Stupid is Trump. This old wisdom has proven itself time and again, but it is subject to a cruel and somehow always valid law: Exceptions confirm the rule. So it is not surprising that "Sing my Saxon, sing" by "Thekenprominenz" and "Martens Army" just happens to fall under this law.
I must admit that I didn't expect much from the start, as "Oi" has never really appealed to me (except when my blood alcohol level was higher than my IQ).
Speaking of "blood alcohol levels at 2.3": The presentation of the album is strange. While the titles are recorded on the back, it seems the guys might have had a bit too much grog, as the tracks are listed in the wrong order. While this might be amusing, it is still quite impractical when you've already transferred everything to your computer.
Alright, now to the album. The first glance prepares you: A large group of beer-drinking people is sitting at a table and seems to be in a pretty jovial mood. Okay, I already have a queasy feeling in my stomach regarding the theme and the music style. And this feeling should not deceive me, as lyrically the two bands (which I do NOT separate, but simply talk about the album itself) – to put it mildly – keep it very simple. The topics are typical: drinking beer, friendship, partying, violence, and alcohol consumption. Here it sounds a bit dull (“Görlitzer Halunken”, “Thekenprominenz”, “Martensprominenz”), there it sounds a bit silly (“Putz deine Stiefel”), and at times even quite nice (“Wo bist du?”, “F.Müller”). The latter two titles deal with something a bit personal, in which a hint of criticism is hidden. However, the rest of the songs have about the same ambition as weeds have on the environment. So basically almost none. It either revolves around the mindless smashing of faces of guys who look at you the wrong way or the popularity of the nearest pub around the corner. More suitable for beer tents or hopelessly intoxicated birthdays, where the average blood alcohol level (with a dozen guests) is about 3.0.
However, the only new thing for me is that it can also be about politics on an Oi! record. However, here it is merely about shouting slogans, spitting on the father state, politicians, or parties. Since this turns out to be not particularly original, it should not be surprising that I view this rather critically.
Brain acrobats should already be rubbing their hands with glee, as they should have noticed that people with standards will search in vain for profound or good lyrics here. Good listeners and knowledgeable people in the music scene might also notice that some lyrics sound quite roughly like “Böhse Onkelz” or at least like other Oi! bands. It is said that good theft is better than poorly done originals, but even in stealing there seem to have been difficulties.
It's a shame really, because the sound is quite decent. The voice sounds very similar to other bands in this genre, but is quite bearable. The instruments are also nicely played, although one should not expect a fireworks display of entertainment art.
The guitar, bass, and drums are kept rather simple and straightforward, which does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. A bit of "professionalism" comes into play in the form of well-mixed background vocals, which is why one cannot completely speak of "simple tones". But at least it sounds quite nice, although the long-term motivation does not really want to set in.
Somehow the word (lower) "average" keeps echoing in my head. And I really have to agree with that voice. Because I couldn't manage more than 1.5 runs, as the lyrics were too thoughtless and dull and the instrumental arrangement too monotonous. My attitude has therefore not changed much: Apart from keeping my distance, I don't really care much for Oi! However, if my buddies get really drunk again, then maybe the silver disc could still serve a small (and good) purpose. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite reach for more. Maybe this record will come back out of the depths of my room in a few weeks/months and pay my ears another visit. Because at the moment I have other bands on my mind than the ones presented here.
Since I still have a bit of space and time, here's a joke to conclude: "Thekenprominenz and Martens Army walk past a pub." HAHAHA!
