If you’re searching for that amazing sound which takes all
the pieces of pure musical roots and forms them into a perfect pop record then
look no further than this new album by Norwegian all-female quartet
Katzenjammer. Any doubts that a record with such an appealing instant hit will
wither away is totally unfounded as ROCKLAND reveals a depth of eclecticism and
comes up trumps in mastering the art of explorative ingenuity. Energy exerted
in genre identification may be a sapping experience when coming to grips with
this record as the four ladies kick hard in every direction imaginable, while
pushing and pulling you on a memorable trip, which in particular will thrill
alt-folk communities around the world.
This is Katzenjammer’s third release since their 2008 debut
which relatively soon followed the four members meeting up at music school
three years earlier. The sum of Katzenjammer is made up of Anne Marit Bergheim,
Turid Jorgensen, Solveig Heilo and Marianne Sveen, a combo showing no fear of
instrument swapping, vocal exchange and full on musical experimentation. All
this is done from an infinite roots base fusing banjo, a vast array of guitars,
the band’s unofficial fifth member – a triangular contrabass balalaika,
countless other unplugged implements making sounds and a dynamic beat driving
the bulk of their up tempo output. Katzenjammer fit neatly between those two
other Scandinavian exports ripping up the alt-scene, namely Baskery and First
Aid Kit. Frequently they display the energy of the former and occasionally the
guile of the latter. What is a mouth-watering prospect is catching their live
show and the cream of their UK dates this year is a slot at the Cambridge Folk
Festival.
Katzenjammer has previously courted acclaim in this country
with their earlier releases but ROCKLAND has the potential to raise eyebrows
across the spectrum and most notably in the cool sector. The opening bars to
the album’s introductory track ‘Old De
Spain’ will excite the purists and that authenticity never leaves the ten
other tracks even when the melodies saunter into extreme infectious mode. For
some reason The Cure’s ‘Close to Me’
comes to mind in snippets of the album’s best track, the magnificent ‘Shine Like Neon Rays’, although playing
both tracks side by side reveals the mind playing tricks. The punchy track ‘Oh My God’ is possibly the one to test
the listener but ultimately it gets the seal of approval to make it a complete
set from one to eleven.
‘Lady Grey’ is a
natural selection to be the album’s lead track promotion-wise as it is perhaps
the most conforming number on the record, yet still retaining an appetize-quenching
appeal. ‘My Own Tune’ runs it close
in the ingrained magnetic effect stakes aided by a first language segment
reminding the listener of the band’s Norwegian roots. The way the lyrical
structure flows and unfolds possibly exceeds the depth of literary analysis
invited with the title track finale ‘Rockland’
being the exception, with the pace easing to unveil a beautiful tender piece
exploring individuality and based on a poets experience within a psychiatric
hospital.
With a resultant rise in the eclectic stakes, ‘Driving After You’ throws a light touch
of the blues into the mix, while a more explicit drive in contemporary folk
direction exists in the wonderful and incredibly desirable ditty ‘My Dear’. The press release cites Joy
Division and the Velvet Underground as the girls' inspiration for creative emotion
and while it stretches your imagination relating this to the elements of
pristine pop, the track ‘Flash in Dark’
possesses shades of moody indie. Of the two remaining tracks, the rootsy and
raucous ‘Curvaceous Needs’ fits
neatly into the album’s pacey opening section, while ‘Bad Girl’ is another example of a driving banjo number definitely
in the Baskery mould.
It may sound a touch conflicting to say the rule book has
been discarded on a record awash with spectacular catchy melodies resembling
material that gets gorged on by the masses but this record is almost like no
other and delivers a powerful punch of genuine music in a truly satisfying way.
ROCKLAND is an album to excite and Katzenjammer is a band to broaden your
horizons with little risk attached.
www.katzenjammer.com