The band name translates as "Bettie serves," inspired by Dutch tennis player Bettie Stove, who lost the Wimbledon Ladies Final in 1977. You might remember certain tracks, like "Kid's Alright" and "Palomine." For many, these tunes were a constant feature on mixed tapes and CD players at parties circa 1998. The band's lineup has evolved over the years, and is currently grounded in Carol van Dyk (vocals and guitar), Peter Visser (guitar) and Herman Bunskoeke (bass). Their sound has also evolved in the past 18 years. The early albums nail quintessential '90s-era alternative rock, which led to touring gigs with Dinosaur Jr, Superchunk and Belly. The new millennium ushers in a more mature sound for Bettie Serveert. On the band's ninth and most recent album, Pharmacy of Love, you'll hear its characteristic noisy distortion melded with even greater lyrical harmony.
What is not lost is van Dyk's excellent vocals. Child-like, with an o-shucks, shrugging quality, her unique phrasing combines loveliness and colloquialism, like a mash-up between a womanly songstress and an adolescent boy cracking into puberty. There are few like her.
