Internationally known for his work with David Kramer on the hit stage musical Kat and the Kings (as well as the recent Ghoema), Taliep Petersen has put together 19 of his Afrikaans compositions for the KykNET TV series Alie Barber on Deur Dik en Dun (Bowline), his first Afrikaans album.
These songs are messages he wants to ‘send to the world as a true citizen of South Africa”, says Petersen. Using the playful Cape-coloured vernacular and music, he has written two types of songs: some deliver sharp but witty social commentary and others are simply about love.
The former are more pleasurable. They are likable, optimistic and vivacious, despite the darker picture of living the hard-knock Western Cape life painted by their lyrics. There’s street hawking in Two for the Price of One (‘Granadella, vir Mandela” and ‘Groen spanspekkie, vir Mbeki”), problems with perlemoen in Save die Perlemoen (‘Save die water, save die petrol/En save die perlemoen”) and the ever-worrying crime complaints in Crime Busters (preceded by Innie Goeie Dae, which yearns for days gone by when kids could play safely on the streets). He sings of those who spend their lottery millions before winning a cent, and those who come from broken families and look after parked cars for a living (the ‘millionaire in disguise” on the slower Die Strolers), but also of a strong sense of community — ‘Hier is o’s all for one en one for all”, on Deur Dik en Dun.
But, despite these odes to a difficult life, Petersen allows much romance to slip through. His stage experience shows, as some of his slower songs could easily have been poignant stage solos (Die Strolers, Die Kerk in Mitchells Plein). But though the bluesy Musiek in My Hart, the bouncy Angeline and As Jy Net Weet are rather affecting, Jy Is My Valentine, Love-Siek and others are simply too syrupy and would not have been missed on the album.
Overall, Deur Dik en Dun will satisfy those who have come to know and love Petersen’s work on stage, as well as those who appreciate traditional Cape musical flavours. Just don’t dwell too long on the sentimentality.
More Reviews
Grounded
Working on the Edge (Musketeer)
Gauteng’s Grounded must be one of the most grateful bands around, with three pages of thank-yous in the elegantly designed liner notes of this, their 11-track debut album. Greg Jorden (who also by and large co-wrote all the tracks here, and who beat cancer while recording this album) is a capable vocalist with a likable voice, and Grounded deliver smooth, rich and melodious rock on the mellower side, somewhat similar to the music of Zen Arcade at times. Their sound might be a bit too broad to make a serious difference in the music world, despite some radio-chart success thus far, but Working on the Edge still has plenty of charm. — Riaan Wolmarans
Scorpions
The Platinum Collection (EMI)
Three CDs, 48 rock’n’roll memories: this collection of Scorpions hits is a fan’s wet dream of favourite tracks and hit songs (and after 2004’s Unbreakable, an album hailed by fans and critics as a return to form for the band, it has perfect timing). Regrettably, apart from a photographic collage and a discography comprising album covers, the liner notes don’t say anything at all about the Scorpions’ music over three decades that sold them a massive 52-million albums. Surely a biography and some comment on this German band’s career would have gone well with the three discs? Anyhow, the rock’n’roll here stretches from the hits (Wind of Change, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Still Loving You) to the lesser known (The Zoo, Send Me an Angel) but is no less enjoyable. — RW
Various
Music for the Children Volume I (Bowline)
The Music for the Children fund uses music to help needy children, and a recent fund-raising drive started with a successful music concert in Gauteng last year. This double album is part two of this drive, comprising 35 tracks by some of the country’s best musicians as well as Pride, a rather schmaltzy track written for the album by Kreesan and arranged by Mauritz Lotz, with Melanie Lowe, Kreesan, Craig Hinds of Watershed and others all taking part. Jak de Priester, Klopjag, Ed Jordan, Dr Victor, Malaika, Wonderboom, Lize Beekman, Sibongile Khumalo and Hugh Masekela are just some of the big names on this diverse but mostly interesting compilation that is worth buying — even if just to contribute to the fund, which receives 100% of the proceeds. — RW