The Inchtabokatables
Quiet
K&P Music / BMG

Most people refer to them as 'the group with the unspeakable name' or, if they are already familiar with them, 'Inchties' for short. Their special characteristic is their instrumentation - two violins, a violincello, bass guitar and drums. No guitars, as stated on the covers of all their records including this one. The band came from a folk and medieval music background, they were classified as folk punk band in the past. With Quiet, their fourth album so far, they are breaking the limits of this classification, however. This time it's more indie rock from an unusual band.

Despite the title of the opening track Listen To Quiet, the album is anything but quiet, it's loud and dynamic. The sound is more rock oriented than one would expect based on the instruments used. They do not just play their instruments, they toy around with the sounds. We can safely assume that the producers, Voodoo (founding member of the Voodooclub, see the German review in Luna Kafe 4, February 22nd, 1997, for reference) and Eroc had an influence here.

Sometimes singer B. Breuler whispers, sometimes he screams. The lyrics are mostly in english, sometimes in German, so everybody will find something to like.

They did also include two cover versions on the album, the better known being Color Me Once originally performed by the Violent Femmes on the soundtrack from "The Crow". Another track, The Cat, is dedicated to Mr. James Joyce, and one of the few examples that sounds relatively conventional like a real string arrangement. But the most interesting track is the German sung Die Taube, were the sound experimentation was taken as far as possible. You just wouldn't believe that most of these sounds were produced by a distorted and abused violoncello. The finale is the epic and dynamic Love Song which builds up slowly to an unsuspected break in the middle.

I would suggest everybody who likes non-standart rock music to give this album a try.

Copyright © 1997 Lonely Locke