Pip Blom – “Keep It Together” – Welcome Break

Pip Blom – “Keep It Together” – Welcome Break

Pip Blom is a tremendous indie band from the Netherlands.  Comprised of singer-guitarist Pip Blom and her younger brother Tender Blom (also guitar, backup vocalist), along with drummer Gini Cameron, and bassist Darek Mercks, Pip Blom produces an interesting mix of gangly guitar and really odd vocals.  The duets between Pip and her brother are intense and sound like the duets of X (Exene and John Doe) without the histrionic vocalizations of Exene.  Pip, instead, sounds like Courtney Love is just talking to you, not screaming.  The lyrics are very emo, but sound real.  As their bio states:

Actively seeking out moments of creative-authenticity, be it via a slightly-out-of-tune guitar or proudly-fuzzed vocals, Pip Blom take us back full circle and introduce us to their ‘Welcome Break’-an eleven-track release which resonates with about as much decisive allure as it’s ‘Boat’ precursor, but this time with a bit more contemporary chaos to boot.

 

Where ‘Boat’ reckoned as a fresh-faced, yet gloriously fearless game-changer, ‘Welcome Break’ is the self-assured older sibling who, with an additional year or two behind themselves, isn’t afraid to speak out, take lead, and instigate a liberated revolution-come-bliss-out.

For me, the juxtaposition of vocals, with Tender’s vocals often in the background as some Greek chorus responding to Pip’s direct lyrics, along with the slightly out-of-tune guitars brings Pip Blom to a new, unexplored Emo territory.  Definitely poppy, but never sappy, Pip Blom is great music to keep the outside world from over-intruding.