Grain - Shut Your Mouth Kevin CD / Joyce Leonie

‘I am a puppet on a string, it’s sad sad thing / I dreamt of scissors and knives / So I could end my life’, sings Joyce Leonie van der Hoeven, alias Grain, in Puppet on a String. The singer-songwriter presents the heavily loaded sentences as if she is letting out a little sigh and has put a lovely melody underneath. The tiny song – it lasts less than a minute – typifies Grain. She is a lady who is not immediately graspable, has a mysterious disposition, often opts for a theatrical approach and stimulates the listener with her challenging lyrics.

She likes to compare herself to PJ Harvey. Musically this is not immediately audible, but Joyce Leonie does have a similar kind of rebellion. She is cheeky, has an exceptionally smooth voice and surprises time and again. She brings both an almost classically orchestrated ballad (Out of Here) and a pop song with a hysterical and theatrical chorus (Rocking Horse) and a mini-opera (Gravy). Each and every one of them is a high quality pop gem. Let's hope Grain stays alive for a while.

Label: Self-Released

Country: Netherlands

Media Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)
Sleeve Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)