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Review by the-mag I`ll be honest here, I like this album. In fact I like it quite a lot but not because of the usual trappings generally accepted as being the hallmarks of a great long player. Its not packed full of monster hits, it`s not going to take the album chart by storm and, hell, it may not even make it into my top 5 playlist for the next month. However, what it will do is not let me forget it in a long time. Put it this way, every time I ponder the bulging ranks of my CD collection this little beauty will be looking back at me wondering whether I`m brave enough to uncover another one of its gems, because gems there are a plenty on this disc. The problem is though, there is no obvious and immediate sparkle to most of tunes but nearly every one, once you`ve gotten through it`s rough and uncut shell, shines like a little treasure. Take the opening song and album title track "Devil Rides White Horses". Here we have acoustic rock of the edgy and spicey variety. Starting with a delicate synth melody, the piano comes in with a sinister build to the point the background hiss overpowers all before dissolving instantly and revealing Mr Tenderhook in his naked glory. The track is a glaring contrast between the twisted verse and the conventional big chorus which could potentially jar if it wasn`t for the vocal quality which really draws you in. Lying between a less tuneful version of Jim Morrison and Nick Cave, Tenderhook`s voice (or Markus Leinweber as he`s known during the day) has the sort of edge which makes up for its limitations in much the same way Johnny Rotten managed with the Pistols. I`m not saying for one second that its punk but its got that angry and desperate underbelly which makes you sit up and listen as you know its got something to say. And something to say it certainly has; from trying to avoid the electric chair by careering through the night at 120 mph to outrun the cops ("Get To You") to finding himself naked in a corridor at 4 am after being kicked out by his suspicious lover ("Jealous Love"), Tenderhooks has got plenty to tell us about the darker side of life. Musically things also take a series of interesting twists and turns as crackers like the synth driven chill out electronica of the gloriously barking "Ornamental Garden" manage to sit quite comfortably alongside more conventional tracks like the slide led, Southern guitar blues of "Glass Bubble". In fact every song is something of a journey which starts out along familiar lines but nearly always takes a detour for the unexpected leaving it invariably impossible to pin down. And that, quite simply, is the beauty of it. If you have a liking for Nick Cave with a hint of Zappa, a splash of Lou Reed, a smidgen of Beck and a whiff of Tom Waits then this slightly rocky, slightly melancholic, slightly mental but wholly original album maybe just the thing you`ve been looking for. reviewed by Pete H 23/03/06 I've also started a blog on MySpace. If you want to know more about Tenderhooks hear their latest single and become friends then go to
Tenderhooks is proud to announce they have their first No.1 From this week Jealous Love the first single from the debut Tenderhooks album Devil Rides White Horses is topping the charts at aiiradio.net Tenderhooks is also featured on the GetReadyToRock.com March newsletter www.getreadytorock.com/news/mar06.htm Read the awesome review on the album and more. Tenderhooks will be releasing a new single on the 1st of April called Slap Happy. I will be posting the song for a listen from the 23rd March on MP3. It will be available to purchase and download from. www.karmadownload.com
Tenderhooks is the doe eyed, Manga style, animated alter ego of writer/producer Marcus Leinweber. I'm not quite sure why Leinweber decided to "do a Gorillaz" and hide behind this moving pencil drawing. Maybe he's cripplingly shy and considers himself hideously ugly, but hey that didn't stop Morrissey and he turned out pretty well. Initially I recoiled from the first track and had to really pull myself together to listen to the rest of the album (gentle coercion by my editor helped, thanks Jack) and I'm glad I gave it a go, The cringe factor of the first track is the exception to what is quite a fine album. Tenderhooks voice is reminscent of Albarn and Julian Cope. The music reminds you of the strange musical journeys that David Bowie undertook, blended with the dark romanticism of Tindersticks and the swagger of Gallon Drunk with the humour of Nick Cave and Gorillaz. Gems on the album are rockingly great "Jealous Love" with the steely paranoiac beat that once powered many an 80s classic, and the wonderfully strange Ornamental Garden which has the experimental flavour of Silver Apples and the dreaminess of The Doors is co-written with Mike Wilton. This makes the album sound like everything bar the kitchen sink has gone into it and it's a bit of a fruit salad, but what is great about the album is that it progresses along and changes and evolves in a way that doesn't jar and you're happy to go along with even when we hit a country vein in Glass Bubble. It's a shame that Tenderhooks is a two dimensional animated character - what we need at the moment is some musical genius with the penchant for wearing make-up wigs and ridiculous outfits and perform his heart out with a stage show of the order of Parliament and Ziggy Stardust with the dark energy of Cave and Cope, so in terms of a phenomenon I think this is a great opportunity missed, however good the Tenderhooks animations are (and they are very good). All that, of course, is academic as the album "Devil Rides White Horses" is quite a journey, and may God bless her and all who sail in her. Review by: Elizia Volkmann Please visit our website and see what Tenderhooks is all about!
Album review from the Get Ready To Rock website. TENDERHOOKS Devil Rides White Horses (2006) Tenderhooks is the alter ego of a singer-songwriter producer who chooses to market his output through a Jim Morrison meets Gorillaz animated character who lives at www.tenderhooks.info. The first thing you wonder is why? Who the hell is Tenderhooks, where does he come from and what inspires him? All we know is that the music is a fusion of rock, pop, blues, and experimental. To be honest I was expecting the worst. But there's something about Tenderhooks that makes you want to press the repeat button. It's a potpourri of contradictions. There's strong late sixties influences, but equally you can hear the influences of Oasis and Gorillaz. Mind you, their influences are equally buried in the flower power generation. There's also a very American 'feel' to many of the lyrics with references to Chevrolettes, 45 pistols and dollar bills. The title track opens the album with Jim Morrison vocals and Isley Brothers guitars. It wouldn't be out of place as a soundtrack to Vietnam. Jealous Love has Gorillaz vocals - a wonderful hook that has a Doors feel and more wonderful late sixties guitar work. Leave Me Be sounds like Nilsson delivering an Oasis ballad. Get To You is a quirky number with nice backing vocals and more slick guitar work. It's Then has a Howling Wolf blues feel. Angie is a funky number with soulful female backing vocals and is catchy as hell. Zoot Stick evokes memories of You Put A Spell On Me meeting The Clash. Express Line Lady is pure blues boogie. Brothers & Sisters plays the album out in a wonderfully evocative blues/rock/soul/reggae style. It's very difficult to express what Tenderhooks is about. It's almost Zappa-esque. There's some great songs, some great delivery. It sounds like everyone else, but no one else. One of the most original and exciting albums I've heard in a long time. ****1?2 Review by Pete Whalley Narurally Tenderhooks is very grateful for the positive feedback by Pete Whalley. I am hoping people might tune in and give the album a listen too now. Check out the website to hear the album clips and see the new Tenderhooks animation for the release of Jealous Love. The first single from the album Please email Markus at [email protected] if you want to get on the mailing list or just say hello.
My story so far………. Where should I begin. Well you know my name is Tenderhooks. I’m a traveller. I’m a survivor. I’ve seen the Devil and now washed up I feel different? Is it good or bad? Am I dead or alive. That could be up to you. You can be part of my life. Join me and come along for the ride. It’s a new beginning. This is the beginning of my story. Visit my website and listen to excerpts of my first album Devil Rides White Horses, it’s a fusion of 13 rock, pop, blues and experimental tracks. You can buy or download tracks online and then you can e-mail suggestions for the next animation which will be called Jealous Love. This will be the first single from my album. There's a 5 minute album sampler on my page at MP3 http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Showband.asp?id=5026 Or check out the beginning of the Tenderhooks story on my website
The first ever time that I listened to this track I was'nt overkeen. I thought that the intro was too 'long-winded' and did'nt really grasp me, but as I was writing a comment for the track it hit me after about a minute and a half that this track was gonna be played alot of times by me. Once that I had listened to the track once, I played it again and agaian and again! The intro