I was so excited when the split CD made its way from the Wahrschauer editorial office to my setup. On this CD, two Oi punk bands honor us, both of which have garnered a large fan base in their own way. Both bands have been around for several years. They know each other, have played concerts together, celebrated together, and so the next step is somehow logical. They do something together. Now, one could make a split CD where each band plays new songs, maybe covers each other once, and that’s it. Not here.
The cover reminds me of the legendary “Ein Vollrausch in Stereo - 20 schäumende Stimmungshits” sampler in terms of layout. That earns some points, as do the absurd texts on the cover like “All hits on one CD” or “10 cents per sold record go to the association of brave widows of three-legged dogs e.V.”. It's fun to laugh at and drink to, as this sampler is best enjoyed in the lovely haze of alcohol. Best with Pfeffi, if we’re talking about BERLINER WEISSE, who have sung about this soggy stuff several times. Before I get pushed into the drinking corner, I’ll just say that the first four songs are covers of David Hasselhoff!
Well, still convinced that you can listen to this music sober?
It starts with “Hot Shot City,” “Looking for Freedom,” “Du,” and “Crazy for You” by David “Mauerbrecher” Hasselhoff, in the version of the Gumbles. These are songs that could really be something. However, what the Gumbles didn’t see is that the songs sound almost 1:1 replicated. Quite funny to laugh at at the next party, but zero innovation, zero wit. The good mood quickly fades away.
It’s a shame, really, because GUMBLES have produced some very good tracks and have a humor that could make tackling these musical crimes worthwhile. If I were mean, I would say it sounds like a rip-off and a strained attempt to show a sign of life.
Even a cover of the song “Haltet die Welt an” by BERLINER WEISSE sounds lame. The recording sounds like it was made 10 years ago with a mini-disc player in the second-to-last corner of the rehearsal room. Here, clean playing would have earned more points than what the Northerners have produced here. Sad to frustrating.
Only “Schlüpfer” in the version of the GUMBLES is funny and offers nice entertainment with decent dirty talk. A good song out of six.
So far, the record is almost a complete failure, which is all the more frustrating since two good bands are doing something together, which is always something special.
The last six songs belong to BERLINER WEISSE, and they start off with a hit that is probably one of the most covered songs in this genre, “Verdammt ich lieb dich.” Just the first seconds make me grin widely. Singer Toifel gives this tear-jerker a scruffy, rough note that may come off as a bit brash, but never comes across as strained. Just this voice rocks. It’s not so bad that the recording sounds lame here too. If you’re thinking, “Alright, Matthias Reim, but what comes next?”, let me tell you, it gets even harder! The Prinzen, Die Firma, and Rio Reiser are the next interpreters.
“Alles nur geklaut” continues in the same scruffy manner. After a lame start, the song becomes a real pogo number. This song will hit hard live! I’m convinced of that.
Then it continues with the song “Nur die Eine.” The band handles it well with Die Firma from East Berlin. The song sounds as if it could have come from BERLINER WEISSE. That’s more than what the GUMBLES have managed with all their representative songs combined. You could say the guys from Berlin can do it all.
But Rio Reiser is still to come.
Just the version of the Rio Reiser classic in the style of BERLINER WEISSE is worth the purchase. The narrow-minded fans of Rio and Ton Steine Scherben will probably be pulling their hair out, but those with a sense of humor will have a great time here. More shall not be revealed.
Then it continues with a sample from the great film “Sin City” and two cover versions of Gumbles songs.
Even with these two songs, the guys from the capital prove to have a good touch.
With “Zu Alt zum Pogo,” a fitting song is presented, which is also the farewell song of this CD.
Twelve songs, a lot of shadow, and some glaring light that the Berliners ignite.
The conclusion can only be divided, but with the realization that BERLINER WEISSE solidify their status in the scene with their songs. Humor and music, everything fits here; what the GUMBLES offer, many up-and-coming bands could have done just as well.
