ALEX MOFA GANG - Ende Offen
Still rather unknown outside their native Germany, Alex Mofa Gang from Berlin has already made a lot of headlines at home. Moving smartly between pop and punk, they create an energetic sound with the potential to target a wide audience. Their three album Die Reise zum Mittelmaß der Erde, Perspektiven and their latest Ende Offen tell the story of Alex Mofa, with the five musicians considering themselves as his gang.
The album begins with the first single and title track. The balance between heaviness and melody is optimal, and one is allowed to draw parallels to But Alive and Kettcar. I really like their faster material like the über-hit Kleine Schwester Größenwahn which invites to sing along, as well as Nacht aus Gold, the shortest and most aggressive track on the album. The more commercial side works for Alex Mofa Gang too. The melodic Hinter den Fassaden has a nice indie touch, and the NDW-like Alles robotisiert is a lot of fun. The same goes for Düsenjäger which is also an instant winner.
Alex Mofa Gang are also out for commercial success because they want to live off their music. Unfortunately this means that they flirt at times too much with the mainstream which might dispel those who like the band for their more rocking side. Dieses Mal is a kitsch track that just sounds too sterile. Erstmal für immer sounds like the theme song for a daily soap and the concluding Treibholz could as well have come from Max Giesinger. No matter if the songs are harder or mellower, they usually all average about three minutes each, which is probably quite useful for getting airplay on commercial radio stations. The lyrics are less streamlined though and treat different current problems without having to rely on harsh language though.
Ende Offen is a very varied album that sometimes goes beyond my tolerance for open-mindedness. The spectrum of songs is so wide that I doubt that many people can like everything on this record. The album’s title sounds like cliffhanger, but the band is already working busily on songs for the next album. I am curious to see if the future will show the band back to a more punk rock orientation, or moving even more towards a more commercial mainstream sound.