Kreisky

You could consider the band Kreisky, formed in 2005 and named after the former Austrian chancellor Bruno Kreisky, something of a local hero. Long before German-singing male bands from Austria like Wanda found international chart success, they poured the typical grumpy Viennese persona complete with its local slang into indie rock music. It’s easy to assume that the success stories of Wanda and Bilderbuch would not have been possible had Kreisky not paved the way.

Since they first started out, the world has become a different place. The perspective of the enraged citizen who is mad about yoghurt prices at the supermarket, that they often incorporate into their songs, has first become a media buzzword and then the president of the United States. Kreisky’s lyrics sometimes border absurdity, but it has always been the band’s strength to mix the profound with the mundane. But that’s not all, as you can always expect some savvy societal observations and wit, although the band wouldn’t go so far as to call their music political commentary.

Their latest album Blitz, which came out in 2018, was after all recorded two years ago. It is a little more blunt, a little less rough and a little poppier than their previous work. This new and very direct approach is the result of a recording process, where very little time passed between the writing and the recording of a song. This sound might even convince serious pop lovers.