White Shoes rekindles that Seventies' spirit
White Shoes rekindles that Seventies' spirit
Tari Danawidjaja, Contributor/Jakarta
If you have listened to the original soundtrack for Janji Joni, then you are definitely familiar with this band. Even those who have never heard the soundtrack would recognize their song in a soap commercial that stars Mariana, the famous Indonesian model who lives in France.
White Shoes & the Couples Company is not a newborn band among Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) students and graduates. The band -- Sari (vocals), Mela (keyboard/piano/violin), Ricky (bass), Rio (guitar), Saleh (guitar) and John (drum) -- has been around for almost three years now, but releasing an album was not a priority back then.
"We didn't think of becoming a band, because we were still studying at that time. So, we just hung out together," says Ricky, who is also a talented cellist.
It took the six friends about one year to finally release their self-titled debut album. According to Ricky, the album was started during Ramadhan last year, and they finished recording nine months later.
"Some of us work (at other jobs), so it's kind of hard to finish the album," he added.
Think of the band as a reincarnated 1970's band, because that is how they present their music and in how they dress. Ricky said White Shoes is heavily influenced by this distinct decade.
Their music has a pop-romantic atmosphere with a little bit of jazz, fusion and classical touches that add character and power to the music.
"We love Seventies' music and movies, and we call our music pop-romantic," Ricky said.
The album also emphasizes the fresh, happy spirit of hippies, and is sure to make you go la-la-la all the way.
With seven songs in English and four in Bahasa Indonesia, the band tries to keep it simple and sweet.
Just listen to single Senandung Maaf that was featured in the Janji Joni soundtrack. It's simple, sweet and very catchy.
And don't miss their current single, Windu & Defrina, which takes the same beat as the other tracks, but slowly lodges into your psyche.
More upbeat tracks like Sunday Memory Lane, Topstar and Runaway Song have great sing-along potential. If you get tired of listening to these, just switch to the mellow, lullaby-like Senja or Nothing to Fear.
In keeping with their 1970s' spirit, the band launched the album at the Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) hall on Wednesday, performing for a crowd of over 300 comprising mostly friends, family and fans.
They gave a big shot for the performance, but it was not their best, like a previous one at the Goethe House that was exciting and groovy. Yes, the crowd was cheering, but the band was not successful in getting them to sing along.
Let's hope for a more cheery and harmonious live performance next time, because the album is refreshingly good.
Rating: *** out of *****
Album info:
Title: White Shoes & the Couples Company Band: White Shoes & the Couples Company Recording Company: Aksara Records Featured singles: Senandung Malam, Windu & Defrina