a balladeer – Panama

Panama is the 2006 debut album of Dutch pop-rock-ballad-singer-songwriter a balladeer (yup, no capitals). After winning the 3FM awards the band received great enthusiasm from the Dutch public and the album Panama was highly regarded. Comparison was made with bands like Coldplay, REM and Counting Crows.

Panama features the hit single “Swim with Sam” as well as several ballads (All I Wanted, Robin II, Hamburg) and some more up-tempo tracks (Summer, Blank, Sirens). All songs are characterized by the melancholic style and thoughtful lyrics of Marinus de Goederen, the heart of a balladeer. Combined with bombastic, layered arrangement of instruments each song surprises in its own unique way.