of the country. In just three years time this country noir foursome built up quite a reputation with only a few performances. They even managed to sell-out the local club Merleyn which holds 250 people. Technically speaking you could say that the performance at the Valkhof Affaire Summerfestival is a home match but that would not be excactly fair. Their gloomy flavored alt.country has a far too timeless and exotic quality for that. Phantom Puercos steers away from the musical whims usually found in music from the Netherlands.
Calexico, Wilco, 16 Horsepower: they have all been mentioned as influences by various critics but Phantom Puercos keeps plotting its own steady course. Hypnotizing, instrumental prairie-anthems are effortlessly interchanged for uptempo porch traditionals; creepy ghosttown ballads for ‘old skool’ eruptions. The band is particulary good at bringing across the nostalgic mood that is so characteristic to the americana-genre, like a red wire running across their whole performance keeping you focussed.
Phantom Puercos once again shows their live reputation is valid. The intimate Drôhme stage turns out to be the perfect location for their melancholic trip through american roots history which is enhanced by the warm red glow that submerges the audience in a real visual soundsbath. Will it work just as well on a record as it does live? This question will be answered on september 28th in Doornroosje Nijmegen when Phantom Puercos will present their new album to the audience.
Bookings: click here
Alt Country CD Review (Hugo Vogel 7 nov 2006):
The four men of The Phantom Puercos claim they are influenced by bands like: Neil Young, The Band, Clem Snide, Calexico and 16 Horsepower. When you listen to songs like They Caught Him Driving Around and Ten Dirty Nails it seems especially 16 Horsepower was a real inspiration for the four ghost pigs. Their music is a mix of threatening mountainfolk (with banjo and mandoline), country noir and up tempo countryrock. Well done ! Bookers: The Phantom Puercos are looking for gigs, don't miss this opportunity(Hugo Vogel)
CD REVIEW VPROs 3voor12 ARNHEM/NIJMEGEN (Mischa Bijenhof woensdag 20 september 2006):
Just add, in your minds eye, the old porch and the overgrown '63 Caddy. For a brief moment you get the feeling that that rusty old Caddy witnessed a terrible drama. It's all been done before but this time for once it's been done well. And that deserves a big compliment.
CONCERT REVIEW VPROs 3VOOR12 ARNHEM/NIJMEGEN (Suzanne Fockens, juli 2006):
Their mix of country noir en americana sometimes sounds like 16 Horsepower and Admiral Freebee. The use of a banjo adds more rythm and joy. Not all songs they play are happy tunes: the dark edge is evident in the song Ten Dirty Nails.
CD REVIEW LIVEXS (june 2006):
And that is excactly what Phantom Puercos are doing: playing americana, traditional campfire songs. All in all this is a fine album and a nice addition to the dutch version of americana. Anyway, the performance is great.
CD REVIEW FRET (june 2006):
Route 66 is just around the corner in these very american, gloomy flavored roots songs.
Record Label: Buy our new cd at www.phantompuercos.nl
Type of Label: None
