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They walked away with a SAMA award for their first album, Vuur en Vlam in 2008, and now Mystic Boer Valiant Swart and boeremusiek maestro Ollie Viljoen are back after 3 years with their second album, Wild en Wakker. Number two seems to be the lucky number for Valiant, Ollie and their three band members: a definite winner. The recipe? Raw, original, honest musical interpretations without unnecessary clutter.
The album opener “Kraaibraai” contains typical tongue-in-the-cheek Valiant lyrics and a musical dialogue between concertina and electric guitar reminiscent of Valiant’s “Eyeshadow”. On “Die Wyntannies” Valiant once again confirms that he’s the original “Lekker Zef”-maestro: “Die witwyntannie met die sweetpakbroek; die rooiwyntannie wat so lekker kan vloek; die brannewyntannie met die Krismiskoek; die soetwyntannie met die Weskussnoek” (The white wine auntie with the tracksuit pant; the red wine auntie that can swear and rant; the brandy auntie with the Christmas cake; the sweet wine auntie with the west coast snoek). Jack Parow, Die Antwoord...who are they again?
And what would a Valiant album be without a ballad dedicated to a “rowwe rabbedoedie rakker lekker lolliepoppie sucker sexy superstralerjakker, lekker wild en wakker” biker-chick? Very boring indeed.
Ollie’s musical presence, or rather his musical genius, is also clearly audible on every song, especially on the instrumental langarm shuffle “Konsertina” and the beautiful piano tango “Hemel en Aarde”. Ollie’s “Hantamberge” also receives a make-over with the raw, honest vocal ability of Pietman Geldenhuys who changes it into a true gem.
Traditional Afrikaans songs like “Boegoe-Baba-Roksak” and “Olé die boere” (originally ‘Hoe ry die Boere’) are also given a brand new set of clothing. And the soppy tracks? They’re also present in the form of the sad “Goudstad Ligte”, originally recorded by “Die Vos Broers” as well as Valiant’s emotional observation (“Lang Elsie”) on which he sings: “Lang Elsie met jou tarentaal, is dit jy wat staar na die spikkels op die hals van die Here se kitaar” (Long Elsie with your guinea fowl, do you stare at the dots on the neck of the Lord’s guitar). Poetic or what?
Wild en Wakker is a faultless album with regards to production, musicianship and originality. And if you were a sceptic, you’ll definitely be caught by this album and sometimes misunderstood genre: hook, line and sinker.
The album opener “Kraaibraai” contains typical tongue-in-the-cheek Valiant lyrics and a musical dialogue between concertina and electric guitar reminiscent of Valiant’s “Eyeshadow”. On “Die Wyntannies” Valiant once again confirms that he’s the original “Lekker Zef”-maestro: “Die witwyntannie met die sweetpakbroek; die rooiwyntannie wat so lekker kan vloek; die brannewyntannie met die Krismiskoek; die soetwyntannie met die Weskussnoek” (The white wine auntie with the tracksuit pant; the red wine auntie that can swear and rant; the brandy auntie with the Christmas cake; the sweet wine auntie with the west coast snoek). Jack Parow, Die Antwoord...who are they again?
And what would a Valiant album be without a ballad dedicated to a “rowwe rabbedoedie rakker lekker lolliepoppie sucker sexy superstralerjakker, lekker wild en wakker” biker-chick? Very boring indeed.
Ollie’s musical presence, or rather his musical genius, is also clearly audible on every song, especially on the instrumental langarm shuffle “Konsertina” and the beautiful piano tango “Hemel en Aarde”. Ollie’s “Hantamberge” also receives a make-over with the raw, honest vocal ability of Pietman Geldenhuys who changes it into a true gem.
Traditional Afrikaans songs like “Boegoe-Baba-Roksak” and “Olé die boere” (originally ‘Hoe ry die Boere’) are also given a brand new set of clothing. And the soppy tracks? They’re also present in the form of the sad “Goudstad Ligte”, originally recorded by “Die Vos Broers” as well as Valiant’s emotional observation (“Lang Elsie”) on which he sings: “Lang Elsie met jou tarentaal, is dit jy wat staar na die spikkels op die hals van die Here se kitaar” (Long Elsie with your guinea fowl, do you stare at the dots on the neck of the Lord’s guitar). Poetic or what?
Wild en Wakker is a faultless album with regards to production, musicianship and originality. And if you were a sceptic, you’ll definitely be caught by this album and sometimes misunderstood genre: hook, line and sinker.
