Powerhouse Kraftklub

The media attention has been huge - really huge. When it comes to describing the group Kraftklub, people are prone to both superlatives and empty expressions, such "2012's pop music hope" or "the saviors of pop music." Even so, the success of the group's first album surprised even the five musicians from Chemnitz themselves: "Mit K" (With K) immediately soared to the top of the German charts.

Kraftklub shows that even a band with a product in their hand can be successful. Social networks such as Facebook, and constant tours through Germany, helped them build up a substantial fan community before the release of their album.

Tough tour to top

Kraftklub was founded at the start of 2010. In the same year, the group won the "New Music Award" - a prize bestowed by the German public broadcasting network ARD to promising young music groups. A tour with German hip-hop band Fettes Brot, Berlin-based punk-rock luminaries Beatsteaks and hip-hopper Casper followed. Not stopping there, the boys went on their own sold-out club tour. "That's exactly why we make music," stressed singer Felix Brummer, "so that we can go on the road." The past two years have seen their fan base grow exponentially, and "Mit K" hit the No. 1 spot on the album chart.

At closer look, though, one sees similarities to other bands. The guitar sound is familiar from the English indie rock group Arctic Monkeys, and the uniform look of suspenders, white polo shirts and varsity jackets is reminiscent of Swedish alternative rock band Hives. But the copy-catting is high-scale. Kraftklub knows that themselves and don't seem to care much. In fact, they address it in their album's opening song called "Eure Mädchen" (Your Girls): "We are what we are, sound the way we sound, even when the indie police siren is ringing."

"I don't what to go to Berlin"

Singer Felix Brummer's lyrics brim over with double entendres, sarcasm and self-mockery, and reflect a good take on his generation. In the song "Ich will nicht nach Berlin" (I don't want to go to Berlin) for instance, he describes the posturing of people in the German capital - the pack that sips their café latte made with soy milk and talks of "the new project they have going" and "having not quite yet pinned themselves down business-wise." With that song, he's speaking the minds of the rest of the country, probably the minds of even Berliners themselves - the "soy milk sippers" who don't even really like soy milk.

But Brummer isn't all tongue-in-cheek. He also addresses serious topics like loneliness and isn't afraid of sounding melancholy. That primarily has to do with Chemnitz, the town the band hails from - or, as they like to call it, "Karl-Marx-Stadt," which was its name in GDR times - when the country was divided into East and West Germany. "The people there have a really good attitude, but are also very melancholy," Brummer explained.

Though their song "Karl-Marx-Stadt" is a personal dedication to their hometown, it shouldn't be confused with the widespread nostalgia for old times in East Germany. "That's the absolute worst: the people who talk like that aren't the ones you would have wanted to associate with back then," said Brummer. "They'll say things like 'there was no more rock music after 1979'." Kraftklub's song, on the other hand, focuses on the city of today and has no intent in evoking memories.

Celebrating the moment

Despite the serious tone at times, Kraftklub loves to see their fans on the dance floor. Appealing to the taste of the times, they call their product "boys' music for girls."

While alternative modes of living are evolving everywhere for young people that appear uncertain, Kraftklub likes keeping things in proportion and prefers just going out for a good time. They get inspiration for their texts and music from their friends, Brummer said - "from their buddies."

Not taking all the success and praise for granted, Kraftklub also don't see themselves as the voice of their generation, calling that presumptuous and adding, tongue-in-cheek, "We see ourselves more as the voice of Germany, Europe and maybe of the world."

There's that self-mockery again, and the album "Mit K." is also good for a chuckle or two. Not taking themselves so seriously and enjoying the moment are what makes Kraftklub so likeable. "We're going live this to the fullest right now - and not stop until we drop from exhaustion," Brummer said. And along the way, they'll keep celebrating a fun and musically slick inventory of the here and now that makes you want to get up and dance.

Author: Michael Lehmann / als
Editor: Rick Fulker