From Berlin Germany, Altbau is Boerge on drums, Kalle Hochnebel on bass and sounds and The Rock Cylon RC50 on loops. They describe themselves as instrumental music somewhere between Motorhead and Mogwai, “influenced by rock, electro, no wave and funk the band creates soundscapes and grooves towering in a structured or freestyle way.”
DEAF DRONES: Rock drums, bass and keys. Starts to pick up tempo and volume! Sounds like a guitar but none credited?! STRASSENTEERUNG: More well done funk, but to me there’s not much original or unique about this?!? Well played and recorded funky instrumental rock!! Reminds me a lot of 1980’s Austin Texas underground bands. I wanna like this but I just can’t get into it, I’ve reviewed several CD’s for Aural Innovations that are in this vein!! To me, it seems that if you’re in a band that’s committed to doing something different/experimental you should also consider breaking from the rock instrument and music structure!! However I’m starting to realize that the less challenging music has more mass appeal. DYSFUNK: Comes out with very uptempo drum beat then the bass and guitar! Cool sounds!?!? The drums are great but dominate the sound so much that it starts to be samey. But then some nice driving guitar!! I’m sure Altbau are hugely popular in Germany but to me it’s pretty normal and boring! This really sounds like basic tracks before the overdubs, without being justified as tracks that can stand on their on their own, without overdubs! TWYNN PEEKS: Clever title??!! The music reminds me of a tire commercial or a band doing a sound check! The playing is “good” but not artistically interesting or innovative in any way that I can tell. If you could hear the other instruments besides the drums then the tracks might stand a chance of being interesting?!? DE MON STAR: I’m sure this music is fun to play but not so much fun to listen! Boerge on drums and Kalle Hochnebel on bass and sounds are accomplished/good musicians but not unique enough with their style of playing or song structure to warrant a CD of instrumental tracks!! Of course that’s just my opinion and my opinion is probably very different than lots of people’s opinions! Kinda like soundtrack music for an 80’s detective show! Gets very rockin’ but not rockin’ enuff. The press release compares them to Motorhead and Mogwai and I would never say that!! SEXCH8TEL (BONUS): Funky drums!…and bass and loops that are mixed down….around 3:10 gets pretty rockin’ and interesting?? The drummer should just record a solo album of all drums and the world could hear how great he is!! Around 9:20 the loops get kinda interesting but it’s over!
For more info, visit: http://www.myspace.com/altbaurocks and http://www.facebook/atlbau2altbau
Or e-mail: altbaurocks@web.de
Reviewed by Carlton Crutcher