This is my third (well, second and a half) year reviewing the Bundesvision Song Contest entries, and I'm beginning to notice a pattern. Every year there is one band that I have never heard of before that plays a song that I really like. Last year's surprise band was Kraftklub. The year before that it was Blockflöte des Todes. This year, I have fallen for Pickers with their song 1000 Meilen.Now don't expect me to tell you much about Pickers. They don't have any albums out, although they do have an apparently all English language EP out that I can't seem to get my hands on. Fortunately, they do have a bunch of different live songs on YouTube so I can get my Pickers fix before they come out with their inevitable pre/post Bundesvision debut album.
"But what about their Bundesvision entry?" I hear you asking. Well, think of early Arctic Monkey (Pickers lead singer Lutz Rodenbüsch sounds exactly like Alex Turner), and you have a pretty good idea. It is high energy indie rock and roll with a driving beat and jangly guitars; just the sort of thing I need to blast out of my car speakers on the long commute home. I am already hooked!
Prediction: Just as they came out of nowhere to surprise me, I think Pickers will surprise Bundesvision with 1000 Meilen. They might not win, but I think they may very well come close. Then again, what I like and what the Bundesvision audience likes are often very different.
