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Kofelgschroa

11/11/2016A Bavarian Trophy Case of Sounds
 

"These guys are just like their lyrics: They're hard to nail down, it's as if music somehow happened to them.” – German weekly Die ZEIT

The less we know about something the more curious we get. When it comes to this quartet, hailing from the municipality of Oberammergau, picturesquely situated in the Bavarian Alps, a simple truth proves valid yet again.

Kofelgschroa are four craftsmen and artists, who have been going against the grain for the past eight years (but who's counting) and just released their third studio album "BAAZ" via Trikont, the self-proclaimed world's oldest independent record label.

Their fairly minimalist, yet thoroughly enchanting instrumentation resembles that of a brass band with underlying psychedelic urges, enhanced at times by organ, zither or 'noise' and brought to lyrical life in a charming blend of regional dialect and standard German, offering a fairly levelheaded view of a life more or less ordinary.

Earlier this month they premiered their new single "POKAL" ('trophy'), a downright sober contemplation of societies' fixation with trophies and the paradox of a culture driven by success that is relative, in a world that above all things is ephemeral.

The song somewhat reminds us of Wes Anderson's iconic movie “The Life Aquatic". In any case, the video below shares that same brand of aesthetic, call it a penchant for the middle-aged or simply nostalgia. Catch them live on tour on a (German-speaking) stage near you.

AUTHOR: Lev Nordstrom