After premiering her video for “Birds” yesterday, Anouk released her new album today. “Sad Singalong Songs” is a collection of ten tracks that go beyond the “love ballad” stamp that you would expect from such a title.

Apart from “Birds”, Anouk released three more videos – which she calls short films, and they truly are: “Kill”, “The Good Life” and “Pretending As Always”. They are all marginally related to one another and Anouk features as a secondary character in all of them. My personal favourite is “Kill”, both as a song and as a video:

The album, recorded entirely with an orchestra, is, like “Birds”, very atmospheric, moody and deep (some mistakenly call this depressing) and marks a departure from Anouk’s usual rock sound, delving further into the direction of soul that started with “Lost”. The usually outgoing and hilarious Dutch singer proves to be, on “Sad Singalong Songs”, a highly sensitive person but also “strong black woman” at the same time. She is the epitome of a woman who takes fate into her own hands, even if this means to put an end to it, like in “Birds”. She is the one who lays down “The Rules”, starting with “Rule number one / There will be no rules.”  In “Only A Mother”, she is the mom of four (yes) who will undoubtedly speak to all women who love their children like only a mother can. And, in “Kill”, she will speak to the scorned woman who ponders the difficult decision whether to kill the adulterous father of her children.

After recently discovering or rediscovering Anouk via Eurovision 2013, many, including us, have been tempted to compare her to Adele and Lana Del Rey, because of the flawless live renditions of her songs and her moody, melancholic sound. But the truth of the matter is that the Dutch singer has been around longer than these ladies have been and, for those familiar with the rock star who erupted on the international stage proclaiming she is “Nobody’s Wife”, she is just confirming what we have known all along: Anouk is a powerhouse in her own right and a singular voice to be reckoned with.

Granted, the songs on the album are not radio-friendly, but Anouk is a risk-taker who is never afraid to be bold.  Take, for instance, her decision to showcase her videos and to release her new album after the semi-final. And, indeed, to participate in an usually lively song competition with a gloomy track. We applaud Anouk for breaking the rules and the the “Netherlands curse”, bringing her country in the Final after nine years.

“Birds” really is a triumph for the Netherlands, as we predicted when we first listened to the song. We’re glad that Anouk’s voice will echo again in the Malmö Arena on Saturday night, particularly because she is Wiwi Jury’s favourite to win the contest. And we promise to sing along! Succes, Nederland!

SadSingalongSongs475

The album is available on Spotify and iTunes.

Bogdan Honciuc is a Romania-based correspondent for WiwiBloggs.com.

You can read our song reviews on the Wiwi Jury page. Then read the lyrics to this year’s entries on our contestants page. And then vote for your favourite contestants in our various polls.

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Anouk4us
10 years ago

You can listen to the album from this link. Set YT autoplay on and enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QJ7y7m0ye0&list=PLdnZ0dBxItNKjGHQ02ZT63g7fxDCTmiql

Anouk4us
10 years ago

Only some mention Anouk’s new album. She really deserves better than that. And I’m pleased to see this review here. On Sad Singalong Songs Birds appears to be part of a universal love project. It’s so special, marvelous voice, new style, excellent singing, balanced tracks, kind of cult. Like Tom Waits album “Mule Variations in an other way” Anouk manages to create an overall fitting style to share serious experience in a symphonie/opera like project with many aspects and musical variations in that style.

twan manders
twan manders
10 years ago

Anouk’s “White Album”

Angel Wynton
10 years ago

The song rings to my head.. Birds and More Birds, Anouk will win!

http://youtu.be/jAe9b-9xA7c

JoyceS
JoyceS
10 years ago
Vika
Vika
10 years ago

Album is beautiful and it’s a marvelous comeback for Anouk! On top of being very talented singer-songwriter she is obviously very intelligent and charismatic woman, too. I sincerely hope she wins tomorrow! Amsterdam 2014, why not? 🙂

Richard
Richard
10 years ago

How have I not heard of her until now?! An absolutely brilliant album. “Pretending As Always” might be even *better* than “Birds,” if that’s even possible. It’s the distaff counterpart of Beck’s Sea Change album, which is just about as high a compliment as I can give.

Joyces
Joyces
10 years ago

I have this album ???? just got it this morning!

Alex
Alex
10 years ago

I want this album!! 😛

rogesc
rogesc
10 years ago

Wow, thank you Bogdan for these kind words!! I honestly thought Eurovision was over for us after all those years of failure, but Anouk’s succes is really flaring up the Eurovision flame in The Netherlands again. We were over the moon when everybody screamed for us to qualify last tuesday and I hope we will do well in the final tomorrow 🙂

dex
dex
10 years ago

She’s got carisma,for sure..Bu.iI thnik we have a new european star,i would definetly buy her album.Europe wont make a mistacke if she winns.Good luck from Belgrade.