Emscherkurve 77 is known for catchy punk rock with a sing-along factor, and I have been familiar with this Ruhr area duo for many years, as one or the other earworm has stuck with me from numerous concerts of the Oberhausen street punk band. This is reason enough to take a closer look at the new album by EK77. Right upon unboxing, the booklet in a leporello format catches your eye. Here, you have the option to choose between the "Emscherkurven faces" to have the right face in the CD shelf when mom visits. The new album deals with the existential question "Is that supposed to be punk rock?" And one can say, yes it is! With the two singers Spiller and guitarist Daniel, who takes over the second vocal part after the separation from singer Böhle, they really bring the heat again. The two complement each other wonderfully with their "in-your-face" voices, and the guitar work does its part to make "Is that supposed to be punk rock?" a successful punk rock record. Lyrically, EK77 has a lot to say; the opener "Is that supposed to be punk rock?" immediately takes a stand against arrogant know-it-alls in the scene who dictate what one should do and not do as a "real" punk rocker. In "A40" and "Here with us," the connection to the Ruhr area is expressed, and of course, there’s again an anthem for the football club "Rot-Weiss Oberhausen" that EK77 pays tribute to. Briefly and succinctly, they express themselves in the track "Sarrazin vs. Guttenberg." This song greets certain scene know-it-alls with a lot of irony. Further short excursions are made in "Der Mann für Untenrum" and with the "Zyklopen-Song." The themes of their lyrics remain varied, which is why there is also an anthem for the great French actor "Louis de Funés." In "Nicht wie Sie," a warning is given about the falsehood and deceit that lurks day after day. Whether interpreted as a problem in the punk rock scene or in general, it always fits. EK77 knows how to draw lyrics from life. With "Zeit bleib stehen," a well-known song by DRITTE WAHL is covered quite cheekily, and the multi-part vocals come across really well. "Keine Lieder gegen Nazis" is now available on this album as a very successful punk rock version. Conclusion of the album: The band's lyrics come across honestly, and the musical result of 11 years of band experience is unmistakable!
This article was automatically translated by AI.
