Was already a fan of their In Dutch sophomore effort (made my Best Of 2011 list), but after witnessing the Netherlands (see any themes in the album titles?) trio at Bang Your Head, was thrilled to hear they could pull it off live. Even more than the past, Vanderbuyst revel in 70s hard rock, an era of three to four minute songs, with blues guitar (including solos) fully on display. Appears to be what labels are signing these days, given the varied sounds of acts like Gypsyhawk, Graveyard, Castle, Witchcraft, Orchid, etc.

‘Frivolous Franny’ opens the disc, the tale of a good hearted soul in a corrupt world, just enough punch to get the head bobbing, guitar solo placed prominently. The simplistic, upbeat ‘Waiting In The Wings’ follows, seemingly built around the extended, double-tracked break. An acoustic starts ‘Give Me One More Shot’. No, it’s not about booze, but rather a guy pleading with his (ex?) girlfriend. The blues influence comes to the fore during lyrics like “before you decide to cut me off, appease my needs.” Not some winey song though, as the tempo fluctuates from pained to anger. By contract, ‘The Butcher’s Knife’ (despite the subject matter) is a bouncy little number, an almost commercial rock sound. ‘Tears Won’t Rinse’ is the kind of jam Vanderbuyst do so well. Make that guitar talk! Old school guitar tones introduce the blast-from-the-past known as ‘Never Be Clever’. ‘In Dutch’ (shouldn’t that have been on the last album?) is a sqeally voiced ditty that leads into a pedestrian ‘Johnny Got Lucky’, a two-song stretch of boredom that’s quickly forgotten, as the album heads for its glorious conclusion. The lyrics to a Lenny Kravitz sounding ‘Lecherous’ are directed at a prime and proper political figure, regarding his daughter’s behavior with the band. Wonder if it’s fact or fiction. The title cut (and comical video/single) serves to highlight their music, as well as tongue-in-cheek self-deprecating sense of humor. ‘Welcome To The Night’ is the last of the eleven song, kicking off with rolling drum fills, before settling into a bouncy backbeat, with infectious, sing-along chorus. Vanderbuyst make music fun again.