As a Hound who thinks with his stomach, Lord Bassington-Bassington is especially curoious about what this "culinary surprise" is.
If you’re a Neofolk aficionado familiar with Steinklang’s Pagan Folk compilation, the Austrian club scene or the wide world of the Web, Klammheim should be a name you’ve noticed. And now Klammheim’s debut album is here, released December 15th on Heimatfolk/Steinklang.
Heimwärts is a collection of melancholic, soft-spoken and acoustic folk songs that occasionally reveal Klammheim’s roots in heaver, rockier sounds. And speaking of influences, Klammheim are as indebted to Austropop as Neofolk, as influenced by Wolfgang Ambros as Death in June.
All vocals are sung in lead singer Dea’s Styrian (Austrian) dialect, and to augment the band’s line-up of guitars, accordion and percussion are guest musicians such as Thomas Bøjden (Die Weisse Rose) and Benjamin Sperling (Jännerwein).
A recurring theme through Heimwärts is a longing for the “Heimat” – the mythical homeland of German romantics. But you don’t need to be a quill-swinging poet to long for the Heimat. It’s enough to think that the snow was whiter, the rain softer, the world more magical, back when you were younger – and to long for the times and places that made you who you are.
One song, “Wandel zur Ruh” is based on the lyrics of Styrian writer Paula Grogger. While “Namenlos” deals with a Viennese cemetery which contains the remains of souls drowned in the river Danube; pregnant suicides or murdered children.
Heimwärts is housed in a lavish digipack with a 16-page booklet created by Benjamin König (Lunar Aurora) from Sperber Illustrations, based around photographs by lead singer Dea.
There will also be an extravagant wooden collector’s box which, apart from the album itself (obviously!) will contain a T-Shirt not available anywhere else, button, three postcards accompanying various songs, as well as a bonus CD including two live videos from Klammheim’s concert in St. Koloman. Last but not least, the box will contain Styrian culinary surprise!
And, as this blog has been championing the true Superfritz style lately, here's another Lederhosen shot:
Hey! Seems like I need a major update on the Neofolk scene.
ReplyDeleteI really like long green/brown lederhosen. I want to buy a pair next time. :-)
I'm sure they would look spiffy on you!
ReplyDeleteThe guy in the Lederhosen is Max Percht from Sturmpercht/Steinklang while trying to perform a "Wir rufen Deine Wölfe" allstars version together with us, KlammHeim and the guys of Jännerwein. Unfortunately Mr.Percht himself forgot the lyrics and it was quite embarassing as the audience sang it along but he couldn't ;)
ReplyDeletewell, this is our label Daddy!
Sounds like a great evening, if you ask me. Neofolk shouldn't be taken too seriously, I think.
ReplyDeleteThat's the point! And that's the fact why I don't like bands who take themselves too seriously not able dealing with a joke regarding the prejudices around this scene. Most important thing with music is having fun and enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteWell said! Many neofolk bands (and fans) take themselves really seriously, but that doesn't mean that WE should, too. A lot of these people have a serious camp value, even if it's unintentional.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_(style)
How can anyone take guys in lederhosen seriously? :-P
ReplyDeleteBesides (a) proper camp demands a festplatz and a bierszelt.
"Wir rufen deine Krüge!"
I take Lederhosen very seriously. But I doubt I'd ever wear them myself. I have a pair of leather pants, but they're the kind that go well with a suit jacket and dressy shoes.
ReplyDeleteWell around here Lederhosen simply are a part of our tradition and traditional costumes are worn quite often. If you're not wearing traditional costumes "Trachten" here in Austria you might be in the centre of people's attraction pretty soon ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's just normal and in traditional restaurants or even in some banking houses "Trachten" belong to the daily working uniform.
I've noticed that in Bavaria that's also a phenomenon. Something that's also very stylish is the way Bavarian men will incorporate Bavarian touches - such as bone buttons etc - into otherwise typical European menswear. The result is a combination of local custom and cosmopolitanism that seems the true way forward in this world!
ReplyDelete