Jean Parlette - Much Younger

"Much Younger" is like a gingerbread house. It's wonderfully put together, covered with sweetness, but has enough stability and strength to stand on its own. Jean Parlette is a fascinating band comprised of cello, rhodes, guitar, synths, beat programing and vocals, all with some degree of electronic manipulation. This album is like the cheery younger brother of Bjork's "Vespertine" at times, and a more Simon and Garfunkel-influenced version of The Postal Service at others. The repeated guitar pattern on the song "Understand" turns into a drone, so that when the chord pattern breaks free, we listen up and heed lead singer Jos Blomsma's request to understand his words. The audio intricacies and idiosyncracies help make this such a fascinating album. The confluence of chopped up, totally synthetic beats meeting with the sound of the electric piano and cello in a room and the delicate finger picking pattern integrate seamlessly and become a signature sound for Jean Parlette. There are harmonies throughout, and despite the fascinating instrumentation, these are songs that would work well even if performed by just a guy with a guitar. The band has a knack for melodic instrumental lines that fit together like little puzzle pieces. "Much Younger" is an exquisite example of folktronica from an up-and-coming band from the North of Holland.

Author: Peters at CdBaby

Jean Parlette is a quartet from the North of Holland. Very soon they will take their sample-based Folktronica to a stage near you. Principle songwriter Jos Blomsma started the band in order to take his unique blend of home-made electronics and classical instruments on the road.
Jean Parlette has been compared to acts such as Tunng and The Notwist, but the unusual line-up and the sometimes even more unusual way the instruments are played make Jean Parlette stand out as an intriguing live band.
The electronic elements in their songs are complemented by Laurens van der Meulen’s shimmering rhodes parts, David van Egmond’s exquisite fingerpicking and Suze Steemers’ tastful cello.
Jean Parlette likes to sing about the Big Topics of Life but leaves just the right gaps in his lyrics for the listener to fill.
Jean Parlette is friendly yet curious…
Almost instantly the band were proclaimed to be The new juwel from the north by the regional press (3voor12friesland) and the well-known Paradiso club in Amsterdam has booked the band.