Black Box Revelation

Brace yourselves – no, get your ass over to the closest stage that’s smart enough to invite Black Box Revelation over for a show, because nearly five years after Tattooed Smiles, Jan Paternoster and Dries van Dijck are sure-as-hell back. Their new album Poetic Rivals, released in March 2023, is their fifth album, produced by Andy Savours (Arctic Monkeys, My Bloody Valentine), and it’s a hit once more: gloriously rocking choruses instantly hook into your brain, raw and honest guitar sounds come blasting out of old tube amps without any cosmetic embellishments, and drums so dry and tight punch you in the face, making it hard not to be surprised that this album doesn’t come with a warning sign urging you to wear a sturdy integral helmet while listening to it. Add to that: exciting vocal harmonies, samples and loops of all sorts, loaded with subtle and deep Moog synths, while Jan Paternoster bares his soul like never before. Their live performance is supported by multi-talented musician Jasper Morel on guitars, keys, and backing vocals, doing justice to the rich, layered sound of Poetic Rivals. And in case it all sounds a bit too subtle for you: both gentlemen wanted to let you know that, although they’ve been grownups for a while now, it won’t mean that during concerts, they are not (we repeat: NOT planning to ‘engage in less debauchery than before’). Thank God.