After publishing the single Kathie Doesn’t Come THE NOUVE have released their debut album The Last Goodbye Is Not Always The End. Songwriter and bandleader Robert Nouve and his guest musicians have recorded an album, which I haven’t heard in this vein for a long time. Dark and catchy arrangements with fluffy but not too heavy guitars and some electronic elements can convince fans of the good old The Cure or Silke Bischoff for sure, but don’t ingratiate with pop music. Undisputed highlight is the already mentioned Kathie Doesn’t Come, which reminds me of old strumming tracks from Philip Boa, the pope of indierock. An extraordinary song, which definitely sticks in the ear! But even the more relaxed songs can score – Love’s Philosophy spreads drug-like lounge atmosphere by using organ and jazzy drums like The Doors did. The dreamy track Universe lets your thoughts wander.
Unfortunately the musical level can’t be kept at the album’s length. Especially the cover version of Silke Bischoff’s depressive anthem I Don’t Love You Anymore lets me shiver. At the first part of the song the droning and expressionless vocals shake my ears. In part the remaining songs are noticeably better and obviously modeled on examples like The Cure but yet only mediocre. Here I have to criticize the singing again, which could be more accentuated and the voice developable. Thus the songs go more or less in one ear and out the other.
If Robert Nouve is more silhouetted against his namesake from England at the next time, keeps the hands off from dangerous cover versions and provides diversified songs furthermore, then he will earn more points.