dEUS : “Hotel Lounge” (Be The Death of Me) (Bang/Island)

I could begin by saying what’s most sterling about American music is its almost eternal capacity to re-invent itself . . . except dEUS are bewilderingly Belgian. Still they have an identifiable heritage rock flavour - Tom Waits in a huddle with The Band and Camper Van Beathoven, sort of - yet the deck of cards have been reshuffled into a wan slacker’s deal. There’s no false-hearted drama, here. dEUS have a small, still solitary voice and when they finally uplift ‘Hotel Lounge’ to a massed chorus, they immediately dash to turn the volume switch down again as if in tune with their generation, they’re too embarrassed, sceptical and, of course, Belgian to believe any of their swelling dreams of American aspiration. Definitely pedigree, definitely Wim Wenders!