360 records from 2000: 67.Novastar: Novastar

67. Novastar: Novastar

Country: Belgium
Artist: Male solo artist
Career: debut
Language: English
Genre: Pop / Rock

This was an absolute smash in Belgium in 2000, the debut of Novastar, our hope in barren song-days. Finally we were going to stop being difficult (dEUS, Evil Superstars etc) and Joost Zweegers turned up, writing effortless, undeniable melodies. The truth is never so simple. In fact it took him 4 years since surfacing with his effortless first single ‘Wrong’, to finish his first album of ten songs and 35 minutes, and ‘Wrong’ was still the most undeniable melody on it. Half of it was filled with forgettable filler like ‘Smooth flavours’, ‘E’ and ‘Do run’. I liked the difficult bands that Belgium had specialized in during the ‘90s, so I was never taken in.

But after all these years, there are some highlights here, some effortless and undeniable melodies. They remind me of the Chris Bell solo songs after Big Star: lost, they sound a bit faded like they’ve been recorded onto tape and been endlessly recorded over, scrapped overdub after overdub, in search of sonic perfection. You can hear the desperation that he’s not living up to his own ideals. I kinda like that. If you’re interested, try ‘Caramia’ or ‘Lost and blown away’ –almost as good as some of the songs on ‘I am the cosmos’. He didn’t get there, but he tried. After all these years, I’m there with him.

Edit: Still growing. Damn, I’ve got to give him his due. It’s excellent.

At its best: Wrong, Caramia, The best is yet to come, Lost and blown away