Düsseldorf – a city that triggers a fireworks display of associations in my beleaguered brain. I think, for example, of Die Toten Hosen, Broilers, and of course those band cutouts that, under the influence of "JKP" (Jochen's little record label), try to copy the style of the two aforementioned bands in good quality.
I’m curious to see if "Diagnose D" from Düsseldorf can make a different impression on me… I eagerly put the record on.
Now the aforementioned record is playing for the fourth time, and after the initial fear, a certain calm sets in, followed by a sobering realization.
It doesn’t sound like a copy at all. Instead of totally polished soft rock, you get punk rock delivered in a very classic (and yet high-quality) style. What can also be appreciated are the instruments: You can tell the guys know how to handle their instruments and are capable of creating something like "melody." With guitar solos, an audible bass (yes, AUDIBLE!!), pauses, and rhythm changes, the Düsseldorfers present a pleasantly varied palette, even though I only have 4 samples in front of me.
However, there is something that bothers me. If we disregard the first song (although it already hints at it), one unfortunately realizes that the vocals (+ backing vocals) are not particularly well done. While the first song at least has a bit of vocal melody in the chorus, a different feeling spreads over the other tracks. Here I feel more exposed to monotony, lack of enthusiasm, and boredom, which is nicely spiced up with "crooked" lyrical passages. I can’t help it: Somehow the songs seem somewhat off in their entirety because the lyrics of the Düsseldorfers sometimes turn out to be little stumbling blocks (“Bauer sucht Frau”). I would also advise against the combination of lead and backing vocals. It simply doesn’t fit together in the style I heard on the record. To put it more clearly: No harmony is created, but rather two voices singing about the same thing in parallel and completely differently. It could be better!
But one shouldn’t despair. This is a debut work and of course also a personal experiment, which I don’t want to label as “failed.” The first song “Diagnose D” has shown that it can work very well. If the strengths are developed and the weaknesses reduced in the near future, we can certainly look forward to some great songs ahead. The only important thing is: Stay committed, be open to suggestions, and don’t get discouraged! Because nothing is worse than giving up in discouragement or landing blindly and over-motivated in dull, generic German punk. That should be no one’s goal.
I’ll leave it at a preliminary rating of 6/10, with a hopeful glance upwards.
