DIY art punks Real Farmer have blazed a trail from the pubs and bars of their hometown of Groningen, Holland to the highways and byways of Europe. Playing their first UK gig just over a year ago, they have now three UK tours, Libertines support shows, and a debut album Compare What’s There (Strap Originals, 2024) under their belt. The prolific quartet now release a new four track EP RF II (Strap Originals).
There is a Johnny Cash swagger in the opening bars of ‘Big Stepper’, which is ironic as the first track on RF II pointedly references men who rather than accept their own failings, lash out at others: “When a man feels lost, shows the world his force.” The instrumentation is a twitchy punky expose, a peeling back of the layers of behaviour to disclose individuals who need to look inwards rather than acting out a false persona to satisfy their ego.
The bassline of Marrit Meinema on ‘Hard Times’ is impossible to ignore. This is punky rock n’ roll, the echoey guitar creating a hint of tension. ‘Hard Times’ is punchy and bouncing, an exuberant expression of defiance: “bust out if you want to change this.” The sentiment is one of fightback, of making a stand and the instrumentation here injects a bolt of energy to do just that.
When ‘Mislocated’ started this reviewer thought the shuffle function had kicked in, so unexpected was the beginning of the track. A gorgeous few bars of piano before the guitar blends in. The frustrations of the behaviour of the ruling class is expressed through the vocal delivery of Jeroen Klootsema: “when the government tries to tell us lies.” There is an overwhelming sense of weariness with it all, the mood is contemplative and utter disillusionment. Real Farmer share the following on the track:
“More and more it seems that the individual effort to make progress is being politicised and made more complex than it actually is and in such a way that we as citizens view the world burning while our governments spread populist lies. And, in all our confusion, the masses appear to believe them, which makes us long for an escape.”
Final track ‘Once More’ creates an edgy tension, albeit within a rhythm that rattles along. Twitchy and angsty the off beat guitars and drums are tight and the repetition of “out in the streets once more” is striking. Perhaps the reference is protest, and sadly the need to do this over and over on a variety of issues, such is the current toxic climate we live in.. The combined vocals at the very end emphasize this people power, when we come together as a collective the impact can be extraordinary.
Real Farmer are completed by Leon Harms (drums) and Peter van der Ploeg (guitar) and together they have created an EP which is bold and opinionated. It’s a wake up call, a reminder to not sleepwalk through the current turbulent times but educate ourselves, and make our voices heard. This is all wrapped up in a sound which is infectious and, quite frankly, irresistible.
Review: 8 out of 10
For more information on Real Farmer please check their instagram and facebook.