Extarradio

 

The fact that there are new bands in the world that keep the flags of post-punk or new wave keeps high makes me believe that nothing is lost in music. One of those are Sei Still (be quiet or shut up) a Mexican five piece band now located in Berlin that combines influences of krautrock (especially the motorik beat) and post-punk guitars. Not new of course but a sound that is fresh and natural. This could be released 40 years ago and sink in the mass of releases at this time. Good to have a new band that knows where they come from.

A New Love Song

One of the latest hype you can find in music press is Ist Ist a band from Manchester. On various platforms their new album Architecture is highly recommended and I couldn't resist to give them a try. Listening to their songs for the first time I thought please not another band trying to reanimation of this sound because everyone knew where you were when you heard this sound the first time. Joy Division from the early days and Interpol decades later stamped their sound but listening to their songs for a second time I think they don't only copy this sound. It is more that they capture the spirit of days long gone by and make them a part of their own. It is true that we heard this sound many times in different versions but Ist Ist are far better than most others I've heard.

Sit Down Meal

Always when you think you heard everything possible what is called post-punk another band appears on the scene and you admit that you didn't heard it in this way before. This happened when I listened to Dry Cleaning's latest EP Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks. Florence Shaw speaks her lyrics over post-punk guitars and beats. As I posted a few weeks ago I have to say that I never thought that spoken words and crushing guitars can fit together but this band showed that it works well. Timeless songs by a band that probably will never get the acclaim they should have.

The Former Sound Of Scottland

As most of you know Josef K. were one of those bands from Edinborough that gave many influences to bands to following decades. Back in the early 80's I listened to some songs from them and I have to admit that I wasn't a fan from the first time. But while releasing their first album The Only Fun In Town I felt good with their sound. A very unique combination of post-punk, funk and disco rhythms made them great and still worth to listen from time to time. Their sound wasn't able to be a fan from the start but if you sink into their music you will get great pleasure - still.

Josef K - It's Kind Of Funny
Josef K - Revelation
Josef K - Fun 'n' Frenzy

Autobahn

If a band choose their name in Autobahn most of you would think this is a reminiscence to Krautwerk and especially to Kraftwerk. But this band from Leeds has musically nothing to do with this kind of music. The sound on their new album The Mortal Crossing is dark, dramatic and some kind of post-punk into new-wave music. I don't know how old this kids are but their sound is clear, fresh, guitar based and reclined to mid 80's post punk and vintage goth style. And they also have no fear to add their sound with a cello and it fits well on Torment.

Felt

It was back in the early 80's a band appeared on the scene that gave a lot of inspirations to bands like Belle and Sebastian or The Charlatans. Blessed with jangly guitars, great songs and a post-punk attitude added with superb songs made them a big place big place in history. They released a couple of outstanding records these days and sadly were forgotten now. Listening to albums like Crumbling the Anitseptic Beauty or Forever Breathing the Lonely is still a pleasure after all the decades and worth to feature them on this pages.

Felt - Cathedral
Felt - Down but not yet out

Maximum Joy

We all know the Bristol sound from the 80's that came smooth and rhythm to our ears but there was a band that appeared in 1981 with a very fresh sound inspired by NWC's Nu-punk sound. Based on funky rhythms, a weird saxophone and fantastic vocals they were something different an new. Sadly they were just a small notice in music history but listening to them decades ago it still sounds fresh, new and unique. It is mixture of post-punk, funk and no-wave and I didn't listen to this kind of music for long time. Glad to remember them again.

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...

Surrender

After a week of absence tomorrow I will start working again. It was necessary to get a few days off to recreate. Doing nothing special than taking a few excursions, going to a wellness place for a day and hanging around doing things at home I should have done earlier. After work we will go supporting Stuttgart on the way back to Bundesliga. Stuttgart is now at the top of the table and we will play against a direct rival Union Berlin. I think when we win this game we have a real good chance for promotion.

Today's song is by The Veil a London four-piece post-punk band that was very close to the sound of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Their records were re-released these days and they sound as fresh as they did in the mid 80's. Frankly they can't beat the Banshees but they have a very unique sound with fiery guitars and high-octave basslines.

Detective

One more day in the office and then time enough for the weekend to relax and fill up the battery again. This week was less stressful than the weeks before. So I have time enough to listen to some new music that arrived during the last days. One of the is a post-punk band from Münster, Germany, called Messer (knife). It is a band that is on duty for more than five years and are based on classic post-punk band like Fehlfarben in the early 80's. These days they released a new album and this a leading track from it. They use to have a succint bass and a headstrong, experimental guitar. It is a very dark and monotone sound - not for everybody's ears but something new and interesting in these days.

This song is from their album two years ago and still worth to listen.