Planned or not: every band has their last album at some point. In the case of the Ostrockern City, however, this happened as planned – after an incredible half century. With a big double concert, the curtain should now fall in Berlin at the end of December. That was not intended from the outset, but the death of founding member Klaus Selmke in 2020 and Corona signaled the GDR band to use the round anniversary for a farewell bang: Two live tours, their own TV show, book and that the last double album. On the one hand, this celebrates as “The Last Round” big city hits in a solemn-symphonic guise and enriched with all kinds of prominent companions. Yes, this pomp dresses a hit of the century like “Am Fenster” not badly, but it is also reasonably expected.
On the other hand, it gets exciting with the 13 new songs in the main part of the record: they don’t want to get involved in sentimentality: reflection yes, unnecessary retrospection no – City shows. that despite all the Ostrock cult, you haven’t fallen out of time. The unity of Toni Krahl’s character voice and Fritz Puppel’s purring guitar remains unmistakable throughout Germany at the latest when Georgi Gogow intersperses his violin. Sometimes it leans towards blues rock, sometimes it’s so catchy that pop fans also bob along. What is at least as striking is that the lyrics are neither senile nor awkward, but worthy of singing their contribution to the moment. “Music paired with attitude” is what the band calls it, and they tell their younger colleagues that the old hands want the same for the musical future without the city. And instead of holding up their index finger, they prefer to hold up their optimism: “There is nothing that prevents us from being better!”
Our annual charts were put together by the music critics of the “Freie Presse”. You can find all previous placements HERE.
www.freiepresse.de/alben22