Johannes Gerstengarbe – Pferde sind auch nur Menschen
Similar artists: Bela B., Steve Earle, G. Love & Special Sauce
Genre: Alt-Country
I have to make a confession. I really enjoy music that sounds messed up on purpose, and I am not sure where this passion comes from. All I know is that there are a lot of people who share this, and arguably, more are added to the ranks every day. I also know that there are wonderful weirdos like Johannes Gerstengarbe who are willing to supply us with more of what we need.
I suspect that our interest in quirky, eccentric, avant-garde sounds can be blamed on pop music itself. First of all, just like rain in Northern Germany, there’s simply no way to avoid it. Secondly, the one rule about pop music is that it needs to follow all the rules all the time. It thus becomes very intriguing to hear people who will simply refuse to do that.
Johannes Gerstengarbe’s “Pferde sind auch nur Menschen” (translated roughly to “Horses are people too”) is something of a manic avant-country song sung in German. In fact, you’ll have to strain your ears to hear the country elements, although Gerstengarbe, who has spent time in Nashville, swears it’s there. However, to truly enjoy this, you’ll need to acquire a taste for outsider art or to, at least fake it. This is all gloriously confusing in an innocent, childish kind of way and very much recommended for those who have heard too much pop music for a while.
My Pleasure – Life of the Party
Similar artists: Art Brut, Jeffrey Lewis, Pulp, The Divine Comedy, Jarvis Cocker
Genre: Post-Punk, Indie Rock, Indie Pop
Music critics like to classify songs by a variety of genres that only seem to inflate every year. Streaming services and music stores take them at their word and organise their libraries accordingly. But, really, you could divide every single song ever written into two categories: love songs and sad songs. My Pleasure’s songs don’t fit any of these two divisions.
It’s difficult to find true eccentrics as you try to make your way to the world. Most people, even the ones that you love, are guaranteed to bore you to tears with aimless stories about their jobs, their cars, or their cats.
Pop music is even worse. Anyone who has spent even a little time around a few pop hits will be able to tell you exactly where a song is going after listening to 10 seconds of it. We’re supposed to be living in the Golden Age of Daring Pop, but it’s all a bit of a yawn.
My Pleasure’s “Life of the Party” is an unusual song written about one of life’s greatest undocumented fears – delivering jokes that won’t land. Like Joe Rogan doing stand-up, these things can frequently happen, and people’s reactions are truly fascinating.
In this brainy DYI, lo-fi pop song, this British songwriter walks us through the life of a class clown who has failed to make his audience laugh. It’s heartbreaking, but there is no reason why My Pleasure shouldn’t try and entertain himself further and even try and grab a smile from folks. He’s certainly helped us with that. And, by the way, did you ever hear the one about the dog that’s lost his nose?
