At first glance Germany wouldn’t appear to be the place to find a quality punk band. After all this is the country where Baywatch and Knight Rider star David Hasselhof scores number one hits with ease. However, appearances can be deceptive, as there is more to the German musical scene than meets the eye. In fact, there is a very healthy punk rock scene in Germany at present. (If you ignore Wizo!) At the forefront of that scene are the Beatsteaks, and they are back again with their third full-length release.
‘Living Targets’ is the follow up to 2000’s ‘Launched’ and is co-produced by ex-Faith No More bassist, Billy Gould. What should be made clear at this point is that whilst the Beatsteaks came out of the German punk scene and are signed to Epitaph, which is considered to be a punk label, their sound has many more influences. It would be fairer to think of them simply as a rock band who encompass a number of styles.
In apparent contrast to what I’ve just said, the first two tracks on the album, ‘Not ready to Rock’ and ‘God Knows’, open up ‘Living Targets in a very punky fashion. Both songs are short, snappy and speedy. ‘God Knows’, in particular, is a very strong song, oozing melody and featuring some nice guitar riffs. However, the two opening tracks are perhaps the only ones that have a predominantly punk feel to them.
The majority of the album has a mainly American rock feel to it, with songs full of melody, alternating between heavier numbers and slower tracks, which display a different side to the bands songwriting. It appears that Billy Gould has also had an impact on the band, with a couple of songs sounding very much like Faith No More. ‘Above Us’ has a very early Faith No More feel to it whereas ‘Run Run’ sounds more like the bands 1997 release ‘Album of the Year’, which incidentally was also co-produced by Gould.
The slower songs on the album add an extra dimension to its sound, and showcase the more emotional qualities if the band. Both ‘Disconnected’ and ‘To Be Strong’ are good examples of this. However it is album closer, the superb ‘Summer’ that best emphasizes how good this extra dimension can be. If only some of the straightforward rock songs were as good…
‘Living Targets’ is a very competent and enjoyable third album from the Beatsteaks. The majority of the songs are good, and there are very few that don’t please the ear. It won’t set the world on fire, but it will find a place in the hearts of longtime fans of the band. If people listen to it without expecting a typical punk band, it might even win them some new fans!
Mark