Bombs are a tricky thing.
There is a record titled: Atomic Bomb on Germany (Antilopen Gang)
Others sing...Bombs for the world...(Popperklopper)
and others sing...Bombs over Disneyland...(Jack Pott)
Speaking of Disneyland.
...When everything falls apart here,
who cares in Disneyland,
Duckburg remains stable.
(Die Toten Hosen)
Is this a review made up entirely of quotes and references? Let's see.
“Bombs over Disneyland“ is the first record released by JACK POTT. The band consists of four young men from the Marmalade City. What kind of Marmalade City? Well, Bad Schwartau! Don't know it? Then go to the supermarket and check out the sweet spreads.
So now we know, they are four young men from Bad Schwartau. What do they do?
Punk rock, melodic punk rock, melodic pop-punk rock. So, what is it?
In any case, the four guys have listened to a lot of German punk rock in their early and earliest youth. It’s hard to explain how the band's style came about otherwise. I don't want to list all the well-known and lesser-known bands, but I still want to mention a few. Sondaschule, Terrorgruppe, The Bottrops, Die Heiligen Drei Könige (does anyone still know them?), Xarecrows (does anyone still know them?), Dritte Wahl, ZSK, Popperklopper, Alarmsignal, SDP, The Wohlstandskinder,
Swiss und die Anderen and also Broilers sometimes.
Is this basically a kind of best-of band? Well, at least one could say, well copied is better than poorly done oneself. As fresh and full of energy as the Bad Schwartau guys are working here, it doesn't seem like they are trying to copy in a strained way. How did we do it in our younger years? We played what we liked, and that was what we had listened to. The same goes for JACK POTT.
What is surprising is the fantastic recording. Perfect timing, vocals, tempo changes, the instruments, and the interplay fit perfectly. It all sounds mature and professional, yet there is so much energy that it doesn’t come off as sterile.
The songs encourage singing along, moving, and moshing. And, very importantly in these times, the band brings a smile to your face. Wordplay meets social criticism. Reality meets daydreams. Self-reflection meets punk rock.
The 13 songs are all great individually and collectively. Melodic pop-punk rock with keyboards. Sounds ordinary, but it’s not. Lyrically, the band comes across surprisingly, yes, phenomenally. Wit, self-reflection, beautiful rhymes, a wink here, a bit of banter there, definitely some social criticism but all within limits.
One could also say that here middle-class kids play mediocre music and sing about their mediocre lives. That could be, but anyone who has listened to the record once will not say that what the band is doing is boring.
JACK POTT is incredibly fun, surprises with great arrangements, excellent lyrics, a very good recording, and brings good vibes (yet they don’t only make “feel-good songs”).
JACK POTT, a young band that surprised and captivated me. A first highlight for me in 2022 and for a long time a young band that really kicks me.
