There was a Sophie Straat album that I hadn't listened to, "'T is niet mijn schuld" from 2020, so I queued it up. I didn't like the first song, about a 13-year-old who wanted to ride in the handlebar seat of their dad's bike one more time - though I could certainly see how it would fit on an album of smartlappen about people whose sorrows don't merit a #smartlap .
The album I actually got was not that concept - it was better.
These songs are mostly about the gentrification of Amsterdam, a topic she returns to on her next album. What makes it, though, is how she sings it. I keep hearing that people think Straat isn't a real singer, but she nails every inflection, every sliding note, every vocal trope of the genre, in a way that suggests a knowing wink without lessening the emotional impact.
I keep finding moments that make me think "Yeah, this is great".
Reinder Dijkhuis Does Art