Millionaire
Outside the Simian Flock

THE REVIEW

After two singles ("Body Experience Revue", 2001, and "Come with You") and various vicissitudes, Millionaire release their first album: "Outside the Simian Flock" (PIAS).

The story of this album goes back a full four years, to 1998, when Tim Vanhamel - between the disbanding of Evil Superstar (which he joined at the tender age of 16) and his appearance as the second guitar in the "The Ideal Crash" tour of dEUS in 1999 - went to Spain to record some solo material, taking with him Dave Schoryen, who would later become the drummer of Millionaire along with Aldo Struyf (keyboards, vocals), Ben Wijers (guitar, vocals), and Bas Remans (bass, vocals).

Tim Vanhamel grew up with jazz (his father was a drummer), discovering funk and punk when he was little more than a child. His musical preferences include Kyuss, Melvins, John Coltrane, Ween. An unusual and interesting mix of genres and ideas that can also be found in "Outside the Simian Flock".

It is a record that is difficult to categorize in a specific genre; the musical influences have been assimilated and reworked with a remarkable dose of originality, leaving room for free interpretations (in this case, absolutely useless) by the listener.

Vanhamel tells stories and personal situations, but does so in a "universal" way: he takes you into his world and makes you believe you are him, but you are not him, you are yourself in the same stories and situations, and while he screams "Motherfucker stole my move and I'm now the one to prove..." ("Aping Fr13nds"), the music, obsessive and angry, drives you to move and shout with him.

In "Blindfold", almost a contemporary sinuous lullaby, we are reminded how difficult it is to make certain choices and how easy it is to get lost in bullshit if you never look "inside".

Lazy and dragging sounds in "Body Experience Revue", while "Flame me Up" is a piece like a freshly weaned bull, the references to sex and erotic iconography absolutely "brazen", but ironized by an almost playful pop-rock riff.

These are perhaps somewhat post-adolescent themes, but Vanhamel has the natural poetic ability to make something banal quite special.

With "Outside the Simian Flock" Vanhamel wants to make us part of how he feels: a person detached from the rest of the crowd.
Millionaire feel distant from other bands that choose a tried-and-tested formula or cater to trendy tastes. They have chosen a more personal and less easy path, but definitely more rewarding.

"OTSF" is a decidedly unique album, which can either be very appealing or absolutely repulsive to those who listen, but - in my view - there is no middle ground. Honest, intermittent, and erogenous, I found it "addictive" and I'm listening to it practically non-stop...