“Bitte schön“ (Label: Viennese Soulfood Records) is the title of the new album by the Viennese formation 5/8erl in Ehr`n and impressively proves the possibilities of traditional Viennese song writing. Like their first album, “Es muss was wunderbares sein“ released in 2008, the band once again succeeds by using traditional Viennese folk music – the so-called Schrammel music – in a modern interpretation. And this, in a very charming, funny and entertaining way.
The overall sound of the band 5/8erl in Ehr’n can not really be put into any category. Their music is not based on traditional genre definitions, which may be explained by the youthful obstinacy of the band members, by their open-mindedness or the lack of any fear of stylistic boundaries.
While referring to the quintet’s main influences from the broad and rich resources of Viennese song treasures, the band processes the music in a completely new way and thus creates a very contemporary-sounding version of Schrammel music. The quintet extends the original sound of Vienna with elements from the jazz, blues and soul sector. It is an attempt to go one step further and to raise the traditional Viennese music to the next level.
Next to the head of the band, Hannibal Scheutz, the members of 5/8erl in Ehr’n are the guitarist Miki Liebermann, accordionist and co-founder of the “Wiener Jazzwerkstatt” Clemens Wenger and the two singer/songwriters Max Gaier and Bobby Slivovsky. All musicians of the band have proved their enormous creative potential on many different occasions. The five musicians succeed in reducing the traditional sound to its essence with incredible ease and a large portion of musical sophistication, and are able to release it from any supposedly inherent clichés and kitsch, without losing the original charm of the music.
Major aspects are the lyrics written and performed in Austrian dialect by the two singers Max Gaier and Bobby Slivovsky, which have a satirical undertone. Faithful to the tradition of Viennese song, the lyrical contents are full of complaints, scolding and satire, which dig deep into the Viennese soul.
What is truly remarkable about 5/8erl in Ehr’n, is that their music works just as well at a traditional Viennese wine-tavern, as on stage in a large concert hall.
Michael Ternai
translated from the German by Doris Miyung Brady