Album Review – Out and About by Lewsberg (Self released) (2023)
If their early releases revealed this Rotterdam based foursome as an act that twisted often abrasive jangle rock through all manner of angular, untraditional guitar work, then their previous In Your Hands album (October 2021) saw the culmination of a move towards a more melodic, Rotterdam indie vibe that continues to thrive on this Out and About album.
Probably the most languid tracks on the release are heard in Angle of Reflection, A Different View, The Joy of Spring, and Debbie. Here, the spoken word delivery of Arie van Vliet and the sweet, plaintive vocals of Shalita Dietrich and Marrit Meinema, who share vocal duties throughout the album, are coursed through a melodic minimalism that reeks of a modern-day Young Marble Giants energy.
The 1980s influences are further explored on Without A Doubt, Communion, and the superlative standout Out For Milk, which take the jangly, agitated riffs of The Feelies and add the sort of indie-pop meets subtle post-punk crossover style of Marine Research and Black Tambourine to provide a unique mix that is so powerfully Lewsberg in its inimitable aural texture.
Lewsberg may be becoming more considered and gentile as their sound moves forward but they are certainly no less essential.
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