Dennis Kolen

Music:

Member Since: 26/04/2006
Band Website: www.denniskolen.com
Influences: 'The Jinx', 'Wild Oats' and 'Hard Road/Muddy Track'!
Sounds Like:Dennis Kolen - Hard Road/Muddy Track

One of the best and most productive singer/songwriters from the Netherlands releases another album. In the last five years Dennis Kolen put a new record on the market every single year, among which his two solo albums: the highly acclaimed “The Jinx” (2005), recommended by Dutch pop guru Leo Blokhuis, and the beautiful “Wild Oats” (2007). Now, a year later, he brings us “Hard Road/Muddy Track”.

‘We recorded the album live within four days in the Rotterdam-based Metal-studio Excess. The perfect place to capture the raw emotion of a performing band. 'It's all about the magic of the moment,’ according to an animated Kolen, who started his career as the leader of the Dutch pop formation Wyatt. This band, that released their debut album “The Big Picture” (2001) with a record deal under its belt, gained a lot of fame by performing in the shows of, among others: Kane, Anouk and the Golden Earring.
Three years later Wyatt signed with major label Warner, who released the record “The last of great Fireworks” (2004). After the creation of the third album “Miracle” (2006) the band fell apart and Dennis decided to continue as a solo artist.

His abovementioned solo debut “The Jinx” (2005) received great reviews en was even called ‘ludicrously beautiful’ by Dutch pop professor Leo Blokhuis! The sequel to this record, “Wild Oats” (2007), was already in the making at that time. This album, filled with intimate songs, was chosen as record-of-the-week at the Dutch national radio station Radio 2, and stood at the beginning of a very successful theatre tour. Through a range of up close and personal live concerts Dennis managed to create a dedicated audience.

And now there’s “Hard Road/Muddy Track”, an album that, as the title suggests, has its roots in Americana. Influences like Paul Simon, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Dylan and The Band, and The Stones during the period of “Exile” are clearly recognizable. Still, HR/MT remains a pop album with melodies that are authentic to Dennis, and which remind one of The Beach Boys and Crosby, Stills and Nash.
‘The title of this album stands for the long road that every musician has to travel to discover his creative identity, and with that also his audience,’ says Dennis. ‘It’s fantastic to see that the audience has also discovered me. Because of the theatre tour I really found out how intimate a performance can be, and what kind of effect my songs have on people. The positive reactions of the audience are overwhelming.’

Tracks on the record that clearly stand out are the melancholy ode to Europe “Scotland Road”, the song “Hey California” about a stay in Hollywood, and the beautiful polyphonic tracks “Stand inside Love” and “The Beach Song”. HR/MT can easily be called the most complete vocal Americana album of the year!

“Hard Road/Muddy Track” (V2) is available starting September 20th.

Record Label: V2 Records
Type of Label: Indie