Ballast Der Republik

Punk Not Dead!

In the remote year of 1982, in Dusseldorf, Andreas von Holst, pizza deliverer, accidentally came across two other Andreases, Frege and Meurer. Soon, these guys formed a band to become one of the most prominent punk rock groups in Europe and, could be, in the world, Die Toten Hosen. The Dead Trousers have over these thirty years caught public eye with their extravagant deeds, radical views and true punk rock lifestyle. But what must be remembered best of all is their music. The Germans have managed to make out of three or four chords a great lot of songs that would become hits in their motherland and far beyond. The best Die Toten Hosen works were brought to this world as long ago as in the past century, but the band has not lost its vigor, and people are still eager to attend their gigs. No doubt, these musicians got to celebrate their thirtieth anniversary in a decent and impressive manner. On this remarkable occasion, Die Toten Hosen have recorded two CDs united as one big release called Ballast Der Republik.

Another solid album from the established performer

The first part of Ballast Der Republik features Die Toten Hosen own new material, a sufficient studio album. Punk rock is not a genre where people strive for stylistic revelations or groundbreaking experiments, and this fresh record is short of big surprises. In fact, nobody expected many of them. What was expected was another lot of adrenaline, drive and power. They all are here. The short intro Drei Kreuze (Dass Wir Hier Sind) transforms into the title theme, executed in full compliance with Die Toten Hosen traditions, with a lively beat, loud guitars, choral insertions and socially-colored lyrics. The same mood is kept up by the first single off the album, Tage Wie Diese, and, one more time, the band pictures the world of tomorrow not promising much. On the contrast, Traurig Einen Sommer Lang is a tribute to legendary musicians of the past who passed away long before their time. Before the records ends, we will hear a lot of other songs in the same vein, but the album has some room spared for slower and more melodious stuff. Altes Fieber is an outburst of nostalgia, while Draußen vor der Tür, and Das Ist Der Moment are touching, yet free of meaningless pathos, songs about fathers and sons.

Life in full swing after thirty years in action

The Die Toten Hosen audience will be greatly interested in the second CD of the Ballast Der Republik package, a collection of cover versions of songs by very popular German-language performers who. It includes both purely punk-rock material, like Schrei Nach Liebe of the veterans Die Ärzte, and hits by representatives of other schools. Most captivating highlights are Rock Me Amadeus from the Austrial artist Falco, and Das Model from the German techno maniacs Kraftwerk. On the whole Ballast Der Republik is a work that showcases the trademark Die Toten Hosen approach. What is new is the instrumentation level as the musicians demonstrate a much greater confidence and preparedness compared to what they could demonstrate twenty five years ago. Surely, the record’s sound is perfectly processed, and its cleanness and accuracy are strictly opposite to the dirty, traditional punk rock, sound of the band’s first efforts. Die Toten Hosen will not disappoint their fans with this work. Ballast Der Republik is hard evidence that the band is not just still alive, but actually is working actively and efficiently.