The Cologne label ROOKIE RECORDS kindly sent me the debut record of LOVE A from Trier, asking me to write a few lines about it.
Yes, actually nothing easier than that, but "Actually" by the band from Trier is multifaceted, controversial; stirring and not to everyone's taste.
Upon the second listen of the record, I was told to turn off the damn student music. My objection that the lyrics are good didn't really count.
Nevertheless, this short dialogue highlights the significant conflict field in which the band from Rhineland-Palatinate finds itself.
The music is indeed quite student-like. Memories of Kettcar and the whole intellectual Hamburg School come to mind. A loud guitar, a slightly rattling drum, and a beat that doesn't require much drumming training. The whole thing is kept at mid-tempo so that the psychology student doesn't turn red and show feelings with his instrument. Here and there, a few effects join in, which probably require a small battery of effect devices at the live concert. Musically, there's nothing that doesn't already exist. There's nothing outstanding or noteworthy about this student sound. Indie rock, NDW influences, a pinch of power pop, and a bit of noise, nothing more.
Standard, familiar. Done.
In this respect, the statement made above is correct, but since a dialogue was quoted above, we come to the second part, namely the lyrics.
The lyrics are indeed what makes the band unique. Here, one does not expect convoluted, fragmentary lyrics that were either written in delirium or by a psychology student in their tenth semester, but lyrics that are full of anger, provocation, and cynicism, while the band is by no means narrow-minded or uptight.
Great are such lines like:
…You go on vacation to get away, but you always come home again…
…You are so ugly in your hearts…
…You are not the Ramones, come up with something new. Everything you say today was already a lie yesterday…
These gems all come from the song "Ramones." This song is a broadside against all bourgeois, neo-bourgeois, and people who equate materialism with prosperity.
It is a text that could also come from a punk band.
Next up is "Individuell." The song continues where "Ramones" left off, but focused on individual people rather than society.
…Their tattoos make them secure, on the streets of their city. And they thought nothing would ever change. Teenage angst begins to fade.
…They follow the trend and join in. But this one is always a step ahead, day in and day out.
Can it get any better?
YES!
Let's take "Säge."
…They are d'accord with the government…( crazy, right?)
Even better, because personally relatable is the following:
…sometimes I keep my mouth shut because I'm too tired. All the anger, all your tears. I came from there, you want to go there.
Beautiful self-reflection from someone who has been around for a few years, in the scene or wherever, and knows that not everything that glitters is gold.
As the last song, "Nachbar" should be mentioned, which addresses exactly where many see this band, namely in the student milieu. In the song, they sing about their neighbors, whom they hate because they listen to Kettcar and have the intro on subscription. What the guys do in the song is no longer just heckling, but real hate. A really cool story, especially since it reflects the corner into which the band is placed.
The song "Originell" even partly reminds me of the song "Aufregende Party" by The Bottrops from Berlin, regarding the unconventional song structure and the provocation there, for those who are always looking for "the party," while they should first not just watch but also participate.
The next songs continue in this way. It's really something new that the guys are doing here.
The only downside is that the singer has a rather distinctive voice, and if you don't like it, you won't warm up to the band.
If you like the voice, you can buy this without hesitation.
LOVE A is doing something new!
I hereby open the new style drawer "Post-German Punk" and put LOVE A in it.
