Bundesvision 2012: Saxony

Maybe I'm just getting soft in my old age, but some of you may have noticed that I have been liking a lot of the Bundesvision entries for 2012 so far.  That is true - at least so far - and Saxony's entry, Laing and Morgens immer müde is no exception.

Described on their Facebook page as "Electric Ladysound", Laing mixes a very funky electronic dance beat with some undeniably rich female vocals.  Put together, Laing produces a sound that is both internationally appealing and unmistakably German.  Having listened to Laing's only release up to this point, their EP "030 / 577 07 886", they carry this sound from good to even better.

Prediction:  While their sound is different in many respects, and while some readers may reject this comparison, I tend to think that Morgens immer müde will appeal to many of the same people who also enjoyed last year's entry from Frida Gold.  That would put Laing comfortably in the top half of the pack, but still far from the lead.

Bundesvision 2011: Saxony

Kraftklub - Berlin

I will admit something: every year (well two, so far) previewing 16 songs for the Bundesvision Song Contest can get pretty monotonous.  There are always a handful of ballads - both male and female, a handful of electronic or dance songs, a couple of soul songs, a couple of indie songs, and the show is wrapped up with one or two borderline novelty tunes.  While many of these songs are quite good, very few of them stand out for their originality.  Occasionally though, a band does something different.  This year, Kraftklub is that band.

Kraftklub first crossed my radar a few months ago with their self-released free-download album "Adonis Maximus".  Their music is a vibrant mix of hip-hop, punk rock, and disco - musical genres that one probably would not think would go together.  Combine this with an eastern German "nerd chic" fashion sensibility, and you have a band that truly stands out from the pack.  Kraftklub's song Berlin demonstrates their craft well - although it is by no means their best song.

Prediction:  As with any band that blows away established genres, Kraftklub's success in the broader German marketplace is by no means assured.  All things considered though, Berlin is a fun, energetic, and exciting song that should do well against the more cookie-cutter competition.  I predict that Berlin will place somewhere in the top 3.

Bundesvision 2010: Saxony

Blockflöte des Todes: Alles wird teurer

I will admit to being harshly torn on Blockflöte des Todes' Alles wird teurer. On the one hand, I love Blockflöte des Todes. Over the course of one album and a couple of EPs, he (BdT is one guy) has done some really interesting and innovative things musically. He's almost like a 21st Century German version of Robyn Hitchcock, in that he puts out consistently quirky, but also consistently appealing songs. On the other hand, while it has grown on me over repeated listening, Alles wird teurer is nowhere near his best song.

All of this would be okay, if it ended there. After all, great musicians often hit it big with songs that I think are well beneath what they're capable of. But there are a couple of other factors that I think will work against BdT. First, while I personally like quirky music, I think Alles wird teurer is simply way too quirky for popular mass consumption - particularly on a stage like Bundesvision. Second, I think that BdT himself is a little too quirky. I don't mean this in a malicious way, far from it, but Bdt basically looks like a bearded nerd. Again, I find that appealing, but I don't think that this look will appeal to more than a small fringe of Bundesvision viewers.

Prediction: I personally think that Blockflöte des Todes deserves wide recognition for his skill as a songwriter and performer. Realistically, however, I strongly doubt that Alles wird teurer is terribly appealing to the German masses. As much as it pains me to say it, I predict that Alles wird teurer will be stuck down in the basement of Bundesvision 2010.