First Look/Listen: New Bettie Serveert

Album due March 23: MP3 and Video, below.

By Blurt Staff

Bettie Serveert's new album, Pharmacy of Love, will be released on March 23rd by Second Motion Records in the U.S. and by Sound of Pop in Canada. It's the Dutch band's first album in four years. Keep your eyes peeled in the direction of BLURT for some in-depth coverage close to the album's street date.

With the band employing a "back to basics" approach, Pharmacy of Love captures the kind of raw, contagious energy that has long characterized Bettie Serveert's live shows. Recorded earlier this year in a Belgian recording studio, founding members Carol van Dyk (vocals/guitar), Peter Visser (guitar) and Herman Bunskoeke (bass) were joined on the new album by special guest Joppe Molenaar (of the Dutch band Voicst) on drums.

Free MP3: "Deny All"

The back story:

Bettie Serveert released its debut album, Palomine, in 1992. Signed to Matador Records in the States, the band was championed by critics and quickly became a favorite at college radio with singles "Tom Boy" and "Kid's Allright" getting substantial airplay. Lamprey, which Melody Maker praised for having the most tangled, desolate, real life guitar sound of the year, was released in 1995, followed by 1997's Dust Bunnies, which the band recorded in Woodstock, NY with producer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Lemonheads). The band toured extensively, opening for bands such as Belly, Dinosaur Jr, Buffalo Tom, Superchunk, Jeff Buckley, Wilco and Counting Crows. After its 1998 live album of Velvet Underground covers, Bettie Serveert Plays Venus in Furs and Other Velvet Underground Songs, the band released a string of studio albums - Private Suit, Log 22 and Attagirl - on its own label, Palomine Records. Celebrating its 15th anniversary, Bettie Serveert released Bare Stripped Naked in 2006. A semi-acoustic CD/DVD package of primarily new material, it was hailed by allmusic.com as "a rousing and heroic reminder of what a great band they were and continue to be."

Already out is a digital EP, Deny All, available at the iTunes Music Store.   In addition to lead single "Deny All," the EP will include a long version of "Calling (XL)", a small version of "Souls Travel (small)" plus "Waiting for Control," a bonus track that won't appear on Pharmacy of Love.

Check out the video for "Deny All" below. Incidentally, there are TONS of vids and tunes at the band's official website.

Tracklisting:

1.    Deny All
2.    Semaphore
3.    Love Lee
4.    Mossie
5.    The Pharmacy
6.    Souls Travel
7.    Calling
8.    Change4Me
9.    What They Call Love