OHRENSCHMAUS

Ougenweide is the german answer to the British folk movement, especially to Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and Pentangle. If you listen to Ohrenschmaus for the first time, please skip the first song called bombardement, which is a enthousiastic marsbeat with bagpipes: this will enhance your view of this record, which might be very good.

Most of the songs show elegant folk with some symphonic folk prog instrumental pieces. The songwriting is intellectual and with this big line-up of six musicians you'll get a sound with many percussion, xylophoneplay, flutes, keys and medieval stringinstruments, which interact in a nice way. The lyrics are in german to accentuate the medieval german influences. The songs are not based on old songs, but they do realy sound like they are! Like in the British folk there are woman and men vocalists.

If you're looking for a band having the elegance of Steeleye Span's "Below the Salt" and some of the complexity of Jethro Tull then you will be realy delighted with this Ohrenschmaus. A very nice folkrock record with some symphoprog connections. Rating: 4,5 star.