01.02.2013, 20:37 Uhr
A call from Basti. A concert is coming up in Hannover: "Birds in Row" and "Jungblut" are playing in a small venue in Hannover in a week. Sounds awesome!
08.02.2013, 01:00 Uhr
Wow, that was amazing! We are currently sitting in the car and I'm replaying the concert in my mind. The record we took from "Birds in Row" and played is really great, and I've decided to write a review about it in the near future!
10.06.2013, 11:30
With tension, headaches, and not the faintest idea of what to do, I free the computer from various junk files. While doing so, I notice the document "Birds in Row," click on it, and am horrified to realize that the feeling of having forgotten something has never left me for a good reason... well, whatever! I guess I'll just dive into it now!
Sometimes it's like that, dear readers. For ages, "You, Me And The Violence" by the French small-town band "Birds in Row" has been on the turntable almost daily, and I just couldn't bring myself to write anything about it. It's such a shame when bands like this don't get the attention they deserve...
“Angry” is probably the best term to somewhat adequately describe the record in one word. No more than 2 seconds after the first song “Pilorl’l” kicks off with distortion and a short scream, all dams break, and a flood of audible and aggressive sounds begins to flow from the speakers. With a few exceptions, the songs testify to anger, aggression, and restlessness.
This feeling is systematically created using all conceivable means: It requires a drum that almost continuously pounds and whose “quiet phases” are ultimately just “not-so-super-fast phases.” It is mixed with two string instruments, where the first (bass) does a normal job and can at least shine with a few standout moments (“Pilorl’l”), while the second accompanies the pieces with melody and madness. All the songs are distinctly recognizable from one another, but a fundamental mood remains: I am angry, I am restless, I WANT TO BE LOUD!
Perfectly complementing this, the voice enters, which is probably the only one in the world that truly fits this emotional landscape 100%. Songs like the titular “You, Me And The Violence” or the “calm” “Grey Hair” would not be as captivating and characteristic if someone else were to take on the job.
Despite all the aggression and anger, there are also songs that convey a different feeling: The aforementioned “Grey Hair,” “Last Last Chance,” or “Lovers Have Their Say” score with rather delicate speed, great musical elaboration, and a turned-off microphone. This is particularly evident in the first and last mentioned: The singer is more in the background of the action and is hardly audible. However, the “quiet scream” fits so well into the mood that the entire structure takes on a desperate and hopeless touch. Especially “Lovers Have Their Say” scores again with a musical loop at the end that repeats the melody for minutes, thus creating a thick atmosphere... awesome!
Who would have thought that such gems are buried somewhere in the depths of a village abroad? For me, "Birds in Row" have now become a staple in my music repertoire and have been accompanying me for quite some time, as can be seen from the months at the beginning of the review, without becoming boring. Anyone with a heart for hardcore won't be able to resist giving it a listen.
