"Official" Statement regarding Blog Pause

Deutsch

Hallo alle zusammen die gefallen an meiner Vision für diesen Blog fanden.

Leider muss ich mir eingestehen dass es derzeit für mich nicht möglich ist Inhalt für diesen Blog zu produzieren während ich mich für mein Auslandssemester im Ausland aufhalte und meine Internet Verbindung nervigerweise nur vor sich hintüdelt. Ich hab es in den letzten Wochen ab und an versucht neue Musik zu sichten aber es ist hier schlichtweg nicht möglich vernünftig die Musik die online zur Verfügung steht in dem Tempo zu durchsuchen die ich es für die Auswahl des Blogs benötige.

Ich habe einige Alben die ich eventuell in den kommenden Wochen vorstellen kann, allerdings wird das bis zu meiner Rückkehr nach Deutschland Anfang Februar leider nicht regelmäßig bleiben. Tut mir Leid :(

Außerdem muss die Promo CD auch erstmal warten bis ich zurück bin. Danach werde ich aber weiterhin daran arbeiten und die endlich unter die Leute bringen.

Wenn es jemanden gibt der Interesse hat sich direkt auf diesem Blog in Absprache mit mir zu beteiligen (Interviews durchführen, übersetzen, Reviews schreiben) soll er sich bitte direkt mit mir in Verbindung setzen damit wir genauere Ideen besprechen können :)

Kontaktadresse: wasfuersohr@gmail.com

Wenn ihr informiert werden wollt wenn es neues auf dem Blog gibt, könnt ihr das jeweils erfahren wenn ihr euch in den Mail Verteiler rechts eintragt, den RSS Feed abonniert oder das Profil des Blogs auf Facebook addet.

English

Similar to the last albumHey to all people who liked my vision for this blog.

Unfortunately I finally need to admit defeat when it comes to continuing this blog while being on my 1 semester studying abroad. The Internet simply cant keep up with anything related to streaming and I can download 200 terabytes of music to check them out later. Normally, I try to check out music online via some streaming service whether they are worth the time to download. I tried that in the last weeks but looking for music takes me a whole lot of more time here than it did back in germany.

I might have a few albums I could present on the blog in the coming weeks but I cant keep the regular updates I had before coming here until my return to Germany in february. I am sorry :(

On top of that, naturally, the Promo CD also needs to wait until my return. I thought I could arrange some things to get that rolling after my departure but that didnt turn out. As I already have quite a few CDs finished this project WILL happen when I am back in Germany.

If there is anyone who is interested in participating for this Blog (conducting Interviews via Mail, translating, writing Reviews) please feel free to contact me directly via mail so that we can talk about concrete ideas :)

Contact Adress: wasfuersohr@gmail.com

If you would like to be informed about any future updates on this blog you could enter the mailing system on the right, subscribe to the RSS Feed or add the Blog Website on Facebook.

Spesus Christ - 2010 - EP1, EP1 respeezed & EP2

Indietronica/HipHop

[FOR FREE]

http://spesuschrist.bandcamp.com/album/ep-2
http://spesuschrist.bandcamp.com/album/ep-1
http://spesuschrist.bandcamp.com/album/ep-1-respeezed

• 3 EPs with 9 songs
• for free
  
• Direct download
• Listening recommendation: I Love You/ U Luv Me 2, Airport Gate, Here it is

Deutsch

Leider bisher nur als kleinere EPs veröffentlicht, solltet ihr euch, wenn euch die Musik oben im Player zusagt, unbedingt noch die erste EP und die Remix-Versionen der Lieder der ersten EP runterladen. Generell ist es wohl am auffälligsten, wie gut der doch sehr markante Beat, wie zum Beispiel in I Love You.., trotzdem die doch ein wenig zarte Stimme des Sängers ergänzt, ohne ihn zu überschatten. Jedes Lied ist elektronisch vertont (mit ab und an auftauchenden Gitarren) und machmal mit ein wenig rappendem Gesang unterlegt. Auch wenn es derzeit noch nicht allzu viel Material gibt, sind die Ansätze bereits stimmig, die Lyrics angenehm hintergründig und einige Lieder haben durchaus Ohrwurm-Potential. Freuen darf man sich auch auf mehr Musik von Spesus Christ. Ursprünglich sollten wohl bis Ende des Jahres weitere 6 EPs erscheinen, aber der Plan wurde inzwischen verworfen, um für einen vollen LP-Release gegen Ende des Jahres Platz zu machen. Die Jungs sollte man definitiv im Auge behalten.

English

Unfortunately, Spesus Christ have only released 3 minor EP's which you really should check out if like the songs in the music player above. Actually, there are only 2 "different" EP's and a third remix record of their first EP. Generally speaking, the most interesting part about their music is probably how the very prominent beat, in for example I Love You.., supplements the rather fragile voice of the singer without overshadowing it. Very good mixing there. Every song is basically electronic (with the occasional use of a guitar in some parts) and mixed with vocals that sometimes might drift of into rap territory. Even if there isnt terribly much to hear from these guys right now, the beginnings are made and pretty convincing, the lyrics pleasantly cryptic and some of those songs could really stuck in your head. Everyone liking their music can also look forward to new stuff from them. Originally, they planned to release another 6 EP's but decided to change their plans for a full LP release at the end of the year. Definitely a band to watch.

Interview #4 - wHaT iF? [EN]

 Click here to read the review and listen to their latest album

Deutsche Übersetzung dauert noch ein wenig

The next band who agreed on an Interview with me is wHaTiF? Another band based in Sweden and also part of the upcoming Promo CD with their song Rainy Days. Be sure to check out their other albums if you like their music. Furthermore, they recently put up a video to their single Heart Box.

Interview

You are the first band I interview with more than one bandmember. How did you three come together? And how did this result in making music together?

Back in 1980, Pål and Conny started talking about doing something together. They had a plan. “Lets make music!” The only problem was that the plan included Påls yet unknown and unborn daughter, Linnea. So they had to wait. In the years that followed, Conny joined up with experimental film-group “fRa-film” and Pål played in various bands and set up several studios in every basement he lived above. In the year 2005 the time was right. Påls daughter, now well known (and of course, born!), started to sing on Connys forthcoming album. Pål contributed some vocals and guitars. The collaboration expanded to such a degree that the “trinity of creativity” decided that it was time for wHaTiF?


Speaking of your early beginnings.. How did the band name come about? And the decision to write it as wHaTiF? instead of a normal capitalization?

We talked a lot about it and asked our friends for suggestions. We werent't sure about that, but somehow we decided to go with wHaTiF?, wich we took from one of the song titles from the first album. It stands for the spirit of the band, like "What if we do it like this?" or "What if we go this way?". Basically meaning that everything is ok, as long as it sounds good to us. Regarding the capitalization, well...we wanted it to look more like a logotype, and we thought it sort of stand out that way.

While we are at naming conventions: What is the meaning behind the latest album title "the final meltdown"? And since I am always interested in that.. is there a deeper meaning behind the album cover photo?

In the beginning, we realized that we had a number of new compositions that did not really fit together in a particular way (as usual). The problem is how to view a collection of songs as a coherent album, but does it really matter?

Hence the concept of The Final meltdown as a description of the convergence of a series of different ideas without a common denominator. The title got a different significance later in the album recording process when we added the song  A Dream of Peace, which expresses thoughts on difficulties for anyone of us to live without any positive vision of the future. However, our playful way to make music established that we rarely get boxed in with clear messages and this song might be an exception with our normal insanity, or something like that. The cover photo is related to the reports of global warming in general. And it was a picture that we all liked, and the idea to put our faces on the three people in the middle was to good to resist. (The photo is from Connys parents vacation on Iceland)

I already know that Conny has his own solo projects (http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/olivetti) he is working on. How about the other two? And how often do you find yourself together to work on music?

Paul and Linlea are working on a Swedish album and they are aiming at live performances at local clubs. As a group we rarely meet in real life. Most of the music is made over the net which sometimes is a challenging process.

Why did you choose to release your music for free? Do try to specifically tell people about your music?

There was a lot of discussion within the band regarding this. Our first album was initially released on iTunes, so we had our hopes that we would be able to sell our music. Working on the second album and talking a lot about what we wanted and what was most important for us, we finally decided to release our music for free. Its more important for us to reach out to people with our music, than to sell it to a few, who are willing to pay for it. And these days its very hard to actually sell your music. At the moment we are working on two new songs for  a release later this year, together with videos for each song.


When working on your music, is there a clear distinction who is responsible for which part? Meaning one bandmember writes the lyrics and another one is working on the general beat and rhythm or is this a balanced collaborative effort? And where do you get the inspiration for your songs?

Paul and Linnea write all the lyrics and handle the singing, sometimes as a collaboration between them, but many lyrics are written by one person. Paul sometimes even writes text directly for Linnea. Some songs are a collaboration between only two members, perhaps Linnea and Conny. Sometimes there are only texts but often it is music that comes first. During work on the albums, we have all contributed with song ideas and then finished them as a group.  The production however has been more of a responsibility for Conny. While Paul plays guitar, keyboards and drums, Conny ads them into the mix with already finished electronic parts.


I can imagine that if a band is making music for quite some time now(or in your case even living together), that there are individual tics that you get to know about the others. What are the most obvious ones?

All three of us are very headstrong and, knowing what each of us wants, often fight to get the music in a certain direction. Different sound ideals and aspirations are sometimes a reason for heavy discussions. At the same time, our talents are so different that virtually all the songs called for everyones contribution. One problem has been that we do not have the same ways of expression to describe music, which made discussions over the net really hard and frustrating. After a while, you learn to have patience and know that this process needs time. Working on  these three albums for the last four years has made us longing for more work together in the same room. Which is something that is going to be a work  process for the next album.(Editors Note: And apparently, working together for a long time leads to something like this)


I couldn't find any information about live concerts on your blog. Were there some? Is this something you still are considering in the future? Or actual CD's to buy? What are your general plans regarding your music in the future?

We are still struggling to make it happen. We are in contact with some musicians who would love to perform live with us. One problem is to transfer all the ”laptop music files” for live use, or perhaps do a mix of it with real instruments.


What were your individual greatest moments regarding your music?

Conny: When our first album got attention and someone was interested to put it up on iTunes and when we had completed the third album. At that time, I felt we managed to do an album that worked as a whole for me. Every song was good and together they formed a greater good, so to speak.

Linnea: Actually, there have been three moments. The first album, the second and the third. When we listen to the albums in the car and just feel the strength of the music we made ourselves. It's a great feeling to have your own music in mind when doing other things as for example humming the music on the way to work.

Pål: As a drummer and "computercomposer" I have actually never before written lyrics or sung any songs. My main interest has always been instrumental music. When Linnea suddenly developed to a real singer I realized that a hole new world had opened: The world of making pop and beeing in a band or at least a mad trio. Therefore, the first album was a real turningpoint for me.


I cannot believe how many incredibly talented people I find are from Sweden. I bet I easily found thrice the amount of interesting bands from Sweden than any other country (for example Exit Island, from the first interview). Can you explain that to me? You must breathe a different air than the rest of the world or something. :)


Sadly, we dont have any idea why. But this is  a theory that often comes up:

There is a belief that the municipal school of music is the foundation for the success of Swedish popular music worldwide, by performers like ABBA, Roxette, Robyn and others. Others argue that it comes from recreation centers and their rehearsal rooms. However, there is great potential here for basic music education in the music and culture schools.


A question I love to ask since I always love to discover new music: Any other music recommendations you can share with us? Or bands which you think of as too unknown as well?


Well, we have a few bands/artists that we really like:

Fiktion
http://www.myspace.com/vardagspaus

Fredrik Jonasson & The Hoarse Horses
http://www.fredrikjonasson.com/

SoundCombustion
http://www.myspace.com/soundcombustion

Tublenco
http://www.myspace.com/tublenco

Any last words?

Thanks for the interest in our music!

Thank you for taking your time!

Lady Lioness - 2010 - The Glimmer and the Gleam

Indie/Pop

[FOR FREE]

http://ladylioness.bandcamp.com/album/the-glimmer-and-the-gleam

• 3 LPs with 35 songs
• for free
  
• Direct download
• Listening recommendation: Oh Willow, Dont You Weep, When I'm With You, My Feet So Bare

Deutsch

Wieder mal ein sehr ruhiges Album, das vor allem bei mehrfachem Durchhören seine Facetten gekonnt darzubieten weiß. Das Album fängt mit dem - zumindest mit dem Rest des Albums verglichen - sehr fröhlichen Oh, Willow Don't You Weep an und steigert dann langsam aber sicher die Dramatik in den Liedern. Das Album ist im Ganzen eher nicht als "Gute Laune"-Album zu sehen. Was sehr interessant gelungen ist, ist der Effekt des Echos, der übrigens die Verzweiflung in der Stimme der Sängerin gut unterstreicht, in allen Aufnahmen, ausgenommen des ersten Liedes. Auch sind die Texte recht ansprechend und passen gut zur Melodie. Leider merkt man auch bei diesem Album, dass die Tonqualität nicht ganz optimal ist. Allerdings zeigt Lady Lioness trotzdem viel Charakter in ihren Liedern, sodass es zu verschmerzen ist, weil die Lieder trotzdem sehr angenehm, charmant und irgendwie einzigartig wirken. Es gibt noch zwei weitere Alben, die ihr ebenfalls im Bandcamp kostenlos findet. The Glimmer and the Gleam ist definitiv das beste der drei, was euch aber natürlich nicht davon abhalten soll, auch einen Blick in die älteren Alben zu werfen, wenn euch dieses gefallen hat.

English

Another very quiet album, which begins to shine especially after giving it multiple listens. Compared to the rest of the album, the first song Oh, Willow Don't You Weep is very cheerful. After that song the tension of the album slowly but steadily increases without losing some sort of inner "calm" no matter what hardships she sings of. Another thing which came out very interesting was the echo effect she uses to undermine the subtle despair in her voice in every song except the first. The lyrics are also interesting enough to keep me thinking about a meaning behind her words and are fittingly constructed to the melody. Unfortunately, this is another album which slightly suffers from a loss of sound quality. However, the songs of Lady Lioness show that much character that it doesnt even come out as a big flaw, but rather as part of the music, making the music still very pleasant, charming and somewhat unique. There are 2 more albums you will also find on her bandcamp site. The Glimmer and the Gleam is definitely the best of the lot, which shouldnt stop you from checking out those other free albums if you already liked this one.

Stairs to Nowhere - 2008 - Adieu Delicate Atheist

Alternative/Rock

[FOR FREE]

http://music.stairstonowhere.nl/album/adieu-delicate-atheist

• 1 LP with 10 songs
• for free
  
• Direct download
• Listening recommendation: Charlotte, Roadkills & Cigars, Catwalks (on the moon)

Deutsch

Ein weiteres gutes Alternative-Rock-Album aus den Niederlanden (Siehe auch The Walt). Adieu Delicate Atheist hat einen sehr starken Einstieg und kann vor allem mit den ersten vier Liedern rhythmisch, melodisch und qualitativ überzeugen. Die Lieder danach sind vergleichsweise nicht schlecht, aber können leider nicht genauso mitreißen. Stairs to Nowhere machen Musik, die definitiv dazu verführt, die Lautstärke aufzudrehen. Treibende Refrains, markant schrille Gitarrenriffs (weshalb sie ihre Musik wohl auch als "beatific Trash Music" bezeichnen) und ansprechender Gesang führen dazu, dass die Lieder im Ohr hängen bleiben. Allerdings merkt man dem Album an einigen Stellen an, dass die Klangqualität etwas unter suboptimalem Recording Equipment gelitten hat. Allerdings ist dies das Erstlingswerk der Band und ich finde, damit sind einige Fehler zu verschmerzen, wenn man bedenkt, dass die Band derzeit auf Hochtouren am nächsten Album arbeitet, für das ein höheres Niveau angestrebt wird. Ich für meinen Teil bin sehr gespannt auf das nächste Album, vor allem wenn sie mit solchen Bildern auf ihrem Blog davon berichten.

English

Another good alternative rock album from the netherlands (q.v. The Walt).Adieu Delicate Atheist has a very strong beginning and is able to convince rhythmically, melodically and in terms of quality especially in the first four songs. The songs that follow are not bad at all, but cannot seem to electrify in the same way the songs before do. Stairs to Nowhere are making musis which definitely persuades you to turn up the volume. Impulsive refrains, distinct in-your-face guitar riffs (which might be the reason for their own description of their music as "beatific trash music") and appealing vocals lead to those songs being stuck in your head. Unfortunately, it is obvious that some parts of the album suffer from a less than perfect sound quality and that it was not recorded with optimal equipment. However ,this was the first LP of Stairs to nowhere and I can get over these minor quirks, especially when knowing that they are already working on their second LP right now, for which they aim at a higher quality level. I, for myself, am curiously awaiting their next album and not only because they are reporting with such pictures from the recording process on their blog.

Blabber 'n Smoke - 2008 - Commissario Tzenko

Alternative/Pop 

[FOR FREE]

http://blabbernsmoke.bandcamp.com/

• 1 LP with 12 songs
• for free
  
• Direct download
• Listening recommendation: Not Just Yet, Fairytale On The Rocks, Late Nights & Early Mornings

Deutsch

Es hat was unglaublich Cooles, wenn eine Band mit dem Namen "Blabber 'n Smoke", auf deutsch "Labern beim Rauchen", sich anschickt, ein Album zu machen, in dem sie genau dieses Gefühl umsetzen wollen und man sich als Hörer keinen besseren Platz für die Musik vorstellen kann als in der Musik-Anlage einer verrauchten Bar an einer dunklen Straßenecke. Allgemein findet man auf dem Album auch recht wenig klassisch gesungene Passagen, sondern eher rhythmische Erzählungen. Passend zum Stil nehmen die beiden Musiker auch kein Blatt vor den Mund und erzählen, was ihnen auf der Leber liegt. Zwischen diesem und dem Vorgänger-Album lagen sechs Jahre, in denen sich warscheinlich einiges an Lied-Material aus unterschiedlichen Aufnahme-Sessions angesammelt hat. Das merkt man vor allem gegen Ende des Albums deutlich, wenn der vorher eingeführte Charakter des rauchigen Erzählens den wenig zum Gesamtkonzept des Albums passenden poppigen Keep me Alive und dem ungewohnt folkigen Useless Man weichen muss. Das folgende Dancing Smiles hat anfangs einen countryhaften Charakter und will auch nicht so ganz zu den restlichen Liedern des Albums passen, aber ist trotzdem ein netter Song für den Schluss dieser LP. Album runterladen, Lied 10 und 11 aus der Playlist werfen, Licht dimmen und den nächsten Barbesuch planen. Und behaltet die Band im Auge, wenn euch der Stil gefällt, da Fans der Band wohl keine weiteren 6 Jahre auf das nächste Album der Band warten müssen.

English

There is something incredibly cool about a band named "Blabber 'n Smoke" making exactly the music you imagine when hearing their band name. While listening you cannot imagine any better place for this music to be played in than in a smoky night bar around a dark street corner. You wont find many classically sung passages on this record, but rather rhythmic anecdotes. Fittingly enough they dont mince their words either, just as you would expect from the shady guy in the bar telling shady anecdotes. Between this record and the one that came before was a gap of six years, which means they were probably recording different bits for the album on different occasions, which definitely shows. The end of the album marks a point where the previously introduced character of smoky anecdotes seems to give way to the unffittingly poppy Keep me Alive and the folk inspired Useless Man. The following song Dancing Smiles has a more country character in the beginning and also has some problems fitting in with the rest of the album but still serves as a nice end for the record. Download the album, delete song 10 and 11 from your playlist, dim the light and plan your next trip to a bar. Oh, and keep an eye on this band if you like their style since album number 3 is on the way and it seems as if fans of the band wont need to wait another 6 years for it.

Mama Bear - 2010 - How We Go

Folk/Pop

[FOR FREE]

http://mamabear.bandcamp.com/

• 1 EP with 5 songs
• for free
  
• Direct download
• If you like: Rilo Kiley
• Listening recommendation: Look Good Future Part II, Yes, Dear, Old Man Trouble

Deutsch

How We Go ist ein sehr poppiges Album mit Folk-Elementen. Ich glaube, ich würde es am ehesten als "Zuckerwatte-Pop" bezeichnen. Klare Songstrukturen und eine klare, niedliche und poptaugliche Stimme unterlegt mit einer sehr eingängigen, aber klassischen Instrumentierung aus Gitarre, Bass und Schlagzeug. Diese Lieder haben definitiv alle Radiopotential und jemand, der ein ruhiges Pop-Album sucht, sollte bei den Liedern gut aufgehoben sein. Der Nachteil bei derartigen Liedern ist meistens dass es nicht unbedingt zum kreativsten gehört was man finden kann, das aber auch nicht immer nötig ist. Das einzige Lied, das ein wenig aus dem Rhythmus der anderen Lieder ausbricht, ist Old Man Trouble, einfach weil es ein wenig ernster wirkt. Insgesamt ist es ein sehr eingängiges Album, das vor allem Radiohörern gut gefallen dürfte. Es würde mich nicht wundern, wenn in naher Zukunft jemand auf diese Band aufmerksam wird und die Band danach nicht auf ihrem derzeitigem Bekanntheitsgrad stehen bleibt.

English

How We Go is a very poppy album with folk elements. I guess I would describe it in short as "Candy Pop". Clear songstructres and a clear, cute voice which seems to be made for pop songs, accompanied by a catchy but classical instrumentation with guitar, bass and drums. Those songs definitely have the potential to be played in the radio and are made for someone who is looking for a relaxing pop album without any major quirks. One big drawback of the album is that creativity fell a bit short in terms of different instrumentalization throughout the album. The only song which went a slightly different route is Old Man Trouble, since it seems also a bit more serious than the others songs. All in all this album is very catchy and will especially cater to the general radio audience. I wouldn't be surprised for this five-member band to become way more popular in the near future than they are now.

Interview #3 - Bill Coleman [DE]

Hier klicken um das Review zu lesen und seine Musik anzuhören

English Original Interview

Ein anderer Musiker der mir gern für die Interview Reihe Rede und Antwort stehen wollte war Bill Coleman. Wenn ihr das Album noch nicht angehört habt: Es ist im ein leichtes Singer Songwriter Indie Pop Album dass sich perfekt zum lockerleichten Anhören nebenbei eignet. Schaut euch trotzdem aber mal seine neuen EP's an weil er seitdem seine Musik anders und vor allem etwas rockiger gestaltet. Außerdem wird auch demnächst mit auf einer Promo CD für wasfuersohr gefeatured sein die ich an ein paar Musik Läden kostenlos verteilen werde.

Interview

Danke für die Gelegenheit diese Fragen loszuwerden. Lass uns einfach am Besten direkt mit der ersten anfangen. Weil ich es immer angenehm finde ein Interview mit Fragen nach dem Beginn von allem anzufangen:  Woher kam das Interesse für Musik?

Mein Interesse für Musik entstand wohl an Familientreffen zu Weihnachten. Als ich 15 oder 16 war fing das damit an dass ein paar meiner Cousins vorbeikamen, ihre Gitarren mitbrachten und einfach losspielten. Ich war glaub ich schon immer jemand der für sich mitsingt und bei diesen Gelegenheiten entwickelte sich ein regelrechtes Verlangen danach Musik zu schreiben und zu singen. Ich hatte zwar Unterricht für einige Instrumente als ich noch jünger war aber irgendwie blieb davon keins so richtig hängen weil ich immer von einem sehr technischen Standpunkt aus unterrichtet wurde. Es ging immer darum die richtigen Töne zu treffen, zur richtigen Zeit, exakt wie es laut Notenzettel vorgegeben war. Bei den vorher genannten Weihnachtstreffen ging es eher locker zu, und es kam mir plötzlich vor als müsste ich nicht die Musik machen die mir von einem Zettel vorgegeben wurde, dass ich tun könnte was ich will. Da beschloss ich mir ein Gitarrenbuch zu nehmen und lernte einige Akkorde.

Wenn man sich deine Releases anschaut, merkt man dass es da eine ziemlich große Lücke zwischen deiner ersten Veröffentlichung A Long Time Coming und deiner zweiten I'll tear my Own Walls Down gab. Was war der Auslöser dafür dass du dich so eine lange Zeit damit nicht weiter beschäftigt hast, oder was führte dazu dass du dich nach 4 Jahren wieder der Musik zugewendet hast?

Dafür gibt es einige Gründe.Erstens weil danach ein Jahr kam in dem ich gar nichts gemacht habe, weil ich gearbeitet habe, mich um meine Freundin gekümmert hab und abends zum College gegangen bin. Da blieb Musik erstmal auf der Strecke. Zweitens, ich kann keine genaue Zahlen nennen aber jeder Song auf dem Album wurde 3 oder 4 mal neu aufgenommen. We haben oft Versionen verworfen und komplett von vorn angefangen weil ich mich bei irgendwas meine Meinung änderte, oder auch zuerst gar nicht wusste wie ich wollte dass die Songs überhaupt klingen. Zusätzlich wollte ich oft Sachen einbauen die ich nicht spielen konnte, also musste ich des öfteren vom Aufnehmen Abstand nehmen und erstmal üben. Insgesamt haben wir für das Album an 23 oder 24 Songs geargetet. Im Grunde gab es also zuerst eine Pause, und dann einen langen Zeitraum in denen wir Songs aufnahmen, neu aufnahmen, wieder verwarfen, neu schrieben und sie in 3 oder 4 Varianten aufnahmen bis es zu dem Album kam wie es veröffentlicht wurde.
 

Ich habe das Album als typisches "Singer/Songwriter" Pop Album beschrieben. Du darfst mir da natürlich gerne widersprechen :) Jedenfalls bekam ich in letzter Zeit mehr und mehr den Eindruck dass der Begriff "Singer/Songwriter" einen negativen Ton bekommen hat. Würdest du zustimmen? Und wie erklärst du dir das?

Ja. Ich hasse diesen Begriff, einfach deswegen weil er wirklich einen schlechten Ruf mit sich bringt :-) Fairerweise muss man natürlich sagen dass es als Beschreibung für das was ich mache ziemlich akurat ist, genauso wie man Villager, Jape, Gillian Welche, David Bowie, Elton John oder Duke Special auch als Singer/Songwriter beschreiben könnte. Jemand der den Begriff hört stöhnt normalerweise auf und denkt sich "Nicht NOCH einer!". Es liegt warscheinlich daran dass es recht einfach ist Abends unterwegs zu sein und jemanden mit einer Gitarre auf einer Bühne zu finden der der gerade erst anfing Songs zu schreiben, noch sehr nervös ist, sich oft verspielt und dessen Stimme zittert weil er sich vor Aufregung in die Hosen macht.
Es ist sehr einfach sowas als Mist abzutun (Wir haben alle so angefangen) weil sie gerade erst damit anfangen und das ist warscheinlich auch was die Meisten mit dem Begriff "Singer/Songwriter" assoziieren. Nachdem diese Musiker 5 oder auch 10 Jahre an ihren Fähigkeiten gearbeitet haben, sich inzwischen gut anhören und man sie dann bei populäreren Gelegenheiten spielen sehen kann, wird man warscheinlich nicht mehr so über sie denken. 

Ich hatte das Gefühl dass du einen sehr bestimmten Schritt nach vorn gemacht hast nach I'll Tear My Own Walls Down bezüglich der Musik die du spielst. War das einfach der Wunsch auch in etwas andere musikalische Bereiche einzudringen oder wie kam es dazu?

Es war warscheinlich weniger eine bewusste Entscheidung als ein Prozess der sich vor und nach I'll Tear... entwickelte, vor allem als ich zum ersten Mal mit einer Band spielen konnte. Mit der Band zu spielen war ziemlich cool :-) Ich war Live warscheinlich schon immer etwas energischer als wie es auf I'll Tear... rüberkommt, und als ich mit den anderen zusammengespielt habe kam irgendwie mehr Energie zusammen und ich fing an in diese Richtung Songs zu schreiben. Außerdem muss ich wohl zugeben dass ich danach eindeutig selbstbewusster mit dem wurde was ich tun wollte nachdem ich das Album fertig hatte. Ich war viel zielstrebiger was das anging und wusste bereits bevor wir die neuen Songs aufnahmen, in welche Richtung es gehen sollte, im Gegensatz zu all dem Wirrwarr der vor dem Release von I'll Tear... anstand.
 

Ich habe gelesen dass du die Inspiration für deine Lieder von Dingen nimmst du um dich herum passieren. Weil ich gerne Pull of the Pint auf der Promo CD mit veröffentlichen würde wäre es vielleicht interessant zu wissen was dich bewegte diesen Song zu schreiben. Viele deiner lieder sind außerdem auch an eine "Person" gerichtet. Ist das eher ein diffuses "du" dass du in diesen Liedern benutzt oder denkst du da immer an spezifische Personen?

Ich glaube man könnte viele der Lieder als Unterhaltungen sehen, die aber an viele verschiedene Menschen gerichtet sind, manchmal auch direkt an mich. Pull of... ist eine Unterhaltung mit einem Alkoholiker. Ich denke das kam von einer Zeit in der mit einigen Alkoholikern viel zu tun hatte, und das Leid und den Schaden der von dieser Sucht ausgelöst wird aus nächster Nähe erleben konnte und versucht habe zu verstehen warum sie tranken und wie der Alkohol Ihnen half klar zu kommen.

Ich liebe die Gedanken und Mühen die viele Musiker in ihre Album Namen und Cover stecken. Also: Könntest du mir die Bedutung des Album Titels I'll Tear My Own Walls Down erklären und gibt es dazu eine Verbindung zu dem Cover? Warum hast du dich dazu entschieden deine aktuellen Releases nach Farben zu benennen und hast du vor diese Songs noch auf einem vollen Album herauszubringen?

I'll Tear My Own Walls Down bedeutet jediglich dass du derjenige bist der die Kontrolle über dein Leben hat, du deine Entscheidungen selbst triffst und nicht nach den Regeln anderer lebst. Bezüglich des Covers müsstest du John Dunne, also denjenigen der es erstellt hat, fragen ob er es erklärt!
Die aktuellen Veröffentlichungen sind alle nach Farben benannt weil sie sich auf eine EP (Black and Yellow EP) beziehen die ich veröffentlicht habe bevor ich I'll Tear... heraus brachte. Ich mochte die Aufmachung und andere schienen es erfrischend ungewöhnlich und einprägsam zu finden, also behielt ich die Idee bei und änderte nur die Farben für die EP's die vor dem nächsten Album erscheinen, was übrigens hoffentlich Oktober als CD in Irland und auch digital released wird.
 

Wo wir gerade davon reden. Gibt es generell Pläne für die Zukunft?

Das neue Album wird You Can't Buy Back Your Life heißen und wird, wenn alles nach Plan geht, diesen Oktober als CD in Irland veröffentlicht. In jedem anderem Land wird es natürlich digital erhältlich sein. Was andere Pläne angeht, hoffe ich einfach dass ich soviele Gigs spielen kann in so vielen verschiedenen Ländern wie möglich und die CD danach auch in möglichst vielen ländern vertreiben kann ;-)

Ich habe gesehen dass du wohl schon einiges an Bühnenerfahrung mitbringst. Was war dein größter Moment bezüglich deiner Musik und wie ist die generelle Beziehung zu deinen Fans? Irgendeine lustige Geschichte die du mit uns teilen willst?

Ich liebe meine Fans - muss ich dazu mehr sagen? :-) Sie machen es erst möglich dass ich das tun kann was ich tun will! Lustige Geschichte? Ich habe es geschafft während eines Auftritts meine Hose zweimal am Hintern aufreißen zu lassen - Ich glaube manchmal bin ich einfach zu sehr dabei!

Ich habe mich auch etwas auf deinem Myspace Blog umgeschaut. Und ich glaube du musst uns einfach mal erzählen welche KLEINE Änderung eine Person einen Schritt näher da hin bringt ein Musiker zu sein. Erkläre uns das bitte nochmal :)

Ganz einfach Marco, du kaufst einen Kofferkuli mit Rädern so dass du dein schweres Equipment einfacher transportieren kannst :-)
(Anm.d.Red.: Klickt hier um den Blog Eintrag zu lesen)

Ich kann es einfach nicht lassen andere Leute nach Ihrem Musikgeschmack zu fragen. Also hier auch für dich: Gibt es Musiker/Bands die du empfehlen würdest? Oder auch unbekannte Musiker von denen du denkst dass sie mehr Hörer verdienen würden?

Viel zu viele. Aber was mir sofort alles einfällt in was Leute aus Irland und Großbritannien mal reinschauen sollten, wäre wohl Jape, Cathy Davey, Villagers, Juxebox Gypsy, Driftwood Manor, Duke Special, James Vincent McMorrow, Heather, Resurrection Fern, Julie Feeney, Heliopause, Norabelle, Herm, SJ McArdle, Arrow in the Sky, Henrietta Game und noch viele mehr... ;-)

Danke dass du dir die Zeit dafür genommen hast!

Interview #3 - Bill Coleman [EN]

Click here: Listen to his music and read the review

Deutsche Übersetzung

Another artist I asked who was interested in giving us a little insight about his personal thoughts is Bill Coleman. If you havent listened to the album yet: Its basically a Singer Songwriter Indie Pop album thats perfect for easy listening. But be sure to check out his new stuff as he has released quite a few different things since then. He is also going to be featured on an upcoming Promo CD for wasfuersohr that I am going to hand out to music stores for free.

Interview

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to ask you those interview questions. Let us immediately start with the first one: Since it is always interesting to start off an interview by asking about the beginnings of everything: Where did your interest in creating music came from?

 My interest in creating music came from family get togethers we have around Christmas.  Back when I was 15/16 these started and a few of my cousins would show up, bring their guitars and lash out a few tunes.  I'd always been singing to myself in my head and those parties really gave rise to a hunger in me to write and sing.  While I'd had lesson for a load of instruments when I was young none of them had ever really stuck I think because I was taught from a very technical viewpoint.  It was all about playing the right note, at the right time, exactly as it was written on the sheet.  Those parties were very informal affairs, and it was as though I suddenly just realised that I didn't have to make the music that was on the sheet, that I could do whatever the hell I wanted to.  So, from there, I picked up a guitar book, learned a few chords.

When looking at your released records I noticed that there was quite a big gap between your first record A Long Time Coming and your second release I'll Tear My Own Walls Down. What happened for you to make such a long break or why did you decide to come back to release music after 4 years?

There are a few reasons for that gap.  Firstly, there was almost a year where I did nothing at all, because I was working, had a girlfriend, was going to college at night and so music got the put on the long finger.  Secondly, I couldn't put an exact figure on it, but I think every song on that record got recorded three or four times.  We frequently binned versions and started from scratch because I changed my mind, or to be more accurate, didn't really know what I wanted the record to sound like.  Additionally, I frequently wanted to hear things that I couldn't play, so I had to go away and practise some more, then come back, more than likely having re-written something again.  Also, I think we worked on something like 23 or 24 songs in total.  So basically there was a break, and then a long process of recording, re-recording, binning, writing more songs, recording them in three or four ways, until I came to the record as it's been released.
 

I described the album I reviewed als typical "Singer/Songwriter" pop album. You are free to disagree :) However recently, I got more and more the impression that the term "singer/songwriter" got a slightly negative ring to it. Would you agree? And do you have an explanation for that?

Yeah.  Hate that term, purely because it's got a terrible rep in these parts :-) As a descriptor of what I do it's accurate in fairness, just like you could describe Villagers, Jape, Gillian Welch, David Bowie, Elton John or Duke Special as a singer-songwriter.  People hear the term and generally tend to groan and say "Not ANOTHER one!"  Possibly because it's very easy to just be out some night and see someone, on their own on stage, with a guitar, only just starting to write songs, being very nervous, not playing very well, voice quavering because they're bricking themselves and it's very easy to dismiss that as crap (we were all crap once) because they're only beginning to learn their craft and this is what people most associate with the term "singer-songwriter".  Once they put in five or ten years of work, become totally amazing and you're watching them on Jools Holland you probably aren't going to think of them in the same way.
 

I got the feeling that you made a very distinct step forward after I'll Tear My Own Walls Down regarding the type of music you want to play. Was it just the need to expand into other musical territory? Where did that decision come from?

It was probably less a conscious decision and more a process that happened over the period before and after releasing I'll Tear..., playing with a band for the first time.  Playing with the band was a lot of fun :-) I'd always probably been more energetic live that we ever captured on that "I'll Tear..." and in playing with other people more energy started bouncing around the place and I started writing more in that direction.  Also, I'd have to admit that I became much more confident in what I was doing having released that record, began finding my feet musically and was much more single minded about what I wanted, actually knew exactly what I wanted before we ever approached recording the new songs, as opposed to a lot of groping around in the dark that happened with I'll Tear....
 

I read that you take your inspiration from things surrounding you. Since I would love to feature The Pull of the Pint on the Promo CD, could you explain what inspired you to write this song? Also I recognized that most of your songs are directed to one person. Is this some sort of diffuse "you" or were you thinking of someone specific? (If this question is too personal please by all means feel free to leave it out)

You could easily think of a lot of my songs as conversations I guess, but they're directed at many different people - including myself some of the time. Pull of... is a conversation with an alcoholic.  Which came I guess from being close to them for a long time, witnessing the pain and damage caused by their addiction, and trying to understand why they drank and how the drink helped them to function.

I love the thoughts and efforts musicians put into their album names and cover art. So first off: Would you explain the meaning of I'll Tear My Own Walls Down and is there any connection to or hidden meaning behind the cover art? Why did you choose to name your latest release after colours and do you plan to release these songs also on a full release album?

I'll Tear My Own Walls Down is about simply deciding that you're going to take control of your own life, make your own decisions and not live according to the rules of another.  As regards the album art, there's a connection between the title and the image but you'd have to ask the guy who designed it, John Dunne, to explain it!
The latest releases are colours because they reference back to an ep I did before I'll Tear... which was the Black & Yellow EP.  I liked the packaging and other people seemed to find it unusual and memorable so I decided to use the same idea and change the colours for the EPs in advance of the full album release, which will be coming in Ireland and digitally hopefully in October of this year.
 

Speaking of which: What are your general plans for the future?

The new record is going to be called You Can't Buy Back Your Life and it'll be physically released in Ireland in October of this year, all going to plan.  It'll be available digitally for everywhere else.  As regards other general plans I hope to play as many gigs in as many different countries as possible, and hopefully get it released physically in as many different places as I can possibly manage  ;-)
 

I saw that you already got quite a bit of experience playing live. What would you say was your greatest moment regarding your music and how is your relationship to your fans? Any amusing story regarding that you would like to share with us?

I love my fans - need I say any more?  :-)  They make it possible for me to do what I love doing!  Amusing story?  I've split the arse of my trousers TWICE while playing - I guess maybe sometimes I go for it a little bit too much!

I took a look around your Myspace blog for a while and really need to ask you to explain which ONE SMALL CHANGE gets a person one step nearer to becoming a musician. Please elaborate :)

Very simple Marco, you buy a little handcart with wheels so you can lug your heavy equipment around :-)

(Editors note: Click here to read the whole blog entry)

I can't refrain myself from asking other people's opinion about music. So for you: Is there any band/musician you would like to recommend? Or any unknown talented musician you can think of, who deserves more listeners in your opinion?

So many. But off the top of my head, around Ireland and the UK anyway people should check out Jape, Cathy Davey, Villagers, Juxebox Gypsy, Driftwood Manor, Duke Special, James Vincent McMorrow, Heathers, Resurrection Fern, Julie Feeney, Heliopause, Norabelle, Herm, SJ McArdle, Arrow in the Sky, Henrietta Game ahhh... I could keep going... ;-) 

Thank you for taking your time!

Rolf Fabian - 2010 - It kills!

Indie /Pop

[FOR FREE]

 

http://rolffabian.bandcamp.com/

• 1 LP with 13 songs
• for free
  
• Direct download
• If you like: Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst
• Listening recommendation: Atishoo! Sneezed Hank W, You Love To Say You Told Me So, Devil in the Yearbook

Deutsch

Wenn ich einen Künstler mit diesem Album vergleichen müsste dann wäre das wohl der ehemalige Bright Eyes Sänger Conor Mullen Oberst. Ich denke der Vergleich ist nicht ganz abzuweisen aber er wäre wohl auch definitiv auch einer der besseren Musiker mit denen man verglichen werden kann. Rolf Fabian reicht zwar textlich nicht an das große Vorbild heran, hat aber ebenfalls das Singen und Unterlegen von Nachrichten mit gebrochener Stimme nahezu perfektioniert. Ein weiterer Unterschied wäre wohl auch die etwas poppigere Musikrichtung die einen eher an die letzten Bright Eyes Alben erinnern. Qualitativ gibt es nicht auszusetzen. Man merkt dem Album an dass es vernünftig produziert wurde und auch die Mischung der Tonspuren und des Gesanges stimmig zu kleinen zerbrechlichen Geschichten zusammengesetzt wurden. Auch positiv zu erwähnen, wären kleinere verspielte Veränderungen von Lied zu Lied  die das Album davon abhalten zu eintönig zu werden. Sehr schönes Album was ich für Fans des oben genannten Sängers dringend empfehle und  in das jeder andere mal reinhören sollte. Definitiv ein Musiker den man im Auge behalten sollte.

English

If I would need to compare this album to one other artist, this would probably be former Bright Eyes Singer, Conor Mullen Oberst. I think the comparison is not too far fetched either and I guess he is one of the better musicians one can be compared with. Rolf Fabian may not have the same high level in terms of song text depth but is still almost perfect in singing and laying messages underneath his breakable sounding voice. Another difference would probably be the music which is mostly more on the "poppy" side and reminds more of the last Bright Eyes albums. The Quality of the recording itself is flawless. Its clear that this album was carefully produced and the sound tracks were fittingly mixed together with the vocals to result in little fragile and embracing stories. What also deserves a positive mention is the use of small changes of his song formula throughout the album to prevent his songs from getting too similar to each other. Very nice album, which I highly recommend for fans of the above mentioned musician and which deserves at least a listen from everybody else. This is definitely a musician you need to keep an eye on.

Fishermans - 2009 - Fishermans

Indie / Pop

[FOR FREE]

http://fishermans.bandcamp.com/album/fishermans-ep

• 1 EP including 6 songs
• for free
  
• Direct download
• Listening recommendation: Indian Summer, White Oak Woods , This is No Time For Historical Accuracy

Deutsch

Dieses Album versprüht einen unglaublich sympathischen Charme und es ist generell recht schwer zu beschreiben wonach es klingt. Vor allem der Album Opener Indian Summer sei hier als, meiner Meinung nach, bestes Lied des Albums besonders zu erwähnen. Aus ihrer Albumbeschreibung entnehme ich dass diese EP mit einem Mikrofon in einem Zimmer entstanden ist. Es ist bewundernswert wieviel die Band aus diesen Möglichkeiten noch herausgeholt hat da man durchaus merkt dass die Lieder klangtechnisch durchaus vorweisbar sind. Allerdings wünscht man sich nach dem Durchhören doch dass der Band ein etwas besseres Equipment, bzw Studio zur Verfügung gestanden hätte da man die Band mögen will aber manche Passagen teilweise noch ein wenig unterentwickelt klingen. Sympathisches Album mit Reinhör Empfehlung.

English

This album came out very charming, and I find it somewhat difficult to describe their music. Especially the album opener Indian Summer should be mentioned in that regard as it is probably the best song on the EP and should give you a good introduction of what to expect. Thinking of the fact that they recorded this release with only one microphone and in a basement it is very admirable that these songs came out the way they did. Most of the time you can hear that those songs are pretty clear and well constructed. However, after listening to the whole album I still wished that they would have been able to have used a better equipment or a studio since you really want to like them but there are a few passages in some songs which sound a bit underdeveloped. Likable EP, recommended for taking a listen.

 

The Vial - 2009 - Döner in the Dark

Indie /Electronica

[FOR FREE]

 

http://thevial.bandcamp.com/

• 1 EP with 4 songs
• for free
  
• Direct download
• Listening recommendation: Panorama, The Right Time, The Pharmacist

Deutsch

Das Album schafft wohl einige Superlativen. Das kürzeste Album auf dem Blog, der abschreckendste Name, ein Song Titel nominierbar für den Titel des Jahres (Pacman please come back man) und vor allem eine der größten Überraschungen seit dem ich Musik für diesen Blog raussuche. Die Lieder sind wieder eher in die elektronische Richtung einzuordnen und sehr kreativ und abwechslungsreich gestaltet. Es klingt gut, egal ob als Instrumental, Solo oder Duett. Ich finde es verdammt schade dass The Vial bisher noch nicht auf Interview Anfragen reagiert hat und es wohl auch nicht so aussieht als würde da demnächst mehr Musik von ihm kommen. Sehr empfehlenswerte EP die mit einen bitteren Beigeschmack einhergeht da der Künstler warscheinlich nicht so schnell Nachschub liefern wird wie es uns lieb sein könnte.

English

This EP is good for a few superlatives: The shortest album on wasfuersohr, the most deterrent name, a song title nominated for the song title of the year (Pacman please come back man) and most important, one of the biggest surprises since I am looking for music for this blog. The songs are all electronically oriented  and very varied and creative. These songs sound good no matter whether he tried instrumental only, solo singing or a duett. I really think its too bad that The Vial havent responded to mail yet and, for the moment, it does not look as if there might be more music to come from them. Very recommended EP which leaves a bitter aftertaste  since the artist probably will not provide new music as fast as we would like them to.

...

Hier wird hoffentlich bald die Übersetzung des Interviews mit Changing Clocks stehen. Derzeit warte ich noch auf Rückbestätigung und mach mich an die Übersetzung sobald das klar geht.

Interview #2 - Changing Clocks [EN]

Click here: Listen to their music and read the review

Deutsche Übersetzung dauert noch ein wenig.

Celebrating their newly released single Chance, you can now read the Interview with Changing Clocks. Check http://changingclocks.com/chance-free-download to download the new single.

Interview

Great that you found the time for the interview! And good job on getting out that new single. Let me start with the first few questions: The two lead singers in your band do a pretty good job at complementing each other. How did you get together? Is Changing Clocks the first and, for now, only project for everyone involved?

Thanks. Matt Rod put together the band in 2008. It had been through various forms with different members. Erika Cole is actually a country singer but when Matt heard her he knew the she'd be great for his music, so he called her and Erika happily agreed to perform the music. Everyone is fully dedicated to Changing Clocks. However, we are also all involved very much in other musical projects too. Seth Botos is currently organising a music festival in Boston, Carl Eisman is a working jazz guitarist, Matthew Edwards is too and plays with the Dropkick Murphys when they are in Boston, Erika performs in a wedding band, Matt is president of the Berklee Music Business club and always collaborating with others, and we all play in any bands we think are worth it!   

Since you release a new Single this thursday, could you tell us more about it? How did the song come about and how long did it take to work on that song?

The song is called Chance. It actually came about as a follow up to the song Anne. In a way, it is a continuation of that story. A love affair between 'Anne' and 'Chance', hence the dialogue between both vocalists in verses of 'Chance' and the somewhat similar harmony (on occasion) in the choruses of both. The song was recorded quite some time ago, but because of University life and gigging we hadn't had time to finish it. Matt Rod went back home this summer to South Africa, and was able to finish recording all the guitars, editing, and mixing the whole song in his room. Overall it took about 6 months, but we were not working on it most of the time! 

While we are at it: How would you describe the creative process of writing a song? Where do you get your inspiration from? Is this a collaborative process or do you have clear defined roles when working on a song?

In Changing Clocks, Matt Rod writes all the music. It's a group he put together with a very specific vision and sound in mind, and each person contributes with their performance of the music. Matt writes all the stuff.

How come that your first EP was recorded in Boston and South Africa?

We all met and continue to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, so we did the 'basics' sessions there. As in, we recorded as a band 'live' and used those recordings as the basis for overdubs. We chose to not use any click-tracks to keep a more organic feel for the EP (although Chance was recorded to a click!). Erika's vocals, the live strings, the backing vocals (girls) were all done in Boston. Last summer Matt came home to South Africa and finished recording all the guitars, his vocals, edited and finished the music in South Africa in his room (it was cheaper than going into a studio!!!) 

Is there any plan to work no and release a LP in the future? Speaking of which, are there any other general plans for the future?

Right now we'd like to continue gigging in and around the East Coast of the USA. So far we've had a great response in Boston, Brooklyn NY and NYC. If we can afford it we'd love to record a couple more tracks around October but for now we want to play as many shows as possible. We have a hell of a live show! 

Speaking of your future plans. While searching for a way to contact you I stumbled upon "http://changingclocks.com" Do you plan to update it to a proper website representing your band in the near future? While this project is still in the works, what is the best place to get news about you right now?

Sorry about that. Haven't set up the redirect yet. It's currently under development. For now there is: www.changingclocks.bandcamp.com And of course, our myspace and facebook pages etc.

While that is still far away, what were the greatest moments you already experienced regarding your music?

Don Was - who has produced Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan etc - happened to hear the Changing Clocks EP when he was visiting Berklee. Matt received an excited text message from a friend saying "Don Was just heard your music and wants to come to a rehearsal or gig!". Unfortunately we didn't have any shows booked while he was in Boston but he did come out to our rehearsal and sat in on it. It was a wonderful experience. Don Was is a truly humble, friendly and genuine man. He was extremely complimentary and called the EP - Blooming in particular - "Magical". That was really great for all of us.

In Germany we had a pretty significant revival of that style of music you are making (namely one million sold albums for Roger Cicero which is not really the same music but you get the same blues/swing vibe from it), while I can't remember anyone else making this kind of music who was that succesful during the last few years. Would you say that this genre is on the edge of a comeback?

Funnily enough, we often struggle categorising ourselves. Which, for marketing purposes, is very important. I'm not so sure that particular genre is coming back. But I do believe the general public is much more open to different kinds of music than one thinks. You just need to get their friends to like it! Then, they can feel 'OK' about liking something a little different.

 

I love to ask about music recommendations. Bands you love? Or bands you really think deserve more listeners? Any hidden gems?

Matt: "Yes check out The Cat Empire. Australian band who I absolutely love. If you have to get one album, get their self-titled album The Cat Empire. Now there's music that defies a single genre! Brilliant!" 

Thank your for taking your time!

Deux Gars - 2009 - Je suis deux

French Pop 

[FOR FREE]

http://deuxgars.bandcamp.com/

• 1 LP with 16 songs
• for free
• french only
  
• Direct download
• Listening recommendation: Bleu, Assis à côté de toi, Peur du noir

Deutsch

Eigentlich wollte ich Musik die ich sprachlich nicht ganz verstehe nicht hier mit veröffentlichen und eher zu meinem privaten Vergnügen behalten aber da ich das Album grad wieder 2 mal hintereinander in die playlist geworfen habe, dachte ich mir stell ichs doch mal vor. Das Album ist nur auf französisch, also sind hier entweder derlei Sprachkenntnisse oder eine ausgeprägte Vorliebe für französischen Pop notwendig um den Songs etwas abzugewinnen. Stellt euch zwei Typen vor die mit ihrer Gitarre am Strand sitzen und über all das philosophieren was Ihnen da in den Kopf kommt. Die Texte sind nicht wirklich komplex, müssen sie aber auch nicht sein weil so das Album herrlich zum Ausspannen einlädt. Generell ist die Qualität und Vielfalt der Songs allerdings nicht allzu hoch anzusiedeln. Allerdings gibt es trotzdem einige sehr gefällige Lieder. Hört einfach mal in die Empfehlungen rein ob das was für euch sein könnte.

English

Originally, I wasnt planning to feature music on this blog sung in a language I cant understand good enough and decided to keep music as this for my own pleasure. But since I found myself just listening to that album two times in a row, I thought I'd share it anyway. The album is only in french, so either you werent missing during all of your french classes or you simply share the love for french pop. Imagine two guys sitting together on the beach thinking and singing about everything which comes to their mind. The lyrics arent what I would call "complex", but they dont need to since those songs are far more suitable to relaxing anyway.  However, the overall quality and variety of those songs is very much on the low side compared to other releases on this blog but some songs are still very charming. Maybe you should still give those recommendations above a listen to see whether that kind of music is something for you.