By cave 
For the second month in a row, a Flemish production tops the list! After Bonfire Lakes in January, it is now ’t Hof Van Commerce taking the lead. With their hip-hop cover “Linda Toch” (#1), built around dominant samples of Will Tura, they naturally hit me straight in the heart. Every time I listen to it, I’m thrown back to that night of September 1st, when my sister — who, for the record, was also named Linda — lost her life in a fire at our parents’ home. We are exactly six months further now, and every time I hear “Linda Toch”, time seems to stand still for a moment and that lump in my throat and twist in my stomach come rushing back.
The top 10 is closed by Bill Pritchard, who in the late ’80s added several fabulous singles and albums to his — and our — musical heritage. The 7” “Tommy & Co” is, for me, the most memorable of them all. Now Bill is back in action, praising a certain “Lillie”, coincidentally also the name of our granddaughter, the apple of our eye (albeit spelled slightly differently). So this top 10 carries a maximum of symbolic value within the private sphere.
Also back on the right track is Morrissey! After last month’s slightly disappointing comeback single “Make-up Is A Lie”, the follow-up “Notre-Dame” arrives from the upcoming new album — and this one hits the mark perfectly. Vintage Morrissey!
Other welcome comebacks this month (besides Bill Pritchard) include Bruce Hornsby at #11 with “Indigo Park”, Mobywith “Retreat” (#13), Admiral Freebee with “The Hunger” (#14), and U2 with “Song Of The Future” (#19) from the new EP Days Of Ash. The Godfathers with “Going Wrong” (#28) and Pulp with “Begging For Change” (#40) round off the long-time-no-see newcomers.
There is also a solid local presence this month: seven Flemish artists in total. Besides the already mentioned ’t Hof Van Commerce and Admiral Freebee, we also enjoyed Augustijn (#12 “Pardon”), The Hickey Underworld (#24 “Cold Sun”), Froze ft. Raymond (#30 “Vogels”), Bonfire Lakes (#36 “Song For Ma”), and finally the ever-absurd Arbeid Adelt (#39 “Taliban Cocktail Jurk”).
So, on we go towards spring — it’s about time!
(Jan VH)
Playlist
1 – ’t Hof Van Commerce – Linda Toch!
2 – Morrissey – Notre-Dame
3 – Yungblud – Suburban Requiem
4 – The Clockworks – Magnificent Seven
5 – Bruce Springsteen – Streets of Minneapolis
6 – The Damned – I’m Not Like Everybody Else
7 – Brigitte Calls Me Baby – Slumber Party
8 – Angelo Branduardi – Bella Mia Queso Mio Core
9 – Buzzcocks – Tear of a Golden Girl
10 – Bill Pritchard – Lillie
11 – Bruce Hornsby – Indigo Park
12 – Augustijn – Pardon
13 – Moby – Retreat
14 – Admiral Freebee – The Hunger
15 – Perfume Genius – Undercurrent (Clean Heart)
16 – Uni Boys – I Don’t Wanna Dream Anymore
17 – Donovan – You Do Belong
18 – Ash – Keep Dreaming
19 – U2 – Song of the Future
20 – Joe Jackson – Fabulous People
21 – The Bevis Frond – That’s Your Lot
22 – Cold War Kids – Push My Luck
23 – Bill Janovitz – Commiserating
24 – The Hickey Underworld – Cold Sun
25 – Van Morrison – Social Climbing Scene
26 – They Might Be Giants – Eyeball
27 – The Boxer Rebellion ft Nathan Nicholson – Flowers in the Water
28 – The Godfathers – Going Wrong
29 – Tyler Ballgame – Down So Bad
30 – Froze ft Raymond Van Het Groenewoud – Vogels
31 – Dry Cleaning – Blood
32 – Francis Rossi – Push Comes to Shove
33 – Courtney Barnett ft Waxahatchee – Site Unseen
34 – Daniel Romano ft The Outfit – Autopoiet
35 – Ziggy Marley – Many Mourn for Bob
36 – Bonfire Lakes – Song for Ma
37 – Al Green – To Love Somebody
38 – Peter Gabriel – Put the Bucket Down (Bright Side Mix)
39 – Arbeid Adelt ft Parkaparaplu – Taliban Cocktail Jurk
40 – Pulp – Begging for Change