ERSTAUSGABE - Geschichten vom Bordstein

15 songs
49:37 minutes
***** ***
The Finest Noise

Bandpage

German punk band Erstausgabe has been active since 2010. Their self-titled debut album came out two years later, and although they started songwriting for the second album already in 2014, it took them until now due to some line-up changes to release their second album Geschichten vom Bordstein.

The album title reminds me strongly of Muff Potter’s Bordsteinkantengeschichten, and especially the title track from Geschichten vom Bordstein wouldn’t have looked out of place on any Muff Potter album. It’s especially the more melodic parts that justify that comparison. Scherbenmeer is also a quieter track and reminds of But Alive. The catchy and relaxed Sturm & Drang shows parallels to another excellent punk band, in this case Leatherface. Usually though Erstausgabe are doing their thing much heavier. The four musicians play mostly traditional, energetic German punk that never hesitates to get to the point. Flucht nach vorn and Trinker are two good examples that show the band from their more aggressive side. Freiheit, the only track below two minutes, is an impressive feat of anger. Two tracks are a little out of the ordinary though. Meine Liebe, mein Verein is a nice football hymn for the BVB and sounds less primitive than for instance Lokalmatadore’s tributes to Schalke 04. Zeit zu gehen is a fitting title for a concluding song, but has a little too much pathos and would have worked better for Die Toten Hosen.

It should also be noted that the lyrics are well worth your time. Erstausgabe are politically very aware people and deal with topics like human rights, animal rights and nationalism, next to a few more fun oriented songs.

As the members of Erstausgabe are not that young anymore themselves, they manage to come up with a mature and sophisticated punk rock album that might appeal more to a slightly elderly audience. The band’s influences are artists that had their heyday about twenty years ago. This doesn’t mean that younger punk fans shouldn’t risk an ear, because when we were young, we also liked listening to the classics. The lyrics which combine form and content in a very discerning way will also invite you to think, and offer good additional value to the also very entertaining music.