The Notwist
The Devil, You + Me
Domino

The Devil, You + Me was released a few months ago and last Friday I had the pleasure of seing The Notwist live here in Oslo. The former hardcore bunch create calm guitar-meets-electronica type rock, but the gig showed a band not afraid of showing their background, throwing some sudden hardcore moments as a personal twist.

Markus Acher and co. have come up with a delightful album, some six years after the acclaimed Neon Golden album. Six years but not all quiet, as Acher has been involved with other fine projects, such as Lali Puna (splendid stuff worth checking out), 13 & God (which are Anticon's Themselves plus The Notwist). Markus' brother Micha has got his (highly recommended) Ms. John Soda project running, not to forget the brothers Acher's more experimental (modern electronic-meets-contemporary jazz) Tied + Tickled Trio plus their Potawatomi project. When counting Notwist's Martin Gretschmann's side project Console, no wonder it takes some time for a new Notwist album to see the light of day.

As mentioned The Devil, You + Me is pure delight and the most comfortable companion this summer. Take the opening, rising "Good Lies", the tickling "Gravity", the slowly swaying "Hands on Us", the fabulous "Gloomy Planets" (which was one of the highlights live), and the low voiced title song. 11 tracks making this a very strong starting line-up if it's been a football team.

With The Devil, You + Me The Notwist make me think of Grandaddy - a shyer Grandaddy with a more electronic touch. Feel-god music sounding low, no doubt. It's 100% organic, with an honest and charming tone. Germany's finest.

Check our archive for the Notwist interview, 1999.

Copyright © 2008 Håvard Oppøyen