The Tibbs assert soulful confidence on smoky single "Give Me A Reason"
The Tibbs assert soulful confidence on smoky single "Give Me A Reason"
Hailing from Amsterdam seemingly by way of Detroit sometime in the mid-1960s, The Tibbs modern interpretation of soulful Motown sounds has carried the band through a handful of sterling releases that faithfully pay homage to classic stylings while pushing forward with a modern perspective. Leading up to the release of their forthcoming LP Keep It To Yourself, The Tibbs latest single is a powerful showcase for the band’s tight arrangements and authentic songwriting.
“Give Me A Reason” opens on a chiming guitar riff and perky percussion, joined by emotive horns expanding the track with a measured amount of brassy exuberance that never overwhelms the composition. The effect is loaded with drama, like a red carpet unfurling across the stage in preparation for vocalist Roxanne Hartog to step out with smoky confidence as the immediate center of attention, the band falling into formation and settling into a bouncy groove aligning each beat to platformed bootsteps and vibrating like flashbulbs reflected off a million glittering sequins.
Hartog’s performance is undeniably magnetic and possessed of a siren-like quality that can easily command a room. Not as tragic as Amy Winehouse, less produced than Duffy, and more angular than Eric Burton, Hartog easily stands alongside her contemporaries in terms of skill but delivers her lines with a rough-and-tumble quality that draws influence from the rawness of early garage rock as much as from the classic Motown catalog, spiking the punch with straight 100% proof back-alley verve. Lyrically, “Give Me A Reason” bursts with genuine emotion and a no-nonsense attitude that asserts the desire for a romance of equal effort from both parties, challenging a prospective partner to prove their worthiness and step up to a standard far above that of so many deadbeat lotharios that have come before.
The Tibbs, as a band, are excellent and easily on the level of iconic ensembles such as the Dap-Kings or the Famous Flames. Like those acts, the band displays the uncanny ability to not just hold their own on stage with a maelstrom vocal talent, but distinguishes themselves as a critical component to the overall success of the endeavor. The Tibbs instrumental foundation needs to be strong enough to support an outsize vocal personality, and Hartog relies on the band’s skillful playing to add a necessary layer of authenticity that would be all but lost simply backed by a studio producer. It’s a symbiotic relationship of equals, much like the lyrical narrative of the song itself and a testament to the collaborative achievements of this proficient posse.
Keep It To Yourself is out January 26 on Record Kicks and available to order on Bandcamp. Stream “Give Me A Reason” on Spotify. Follow The Tibbs on Instagram.
UPCOMING SHOWS
SUNDAY 28 JANUARY- 4PM - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Concerto - Tickets
SUNDAY 28 JANUARY - 7:30PM - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Bitterzoet - Tickets
SATURDAY 9 MARCH - Mojo Workin' 2024 - Dabadaba, San Sebastián, Spain - Tickets
SUNDAY 26 MAY - Wassenaar, Netherlands - Theater het Deijlerhuis - Tickets