"Tautou" by Marble Sounds

Hey!

So I am in no way a professional when it comes to music, but I do love it a whole lot, and I like sharing my thoughts with others!

The last few years I've been falling more and more in love with the lovely Belgian band Marble Sounds. (Yes, you read it correctly: a non-Icelandic band I like!).
A while ago they released their new album Tautou. Several interviews stated that this album was going to be different and bolder. That scared me a little bit, as I love the careful vocals on the previous albums Nice is Good and Dear Me, Look Up. But I am still very excited about this, so I would like to share my thoughts on it with you!

First of all, the album art. I mean, look at this:

It's so pretty and exactly the feeling the music gives me: calm, innocent and relatable. There is even a little booklet with lyrics! I haven't seen that in a while.

To make sure I review this album thoroughly, I am going to listen to it and give my opinion on my favourite songs (probably most of them then). Here we go!

The Ins and Outs: They released this song just as I left for Iceland in November, so for me this is permanently linked to that trip. It also stands out from the album because I know it pretty well already. My first thoughts when I heard this were 'oh oh.. It is different'. I was a little worried for a while, but as the piano and guitars started, it felt like Marble Sounds again. It's a good sing-along-song and great choice for a single, in my opinion. (And, oh, that voice...)

The First Try: Yes, those strings!!! That was the one change I was absolutely thrilled about. Strings and Marble Sounds! Yes. They fit perfectly in this song, and they fit perfectly with the Marble feeling that I value so much. It's definitely a great start to this new album.

K.V.: And this is where the tears came. So soon? Yes, so soon. This song is calm and mainly focused on the (incredibly amazing) vocals and strings. But then the flute. This song made me smile through the tears because it was so Marble Sounds. I know that actual critics keep saying that they're bolder, but the fragility in the vocals has definitely stayed and I am glad it has. This song will definitely be on repeat a lot in my house.

Tout et Partout: Some of my all time Marble favourites are Sky High, Leave a Light on and No One Ever Gave Us the Right. There is a reason for that. It is the female vocals. They match so perfectly with the male vocals and add a feeling of mystery to it all. This song already feels like the video could be an awesome, well-dressed, female French secret agent on her way to kick some ass. In a mysterious and sophisticated way.

These Paintings Never Dry: This song caught my attention immediately. It is fast and catchy already at the first few seconds of the song. It will be a challenge to learn the lyrics properly, but so far I like to sing along to the chorus as fast as I can. Again, the strings and the soft female vocals in the background. Yes.

The songs I skipped are of course also worth noticing and I love them all a lot, but I will leave it here so you can discover them yourself. Listen to it on spotify, check out their website and you can even see them live! (if you're in Belgium or The Netherlands.) I'm seeing them in April in Amsterdam and I couldn't be more excited.

What a way to revive my blog, isn't it? I hope to see you soon!

Love,
Mia

PS: The Iceland vlogs are on their way.. Don't worry! I'm working hard!