The muse is a household name in the art world. A woman, mythical or of flesh and blood, who inspires the artist to the depths of his fibers while making his work. 'His work', because a muse is almost always a woman and the artist usually a man. Sonja van Hamel is serenely depicted on the cover of her second CD. The photo collage almost looks like a classic painting. Yet it is not Van Hamel that is
… the muse here, but Ken Stringfellow. The American, known from The Posies, Big Star and REM, is the Transcendental Man after which this record is named. A transcendent is something that transcends everything and Stringfellow is of great importance to Van Hamel. After stopping her electronics project Bauer, she mainly focused on her work as a graphic designer. The music seemed to come second for a moment, but with a new man by her side, she is stronger than ever. In the songs he appears regularly, both in the lyrics and in the music. A real muse. (JE)more
