Bent is actually bringing along an 'all star band', as he's now accompanied by: Anne Soldaat Matt Eccles and producer Jason Falkner who will also provide the support act!

Bent Van Looy is of course that wonderful Das Pop frontman (and Soulwax drummer, and 'slimste mens', and style icon, and wine connoisseur, and 'sock-puller-upper'...*)

But now Bent Van Looy has finished his charming solo-debut: 'Round The Bend' (via EMI.) Personal songs, based on elegant piano melodies. Experts even dare to compare with earlier 70's emo-grandmasters like Elton John, Billy Joel of Gilbert O'Sullivan. That sort of catchy sentiment.

Bent's new songs are no Das Pop leftovers. Developed and tested in Paris (more specifically in David Lynch's Silencio club) and recorded in L.A. with producer Jason Falkner (see too: Air, Beck, Aimee Mann, Daniel Johnston, Paul McCartney...)

Or, as Bent himself tenderly announced about the tunes on 'Round The Bend': ' They tell more, aren't so nicely streamlined in form, don't allow themselves to be packaged in the technicolour wrapping paper of pop, they feel smaller... They're not about the sort of Love that's sung about in Can’t Buy Me Love, Like a Virgin or – why ever not? - Never Get Enough. Here it's about rubber chickens left lying around on the grass after a party (Flowers and Balloons), a well-worn photo-album (First Boy from the Right) or bitter-sweet regret after a long night on the street (Friendly with the Fleas).'

High quality!

(*But he's no cobblestone-cyclist or hit-film maker, there are other Van Looy's for that: namely Rik & Eric.)