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CD
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TR 209CD
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This is the second album by Berlin's Herpes. Herpes caused a sensation with their hit single "Fette Muttis" (trans. "Fat Mums") and the debut album Das Kommt Vom Küssen (trans. "It Comes From Kissing"). The band was even invited to the United Kingdom -- a country traditionally more skeptical about all things German -- and the legendary group Fehlfarben had them supporting during their tour. And now, Herpes is back: Symptome Und Beschwerden (trans. "Symptoms And Ailments") mixes bone-dry art school punk (Devo, Gang Of Four, early Mekons) with some mid-period Goldene Zitronen, refined here and there with clear Krautrock influences. Not the hippie-blues-rock Krautrock, of course, but rather the NEU! Krautrock. It's presented with such vehemence and naturalness, as if Herpes had never even heard a note from any of those bands (which may be the case), as if Suicide were to cover Pere Ubu. This album is both rugged and elegant at the same time. Hysteria and brevity meet and shake hands. Herpes front man Florian sings "I hate this city/which made me a man," and in his own way pays homage to the city that made Herpes so well-known with their hit "Very Berlin." As long as frustration among young people leads to albums like this, you would almost wish it upon yourself. What a nasty, a selfish thought.
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LP
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TR 209LP
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LP version. This is the second album by Berlin's Herpes. Herpes caused a sensation with their hit single "Fette Muttis" (trans. "Fat Mums") and the debut album Das Kommt Vom Küssen (trans. "It Comes From Kissing"). The band was even invited to the United Kingdom -- a country traditionally more skeptical about all things German -- and the legendary group Fehlfarben had them supporting during their tour. And now, Herpes is back: Symptome Und Beschwerden (trans. "Symptoms And Ailments") mixes bone-dry art school punk (Devo, Gang Of Four, early Mekons) with some mid-period Goldene Zitronen, refined here and there with clear Krautrock influences. Not the hippie-blues-rock Krautrock, of course, but rather the NEU! Krautrock. It's presented with such vehemence and naturalness, as if Herpes had never even heard a note from any of those bands (which may be the case), as if Suicide were to cover Pere Ubu. This album is both rugged and elegant at the same time. Hysteria and brevity meet and shake hands. Herpes front man Florian sings "I hate this city/which made me a man," and in his own way pays homage to the city that made Herpes so well-known with their hit "Very Berlin." As long as frustration among young people leads to albums like this, you would almost wish it upon yourself. What a nasty, a selfish thought. Includes free download code.
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CD
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TR 177CD
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This is the debut album by Berlin's Herpes. Hard to say if the boys and girl in Herpes haven't made their lives a little more difficult by choosing the name of that very nasty infectious disease as their band name, but, being a punk band from Berlin, they couldn't really give a hoot about any kind of marketing or commercially-minded arguments/objections from anyone. And so, Herpes it is! After their first tour of Europe (France, Sweden, Germany, etc.) before they even had a record out and the subsequent release of club hit "Fette Muttis," Herpes finally present their first full-length release for Hamburg's Tapete Records. Das Kommt Vom Küssen (trans. "What You Get From Kissing") is punk rock with a very artschool twist. Rather than the beer-drinking, riff-rocking, fist-fighting variety found too often in European clubs these days, Herpes are cheeky and fun with weirdo synths, driving drums, German speak-sing shouting, and angular guitar lines. Devo and Plastic Bertrand are just some like-minded artists that come to mind here. Even before their first release, Herpes were invited to London to play the almost painfully-hip Playground Club. A knightly accolade for any continental European band, for sure. Herpes will make you hysterical, Herpes is infectious (ooops...sorry).
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TR 177LP
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TR 173EP
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Hard to say if the boys and girl in Herpes haven't made their lives just one bit more difficult by choosing the name of that very nasty infectious disease as their band name. But, being a punk band from Berlin, they couldn't really give a hoot. And so: Herpes it is. The Very Berlin EP is punk rock with an art school twist -- Devo and Plastic Bertrand are some like-minded artists that come to mind here.
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