Stefan Saffer Band - German Babylon (CD)
At the beginning, the musician had two questions: How can I combine the energy and punk spirit of my youth with 30 years of songwriting experience, and how can I creatively use my anger about so many worrying developments in Germany and put it into audible form?
Three years after their last release, 'New Day,' the answer is finally here: "German Babylon," an angry, white-hot, forward-pushing album that literally leaps out at you. The Leipzig trio around charismatic singer/songwriter/guitarist Stefan Saffer has further perfected their signature, unique sound, focusing and condensing it into 10 brand-new song bombshells.
That means hard, very hard indie guitar rock, with one foot firmly planted in the punk mud while the other occasionally dances to pop-infused melodies. This tension is woven into the new album's lively mid-tempo smashers, such as the opener "Two Fires," the first single "No Justice No Peace," the super-melodic "Kid with the Dirty Face," and the groovy "Union Day." There are also, thankfully, some outliers into various neighboring genres: "Hatebook" and "This Ball's on Fire" already wield the mighty speed and hardcore hammer, while the title track, "German Babylon," stomps along with powerful hard rock, and the truly astonishing "Ashland" evokes pleasant memories of 80s New Wave (especially The Police) before the track explodes into a guitar feedback orgy. And of course, the obligatory SSB instrumental is also included on this album. This time in the form of "Mimimi," a beautiful showcase for the interplay of the three instruments and the band's quirky sense of humor.
Although Stefan Saffer rejects the term “concept album”, all 10 songs of “German
Babylon" are closely related in terms of content. He wrote most of it in the fall of 2020, a time when the mood in the country, on the streets, and especially online, was very heated and aggressive. And so the tracks reflect his perspective on the issues that probably stir up emotions in all of us these days. They address racism, hatred, and incitement on the internet, the division of our society, conspiracy paranoia, the vulnerability and transience of our existence, and the question of who actually controls opinion and interpretation in the country in these times.
It's not an easy subject, but it's wonderfully integrated through the superb compositions and perfectly crafted into 10 diverse songs that really rock and quickly become ingrained in your ear canals. An album for the brain and gut, so to speak, a seamless album, just as good, hard, and authentic rock music with attitude should be.
Alongside long-time SSB drummer Koma Kschentz, Stefan Saffer was on “German
Babylon" (due to regular bassist Tom Löwe's time off), fortunately, Berlin indie rock veteran Rudi Freese was available on four-string: a more than equal replacement. Freese, perhaps known to many from his time as leader of the legendary 80s indie band "The Strangemen" and as touring guitarist for the late former Hüsker Dü drummer Grant Hart, seamlessly and powerfully integrated into the SSB sound on the album with his uncompromisingly rocking bass playing.
“German Babylon” was recorded from October 2020 to April 2021 in the band’s own studio in Leipzig, mixed and mastered at “DieWerkstattLE”, and the album was produced by Stefan Saffer.
01 Two Fires
02 No Justice No Peace
03 Hatebook
04 Ashland
05 Kid With The Dirty Face
06 No One Here Gets Out Alive
07 German Babylon
08 Union Day
09 This Ball's On Fire
10 Mimimi