I've known STAKEOUT for a few years now, although 'know' might be an exaggeration.
They used to play at concerts I organized, but for years now I've only been following their career on the sidelines. In Berlin, you occasionally stumble upon the band, whether it's because they're playing live again or because you see advertisements for them. Is the graffiti “That's not weather” that you see everywhere in Berlin actually guerrilla marketing from STAKEOUT?
The album is titled “Gift to the World.” The cover features an arm raised high, holding a vinyl record, on a shabby toilet. Very symbolic, and that's how the album is supposed to be, according to the booklet. The band claims to have incorporated countless quotes from punk, rock, and pop history into the songs on the album. If you listen closely, you'll notice that the first song's lyrics are very reminiscent of “Still No Plan” by Abstürzende Brieftauben, and the keyboard that plays the intro of the song “Märchenwelt A.D.” is strikingly similar to the keyboard intro of “Black Wave” by I Walk the Line. You can tell the band listens to other music as well. That's not a bad thing; after all, creativity is better than stagnation.
Musically, STAKEOUT offers exactly what they did in their early days: pop punk. Of course, the sound is more mature than it was in the beginning, but the essence remains the same. It's the sound of middle-class kids who grow up in single-family homes, hit puberty, and want to rebel a little.
But of course, not too much or too extreme. Parents wouldn't want that, and it would interfere with their careers; after all, they need to graduate, and they also want to have a chance with the class beauty. This “scene” is where the band comes from, at least that's the impression they've given for years.
Lyrically, they never go too radical, although songs like “Self-Employed Alcoholic” or “My Sofa Against the System” certainly have potential.
I know this sounds like scene police, but hold on. Does STAKEOUT really belong to the scene? I say no!!
The band does what they can, and they do it well. However, it's not the sound of a subculture, but rather a sound that could also be played for parents and might even make it onto the radio. I wouldn't be surprised if the band celebrates a small commercial success with this album.
After all, STAKEOUT has stayed true to themselves. They've improved, but personally, I find it concerning when a 30-year-old makes music (almost exclusively) for teenagers.
