Bettie Serveert at this point in my life is like having the musical equivalent of comfort food. Having listened to this band for roughly fifteen years, I've come to rely on Bettie Serveert to always be there when I need them and as per usual they are. That's why it's really no shock, at least to me, that they've been around so long and that Pharmacy of Loveis their eighth album. While they never really crossed over into the mainstream during the early90's, the band has steadfastly held their ground for the last decade or so and produced some of the finest sweetly cool indie rock on either side of the Atlantic.
Sounding kind of like a combination of their debut album, Palomine, being covered by Sleater Kinney, the album has a punky DIY edge to it that kicks some serious butt. In fact, it might just be their edgiest to date and while that may be true, the great thing about Bettie Serveert is that no matter how much they rock out the band never loses sight of its pop sensibility. As a result, the band balances spiky guitars with the heartfelt yearning in only a way that a band that's been around the block a few times could ever hope to. To put it mildly, these guys are pretty good and they show this repeatedly throughout the course of Pharmacy of Love by getting back to basics and letting their songs do the talking.
Pharmacy of Love is a great record and it feels as though the band are once again tan, rested, and ready to take on the rock and roll machine. The songs on this album are energetic, punchy, aggressive and hark back to the days when "alternative," first broke. While they tap into some of that early 90's angst the band never forget that the past is the past and that things have come a long way since they first started. Bettie Serveert have put together a consistently melodic and strong record that sounds fresh.
It's nice to hear that despite how many songs these guys have written together that they continue to evolve as a band and come up with material that as good as anything that's out there. Pharmacy of Love is an impressive effort and while they might never run into mainstream success they should know that they are easily one of the most consistent bands out there as well as one of the best kept secrets in all of indie rockdom.
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