American Tune
Jp Den Tex
© Copyright-JP DEN TEX
(8712177055388)
Record Label: Comme Les Chansons
SPECIAL: 10% discount if you buy more than one copy of it today!
No items available in your wishlist
JP DEN TEX . . . . . a short biography
JP DEN TEX (originally from Amsterdam, Holland) is in the first place a fine storyteller, bridging the gap between Americana and traditional European genres such as French chanson. Den Tex has been very successful in putting his cosmopolitan message across lately, both at home and abroad.
JP's first notable musical adventure was in the mid 70’s as a member of Tortilla, a legendary Dutch band whose music would now be described as alt.country. Later, in the 80’s, Den Tex recorded some critically acclaimed solo albums. At the beginning of the 90’s JP interrupted his solo activities to participate in the rebellious retro ensemble 'Les Gueux' (CD ‘After Hours’ – 1992). A strong belief in the values of European musical tradition lay at the heart of the group's formation. In 1998 he went solo again - and back to his musical origins, with the very rootsy, introspective Emotional Nomads album. "Painstakingly honest, that’s how I'd like to be" JP wrote in the CD booklet. This album proved to be a real break-through. In 2000 it was followed by the moody ‘Hotel Yankee Tango’ - and later by the capricious, almost lighthearted ‘La Jeune Fille Au Chewing Gum’.
On the serial albums 'Bad French' (2007) and ‘American Tune’ (2009) JP’s lust for travel takes the listener to the America’s. A European non-fiction writer - who's been temporarily residing in NYC to assemble material for a new book (“The American Dream… Does it still exist?”) – sets out on a low-budget, adventurous fact-finding trip from New York City to San Francisco, in a rented red Toyota. Somewhere along the dented road he’ll pick up disheveled Russian Elena, a former escort girl from Brighton Beach (NYC), who dreams of starting a new life in California. In the weeks that follow they jointly discover the customs, landscapes (and music!) of the various states they're passing through, on their way out west. All the while mixed up in a tender, yet unstable love affair destined to go awry.
www.jp-den-tex.com -
Read more...
Thanks for your review
Thanks for reviewing this album! You should see it show up on the album page in a few days.
[CLOSE]
Review American Tune
author: Maverick (2010, April Issue)
JP Den Tex
AMERICAN TUNE
Comme Les Chansons 217209
****
They say ‘Beatnik Americana’—I say ‘Top quality adult pop music’
JP Den Tex is Dutch; sounds British and sings about America. Confused? You won’t be after you listen to AMERICAN TUNE; JP’s 16th long playing record. He recorded his first album, TORTILLA in 1971 and has been recording when the mood takes him ever since. JP has had a fascination with all things Americana since his teenage years and AMERICAN TUNE is full of reminisces of being stranded in Tucson, Arizona or reaching Phoenix on a Greyhound Bus and then roaming the streets of San Francisco. There is a very ‘English feel’ to the overall sound of the album; by which I mean Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello territory.
Love so Helpless and Hero are both hopeless love songs that must have been written at 3am with only a tabby cat and a cold cup of coffee for company. The Dreamer and Bowbow are real down-home Americana and stay with you like the after taste of a quality Bourbon. JP goes all Continental on us with Mon Desir Noir and Un Amour Fou a San Francisco but even these two songs are littered with Franglais like Geraint Watkins occasionally does on his albums.
There is a genuine warmth throughout AMERICAN TUNE and is nicely finished with a ska-shboom shuffle on Vagabond Heart and the toe tapping finale We’ll Sweep Out The Ashes (In the Morning) which is a swinging duet with Vera Van den Poel and will stay with me for a long long time. It’s very difficult to find fault with AMERICAN TUNE and I’m genuinely glad to have discovered such a rare talent as JP Den Tex. AH
www.jp-den-tex.com
Read more...