These boys are: Tocotronic

Tuesday this week a friend and me went to see Tocotronic down in Posthof, Linz. Earlier this year i declared their new album 'Kapitulation' as probably 2007ths best release so far. It still is, leaving announced sensations as Radioheads 'In Rainbows' far behind. (By the way: Anyone ever heard someone talking about the new Radiohead album? And by saying so I don't mean this oh so revolutionary way of distribution. See?)

Anyway, the concert was enlightening. Last time I saw Tocotronic in Linz was 5 years ago, same venue. How different two gigs of one and the same band can be. 2002: The concert hall packed with people. 2007: Hum, let's say it was half full. Ok, 2/3rd full. Which is still embarassing for Linzer indie-lovers. 2002: A lame concert, with a support act playing Tocotronic against the wall. 2007: Tocotronic at it's peak.

First of all to mention: Accepting Rick McPhail as a 4th band member gave the sound of Tocotronic a major boost. Highly complex walls of sound bursting out over the crowd are a result of this, producing memories of late 80ies/early 90ies shoegazers My Bloody Valentine or Ride. Additionally i am of the opinion that McPhails guitar gave the songs more precision. Some might say this kind of took away Tocotronics 'rebellious' attitude. I say they were never more rebellious than now.

Second, Tocotronic are proponents of something i call 'Neue Ernsthaftigkeit' ('new graveness'?). And I don't speak ironically. End to 'Spaßkultur', end to Sportfreunde Stiller! Example? Listen to the song 'Explosion': 'Everything is yours/a world made of paper/everything explodes/no will triumphates'.

Third, bassist Jan Müller was loaded like a howitzer.