The KOTZREIZ, the KOTZREIZ, the KOTZREIZ, nah.... The 3 guys from KOTZREIZ like this!!!
Ten years ago, in 2010, the Berlin band’s debut album “Du machst die Stadt kaputt” hit like a bomb. I love this record—see also my review from back then (https://verbotenefruechte.de.tl/cd-reviews-20-.-7.htm) with 11 out of 10 possible points ☺ ! Whether it’s soccer or golf – Nazis in the meat grinder !! Awesome !!!
9.5 years ago, 11/13/2010, my first KOTZREIZ concert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOBLxF0tGpg ) at the JZ Stricker in Bielefeld....
8 years ago, in 2012, the KOTZREIZ follow-up “Punk bleibt Punk,” featuring “Pfeffi Graf,” among others—awesome.... (why didn’t I actually write a review for it??). However, the album can’t hold a candle to “Du machst die Stadt kaputt”; it’s good but not great.
2020..... finally a new KOTZREIZ album!!! I thought the band had broken up, but nope, there was a bassist change in between—Tom out, Matt in—but otherwise everything stays the same.... And that’s evident right from the first song, “Nüchtern unerträglich,” with its catchy chorus: “Whenever I’m sober—I overthink things, and when I’m drunk—it becomes clear again that the world makes no sense—and yet here I am, sober and unbearable—drunk shalala” . A blast, musically supported by Ace (ZSK) and including a fitting intro track, which, however, reduces the number of songs from 11 to 10.
Unfortunately, the quality of the songs on the album gradually declines; the awesome “Nüchtern unerträglich” punk melody turns more and more into ufta-ufta punk rock (“Wer ist wieder da” and “Eiskalte Ohren”) and eventually into a minimalism TRIO - FRL. MENKE - IXI - Mix (yes, I actually lived through the NDW era), and fittingly, guest singer Emilie Krawall warbles (on “Toilettenstern”) “....beep beep little satellite...”.
With the 5th song, “Punkboys don’t cry,” the tide turns. And I hear the summer song of 2020 (even though it’s only April). “Punkboys don’t cry” is definitely going to be the summer hit of 2020, not just because of its (Corona lockdown) relevance: “and every damn day—I sit alone at the bar, I drink for both of us – but punkboys don’t cry, punkboys don’t cry – punkboys don’t cry – punkboys don’t cry”. With “Punkboys don’t cry,” KOTZREIZ takes us back for 4 minutes with a cheerful, cheeky, melodic punk summer tune, reminding us of our own youth with Robert Smith, tape recordings, exciting train rides, solidarity among friends, and of course punk—which was our religion. Ah, those were the days.... “Punkboys don’t cry” is simply awesome, and you HAVE to buy the album just for this song alone.
“Rats in the System” with an “ahahaha” chorus, because: “... the city belongs to the rats...” short – snappy – done – over – awesome!
And then comes “Sambuca Beach,” 74 seconds of surf music—or surf beat, surf rock, whatever you want to call it... Almost in the DICK DALE style, almost.....
Next up is another little (summer) hit, “Nothing to Lose,” “... I’m sweating at the outdoor pool—and needlessly picking at my pimple—just like you do in the summer...” Summer—palm trees—sunshine, just much more mature musically and lyrically....
73 seconds for “Ich bin ein Wrack,” even shorter, even crisper, punk rock!
And with “Der räudige Aal” feat. Andrea from the PESTPOCKEN “.. Asshole, you’re no punk....”, the new KOTZREIZ album ends after just 23 minutes. And things were just really getting going.... You have to overlook these 4 missteps, because “Punkboys don’t cry” and “Nüchtern unerträglich” alone make this album a must-buy. Plus 4 more awesome punk rock songs, practically thrown in for free. If only it weren’t for those 4 missteps.....
