A.O.K. not only stands for Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse but also for Anal or Feces, or simply A.O.K..
For years, the band hardly made any noise from their lonely island, where they flew on flight number 08 / 15 to Debil. The last recordings of this flight can be heard as an intro on this CD.
A.O.K. were already around when Knorkator didn't exist yet and J.B.O. were still playing in small clubs. They are, so to speak, the old masters of sexualized fecal comedy rock. The only company the guys had back then was Vicki Vomit. The rest came later.
Now the world has continued to turn, but A.O.K. are still simple in spirit. However, not to rely on complete confusion, they do have songs like “Astrologie” that contain depth and criticism. Lines like…
…I let myself be guided by the stars, then I don't have to think for myself anymore…
show that there is also a message being conveyed here.
Whether one sees “Nackt” as a new hedonistic anthem, as a new song of the FKK association, or simply as a fun song is up to each individual to decide.
The humor well below the belt is, of course, not neglected, otherwise the band wouldn't be who they are loved for. These are the songs that will divide opinions about the band. “Party Peter,” “Wasch dir Pipi mi Amore,” or the somewhat clumsy “Bimmel & Bommel” and “Puff, puff, puff die Eisenbahn” are definitely not to everyone's taste. The Rammstein parody “Rammschein” should also be mentioned here. The song could have been done better, but at least someone is doing something like that.
The total of 21 songs on “Im Geiste Schlicht” are crafted in a pleasing hard rock style. Here and there, punk influences can be heard, and metal occasionally shines through.
With bands like J.B.O., Knorkator, Die Lokalmatadore, or Die Kassierer, opinions are divided; A.O.K. still belongs to this league, so fans of the band can dive in blindly, while only peripherally interested listeners will likely be overwhelmed.
The band from Frankfurt am Main walks, like the aforementioned bands, on a very thin line between genius and dilettantism. However, A.O.K. navigates this line in a way that makes listening to the album a lot of fun.
A.O.K. are refreshingly against societal conventions!
