Bløf ran the risk of being hugged to death with the first album without Chris Götte, because everyone in the Netherlands had sympathized with the death of the drummer. Fortunately, Blauwe Ruis has become a record that logically, apart from the tragedy of 2001, simply fits in the development of a growing and maturing band. The songs are more compact and generally better composed than 2000's
… Watermakers: of the 16 songs on that record, a few could have been deleted. Blauwe Ruis 'rocks' more, sounds more mature, but above all it is a very personal record. Many of the songs are about leaving, being abandoned, death and the thought of it. With every song you hear not so much the sadness but more the wonder or resignation about death, without letting the songs lapse into exaggerated emotion or false sentiment. You can only show respect for that. (BP)more
