Best of 2013: #8 Heilewelt
Where to start? Well, I've already introduced some of my favourite things in 2013 through the previous “Best of 2013” lists of Quiet Lions, Tristan Brusch, Olympians, Tellavision, Phil, Laura Jansen and Corwood Manual. But what else was there? I published 15 interviews in total. That's quite a bit and there are still some coming. Did I had a favourite? All of them to be honest. I think the one I was most scared of and most excited about and turned out to be an all time favourite interview. It was with Andy Bothwell aka Astronautalis where we chatted about science and stuff. And then there was of course the interview Laura Jansen who would be so encouraging.
I haven't been to many festivals this years - three or four in total. My most favourite was Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg. Why? Great music all day long without camping and in one of my most favourite cities of the world. Bands like Naked Lunch, The Sheepdogs, Talking To Turtles, Death Hawks, Tunng...
As always my best of's aren't in any particular order and are mainly the things I can still remember and made me happy. Of course I'll keep the two farewell shows very close to my heart. I just loved The Candle Thieves concert in May and the last Stagecoach show during Alcopopalooza was just so much fun. And another plus: I saw Elephants live. They split a couple of years ago and I never ever thought I'll see them. They reunited for one last show. They were amazing. The super catchy pop song “Strong Arms” never leaves my mp3-player.
And then there were Chinese band Nova Heart – magnifcient electro pop with an amazing singer who just knows how to put on a show. She was supported by another favourite of mine: Tomi Simatupang who not only played but combined it with a weird theater play and a great choir.
Arcade Fire were awesome. And of course: William Fitzsimmons, Denison Witmer, Mars Red Sky (at any time really, in my hometown and in theirs), Samsara Blues Experiment, Thomas Dybdahl, Efterklang, Salvation Bill and Rob Lynch.
Albums/music (in no particular order):
- Arcade Fire “Reflektor”
- Suns of Thyme "Fortune, Shelter, Love and Cure"
- Queens of the Stone Age “Like Clockwork...”
- Stagecoach “Say Hi To The Band”
- Kevin Devine “Bubblegum”/”Bulldozer”
- David Bowie “The Next Day”
- The Candle Thieves “All's Well That Ends Well”
- Sharks And Bears “OK, Who Cares, Oh Well, Whatever”
- Elyas Khan "Brawl In Paradise"
The whole package which let to love:
There were some artists where the triplet – interview, music and concert - just made me fall in love with them. Those are wonderful moments. I didn't know any of the bands/artist beforehand, the interviews were partly really messy but very interesting. It's not that I went unprepared or something, sometimes I was just tired (as in too nervous to sleep), sometimes it was organized very last minute. In the end those turned out to be just fabulous conversation.
The first one was with Oliver Welter of Naked Lunch. He is a very smart man and it was a very enjoyable conversation. Their album “All Is Fever” has been on repeat for days and weeks after I talked to Welter. It's full-on Pop.
The next ones were Tunng. We had a very messy interview but they are a lovely bunch of people and I like their album “Turbines”. After I have seen them twice live in merely 48 hours I was fully in love. After their singer Mike told me to check out their older stuff as well I was surprised how much their music changed over the years.
Unlike Tunng and Naked Lunch, Jan Roth is new to the game... at least when it comes releasing his own music. He has worked with several bands beforehand – too many to mention – and now he released “L.O.W.”: Lieder ohne Worte/Songs without words. He is witty and wise in his very own way.
Things to look forward to in 2014:
There are a couple of albums, tours and other things to look forward to in the next almost 362 days. The three most notable are the new album by William Fitzsimmons „Lions“ - I know that something I mention already in the outlook for 2013 a year ago. Well, now all label stuff etc is done, he, they and we are ready for the new album. It's great, I can tell you already – he went back to his roots and so the album feels much more honest than his last one.
The second one I look forward to is Miss Kenichi's album “The Trail” – it'll be out in spring on Sinnbus. Haunting beauty.
The last one is an album I got from Melodie & Rhythmus to review and I fell instantly in love with it. Not sure I would have discovered it any other way. It's Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings “Give The People What They Want” – I got it on repeat for days (I was quite thrilled to find out they also made her album of the month). She is a real soul diva and I haven't heard anyone like her since probably Aretha Franklin. A huge comparison, I know, but she stand it.
And of course: Archive's new project called “AXIOM” - a movie and soundtrack from the great band. Still time to support them on Pledge. Already looking forward to 29th of May when they will show the movie and play the soundtrack live in the Roundhouse, London.
Tours to go to: Kevin Devine, William Fitzsimmons, Arcade Fire, Unmap and Russell Brand. And I really want to catch To Kill A King when they are touring Germany by the end of the month.
I've probably forgotten a lot of things* but those were the first things to come to my mind.
Thank you for reading and have a good 2014,
*like when I saw Pentagram live. Bobby Liebling knows how a rockstar behaves on stage and the music wasn't too bad either.
Previous best of 2013 lists:
