Music: Weezer and Gavin Rossdale in June

Published on June 19, 2008

Gavin Rossdale – Wanderlust

The media don’t give him an easy ride. Born in Britain, Gavin Rossdale is always referred to as the ex-lead singer of Bush or – due to his marriage with the former No Doubt front woman - as ‘Mr. Stefani’. Hopefully Wanderlust, his first solo album, will make this a thing of the past. The album clearly reflects his musical roots but is less aggressive that his previous recordings, more melodious and mellower. Perhaps his experiences as a father have affected him and, as the saying goes, ‘the wild years are over.’ But don’t misunderstand him: Wanderlust is far from soft rock. Gavin Rossdale seems to have finally found himself. And – no doubt – this will please both his previous fans and new listeners who may not be familiar with his legacy

Release date: 4 July 2008 Label: Interscope/Universal

Francis International Airport - We are Jealous, We are Glass

Indie-pop from a young quintet from a one-horse town in deepest darkest Austria that on the strength of We are Jealous, We are Glass could quite easily come from the back streets of Brooklyn. Their blend of Death Cab For Cutie, Band Of Horses, The Shins and The Cure will make the hearts of indie connoisseurs beat that little bit faster. Now the five band members, all in their early twenties, present their debut album. We Are Jealous, We Are Glass is music to fight the melancholy of everyday life, consumerism and the pressure of always having to be cool and stylish. Instead, it’s all about the amazing feeling of sitting on a hill overlooking the city, breathing in the fresh air and pondering life, love and dreams over a bottle of wine. Both in Austria and everywhere else

Label: Siluh Records

The Rain – Involver

This German band put their money where their mouth is. When their album was released in Britain, they promptly moved to London for a year. There alone, The Rain played more than forty gigs during their tour through England, Scotland and Wales. The media interest in their first single was considerable and in Germany the band from Cologne also garnered much respect. Big Lie – planned as a warm-up single – was never off the radio and the video featuring Eva Herzigova generated lots of attention. They have already toured the country with US band The Films and gained many devoted fans who had already ordered their debut album Involver from England. You have to give it to them, their multi-layered style, rooted in Britpop, grunge and alternative, is original and independent: It appeals both to dance-crazy party people and individualists searching for deeper meaning. Front man Lorenz Theuer alternates between energetic and dramatic vocal styles – but always sings from the heart. German music lovers will be pleased to know that a minitour is planned once the CD is released. All other European indie fans will have to be patient for a little longer and console themselves with the videos available on the internet

Release date: 20 June 2008 Label: Manta Ray/Groove Attack

Alexander Marcus – Electrolore

‘Unbelievable’ – the comment heard most often if you eavesdrop at an Alexander Marcus concert. With his odd mix of Schlager (German-language popular music), folklore and electronic beats, the former house producer has become one of the biggest stars on Youtube. Nobody’s sure whether he’s being serious when he takes to the stage in a pink polo shirt, pilot goggles and corny eighties hairdo together with his little mascot – a globe named ‘Globi’ – but there is definitely reason to suspect that this character is actually pulling off one massive pink-clad hoax. It’s the only way to explain why he remains unmoved by all the cries of ‘Boo!’ and mockery directed at him. He knows that, despite leaving himself wide open to attack, his fan base will continue to grow. And that in a time of legal and illegal music downloads, he might manage to send his recently released CD to the top of the charts. Even if it doesn’t happen, he can still carve out a career in the holiday resorts of Majorca. After all, even when alcohol is coursing through your veins, you can still bellow along to lyrics like ‘Papaya, Papaya, Coconut, Banana’

Label: Kontor/edel

Weezer - Weezer

Weezer, the founders of college rock, are back with their sixth studio album. Despite coming from America, they have truly earned an honorary place in the European music scene, not only because they set an example to all current bands, but also because people will be humming along to their biggest hit ‘Buddy Holly’ for generations to come. Three years have passed since their last LP. From the first listen it is obvious that Weezer are more comfortable with experimenting this time round. The new album is influenced by music as varied as nineties metal, the Beatles and the Beach Boys. As you can see: as always, Weezer follow their own path - which hopefully will lead them to Europe’s concert arenas before too long

Release date: 6 June 2008 Label: Geffen/Universal

Translated from Café Label im Juni