Ordinary Madness

I took a few days of because it is summer at our place and time to go out and meet some friends outdoors. That doesn't mean that my ears were closed for music. I listened to a lot of old music during the recent days but there is one new song I listened often to during the last days. Joe Goddard, member of London based indietronic band Hot Chip made a song that might carry me through the next weeks. Together with singer/songwriter Jess Mills he made a relaxed and Balearic inspired song that has everything for a classic summer record.

The Maifeld Derby Diaries 2017 Day 3

After two days of inspiration in new music the festival turned into the last day. We all were lucky that the weather gave us a perfect background for an open air festival. The forecast told us that this will be dry as the days before but the degrees will rise up to 35 degrees celcius. Never the less we went soon after lunch time for the first artists to listen to.


First band today was Mitski, lead by Mitski Miyawaki from New York. Playing their very own kind of indie music. Just between collage rock and pure indie. Lead by a great bass and unique guitar licks they persuaded me. A great and underrated band that works live as well as on the album. Real good hymns combined with their energy of playing live makes them worth listening to still.

After listening to Whitney, another folk inspired band from the US (they weren't bad at all but at will to me, because I don't remember any song of them) the first highlight of today entered the main stage. It was the Thurston Moore Group playing songs from their latest album added with classics by Sonic Youth. I never had the chance to see Sonic Youth before the more I was impressed about playing his guitar. Since know I know actually why TM was named as one of the best guitar players of all time. He made his solos not for himself like many others, they were more a substantial piece of the songs. Happy enough watching him live we took a rest in the shade to sit down and run away from the shadeless stages to watch a so called Fuck up night. We both had no idea what will happen to us but we were surprised about the general aim of this show. It means nothing more or less that a few people talk about their mistakes in (business) life and how they survived and giving the audience the possibility to learn about their mistakes. Weird experience for me.

The next artist to was a new experience to me. I knew Edward Ka-Spel as the leading member of the early 80's Legendary Pink Dots, which played a unique mixture of psychedelic inspired, art-rock and folk. Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls was a huge fan of LPD and a few years ago they started a collaboration. Finally they created a dark and slow sound with psychedelic and folk ingredients of Ka-Spels's background and Palmers music influenced by Bauhaus, The Cure and Robyn Hitchcock. Not the music for everyone but for me they took me to an one hour trip into another kind of music,

Next artist was Primal Scream and Bobbie Gillespie and I don't have to tell anyone of you about them. It was 70 minutes of pure fun. Playing the best from their last year's record Chaosmosis and a lot of songs they released during the last decades. Nothing more than fun.

The last band on the festival was one of those who gave us one of the best records in this year so far. Slowdive played a fantastic set as far as I could see (I had to leave after 50 minutes to catch my train home). Known as a shoe gazing legend they were more to me because they got the balance between Pink Floyd influenced music with the best of post-punk. Timeless music for almost every one which is involved in the named genres.

Thank you and see you next year.

Young Marble Giants

It was back in 1980 when a Welsh band released one the best records in the post punk /new wave are. Young Marble Giants made an extraordinary record that stood the test of time. I listened to this records very often during the last decades. Philip and Stuart Moxham made a great sound with a Rickenbacker guitar and the influences of Brian Eno and Kraftwertk. But the best they did was to combine this extraordinary sound with the voice of Alison Statton. Colossal Youth is one of the few and everlasting albums from this era. This is one more a session John Peel arranged in 1980 and still worth to listen after all these years. Different from the versions from the album it has an very unique atmosphere. Still worth to listen to.

Hands Up

Urbs is the stage name of Austrian producer and musician Paul Nawrata and he makes records since more than 10 years. Now he's back with a different sound. Supported by American rapper R.A. the  Rugged Man on microphone he made a song with a dry, brittel and minimal beat. It has a bit of oldschool-vibe but full of power and energy. It is a song made for the dancefloot. So Throw your hands up is a comprehensible order

Cocaine

More than 30 years ago in Germany raised a culture of post-punk/new wave with heavy and embarrassing bands claiming this new, fresh and great sound for them to climb up the charts. 98% were rubbish and not worth to lose only one word about them. But a few bands transformed the spirit into the way making their music. There were only a few bands like Extrabreit (others were Ideal and Trio) that stood the test of time. A few days ago I stumbled through my archive and stopped by the sound of German post-punk bands. It is still a pleasure listening to them after decades. Extrabreit made songs about policemen at their depressive work and a song about S/M. It was new these days for our ears. A song about cocaine confused as at well and it is still a classic in German underground of the 80's and the band is still in a good shape when I saw them live a few years ago.

Extrabreit - Kokain

Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin:

Cocaine...

Stuttgart, Cologne, Duisburg, Vienna:

Cocaine...

I cannot sleep

I can eat nothing

it is so expensive

I become the monster

Actor, musician, politician:

Cocaine...

Prostituted, manager, dentists:

Cocaine...

I cannot sleep

I can eat nothing

it is so expensive

I who dzum monster

I am again

blank...

I am again

blank...

I am again

Cocaine...

I want more, more and more

my native country

if this is more...

The Maifeld Derby Diaries 2017 Day 2

Looking back to the first day of the festival I listened to a lot of new electronic music and you might think it is a space for computer based DJ-music. But there were lots of bands playing in a smaller venue that made real handmade guitar based music. Sadly I couldn't watch them all because I wanted to see the main acts today. I know I missed a lot of new bands but it was hard to make to right decision. So we started into the day with a band I featured a few month ago. Klez.E. is a band formed in Eastern Germany a few years ago and they were announced as the German Cure. And indeed, they had a lot of influence of them. Playing a bass inspired music with a charismatic singer in front and added with some post-punk guitar licks they made big fun watching them.

The next band that is worth to be named at this place is Zeal & Ardor. Listening to their songs you might think that they should be based in Southern USA but they are from Basel, Switzerland. They make a very unique mixture of gospel influenced sacred pop with and mix it with the best of black metal. For me it was the first time I listened to a sound like this and I have say that it impressed me the way they did their forward driven sound. Heavy guitars galore and an appearance that I won't forget.

After this I listened to Royal Canoe and Temples, both bands working on a new guitar pop and art-rock. Both bands were not too bad but when I can't remember any song a few weeks later I think it is not worth to write about them. Respecting their work I think I go further to the next one. American Football is an American independent band formed 20 years ago in Illinois. They made a few records and vanished after a few years in the scene. Now they made a reunion with a timeless unique independent sound. Their sound could be described as high-school soft emo-core. I didn't know them before and don't know their output from years gone by but their relaxed guitar inspired sound was perfect for a warm Saturday afternoon. They persuaded me at this time and I think I will listen to them during the next months for more than one time.

After watching Metronomy, another electronic band supporting some main acts during the last years I had to decide between Kate Tempest and Ryley Walker. It was hard because I really like Kate Tempest and her last album and I am a fan of Ryley. I decided for Kate Tempest first to watch out what will happen. She was in a good mood to wake up the audience with her lyrics and a band that fit to their songs very well. But after 15 minutes it was too stressful to listen to her and so I moved to Ryley Walker in the smallest venue. And this choice was perfect. He once made a great appearance. Playing his blues inspired songs with great soli on his guitar. It is always a pleasure to listen to him. He is probably one of this artists I would go to a concert and leave without being disappointed.

We finished the evening watching Moderat, an electronic music group originating in Berlin, Germany. They are famous at this scene and I was very excited to see them live. It is always difficult to perform electronic sound live on stage. But these guys impressed me very much. Their combination of drifty beats, reggae inspired vocals and the balance of pure electric music and krauty improvisations made a perfect finish of the second day.

We're Not Gonna Take It

Yesterday when I came home from work I switched on my TV. Zapping through the various programs I finished by a documentary about the history of communism in Europe. From the start in the early years of the last century international communism raised throughout Europe but failed at least. A lot of them leaders were killed by right wing nationalists and lead us to the civil war in Spain. For sure I am nowadays not the one who would take the gun in my hand but it makes me sad that in these days we failed the chance to change to world into a better one. Not that I am a person living in the past but there were a few ideas decades ago for a better and peaceful world for us all

This are some songs that mean a lot to me belonging during the decades of rebellion.

The Maifeld Derby 2017 Diaries Day 1

More than four weeks ago I went to Mannheim to join my youngest brother for the annual independent and electronic music festival. It was celebrated for the seventh time and the more it takes place the more it became popular. Some papers say that it is probably the best festival taking place in Germany. Not because main acts will appear on stage, it is more that it is a forum for young and fresh bands. I started my journey at Friday after working in the office to watch the first bands appearing on various stages. I reflected the days and was not sure if I should feature any band I've seen during the three day or if I should reduce my impressions on acts that impressed me so much that I would listen to their songs after a few weeks.

The program announced Voodoo Jürgens and Bilderbuch as the next big thing from Austria. Both are famous at my neighbor's place of their freshness of their sound. But for me they were just boring and not inspired. Jürgens gambles with fresh lyrics I used to know from Austrian artists during the last decades, the other ones play music that are dully like in the late 90's. But there were some highlights I would like to lose some words about them.

J. Bernardt is one of the masterminds of Belgium folk/electronic band Balthazar. Taking a rest of his band he made his first solo album under his own name where he moves away from his folky roots to make a more relaxed sound with ingredients of slow rhythm and blues crooning and stripped electronic sounds. Music for the twilight hours.

One of the finest records this year came from Cigarettes After Sex, that impressed me with some aural beauties in a laid back music with intensive atmosphere. I looked forward to see them live but was disappointed by there appearance. The songs were played perfectly but we couldn't hear any difference between the version on the album and playing them live. Simply perfect tone by tone but we missed the enthusiasm of playing this songs in front of the audience. Unfortunately the couldn't convince me at this day.

So I left the tent after a few songs to get me something new on the next stage. The program announced the next artist with the key words 'pop-noir', 'Sideway Blues' and 'Gothic Folk' that was more interesting for me as CAS. Gemma Ray is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist, film composer and producer from Billericay (Cheers to Ian Dury) being in the scene for almost 10 years and worked together with Wim Wenders and Calexico. To be honest I didn't heard anything from her before but what I heard was fantastic. Songs from a deeply tempered guitar straight out of a Tarantino movie she sung with a bluesy voice. It worked live very well and it works at my place still. One of my finds this year.

The next artists was introduced to me by Martin, who saw him not for the first time. I couldn't imagine anything about Sohn and his music. The program announced him as a fantastic combination of electronic, ambient and alternative rhythm and blues. Never heard this combination before but it sounded interesting. And so it was. Christopher Michael Taylor aka Sohn is a British singer, songwriter and producer living now in Vienna, Austria. Signed by 4AD-label he makes his very unique mixture of  his absorbing, soulful voice that flows around  organic drum machines and minimalist sythie lines , while the multi instrumentalist with a lot of feeling in his fingertips lifts the beats and basses and take the song from the chamber on the dance floor. Dubstep for adults.

Main act of the first day was Anders Trentemoller, probably one of the best and versatile electronic acts these days. The Danish producer and multi-instrumentalist convinced me with his live appearance. 80 minutes of pure beats with a great band in the back and lots of great ideas in his songs made this appearance something very special and unique. Not only for fans of great guitars. Every minute was great to listen to. A real highlight round midnight.

Pray For Air

There are bands that are great in their home country but less known across their borders. Mammut from Iceland is one of them. Formed in 2003 as ROK an all-female trio they changed their name a few years later when male musicians joined the band. I don't know anything  about ROK but I listened to some songs by Mammut from their latest album this weekend. The sound is built over the voice of Katrina Kata Mogensen which is similar to Björk. In their sound I hear a bit of early Sugarcubes (in which Morgensen's father played bass) and on this song influences of Talking Heads.

A La Par Del Amor

You might know that I usually don't listen to radio stations and it's mainstream music. But sometimes you can't avoid when it was played in the background in a pub. I was more than astonished to hear this song there. It was a pearl between all the other stuff played on this evening. Later this day I investigated for this song and found out that it was the newest one by Manu Chao, a musician I always liked since the days he played with Mano Negra. Far away from all musical clichés he made a relaxed reggae inspired song worth to be played during the summer.

Rips ...

... is another band from Brooklyn showing us the real values of guitar based power rock. Raised in the tradition of Television,The Feelies and Sonic Youth they deserve a great homage to these bands mixed with the best of power pop. Heavy dual guitars, insistend hooks and their energy makes them more than the average right now. I didn't listen to an any equal album celebrating great guitar based songs this year so far. Give them a chance and listen without prejudice.

Welcome To Zamrock!

... is the title of a compilation of Zambia's music of the early 70's influenced by American and British bands especially on psychedelic sounds. Zambia in these times was one of those countries that was poor and isolated from western nations. The more it is surprisingly that they created a very unique sound of western and African music. This sound could be played on every garden party during this summer.