Questionable choice, not ideal.
After three decades of refining their unique, clever version of pop music, German band Earth Furniture is celebrating its anniversary with an album that features re-recordings of their greatest hits and three new songs. Titled "Hätte Sehnsucht Gewicht," the album was dressed up in an orchestral coat with the help of the renowned Kaiser Quartet.
The band, originally founded in Münster but operating mainly from Cologne, was initially skeptical about the idea of a "greatest hits album with strings." However, the string quartet was not intended to be a cheesy-melodramatic accompaniment, but rather an independent "foreign body" for an interesting sound. Ingmar Süberkrüb from the Kaiser Quartet wrote the arrangements based on specifications provided by Ekki Maas, the band's bassist, producer, and arranger.
Ekki Maas is described as a robust and emotional person who talks animatedly. On the other hand, Markus Berges, the singer, guitarist, and songwriter, found it challenging to sing the re-recorded songs in a beautiful way that complemented the new arrangements. Berges believes he sings better now than on the first albums due to improvements in timing and learning from artists like Joni Mitchell.
The string quartet brings depth and emotional resonance to the music, celebrating with a richer, more sophisticated sound palette. It allows more expressive phrasing and emotional intensity, introducing orchestral textures that can contrast with or complement the band’s usual instrumentation. The quartet setting also allows intricate interplay and dynamics, highlighting compositional nuances.
The song selection for the album was made based on personal pleasure and relevance, including hits like 'Hoffnungsmaschine' and 'Dreierbahn,' and songs that are still important to the band. The album was recorded at Earth Furniture's rehearsal room, a testament to their consistency despite longer breaks, temporary dissolutions, and constant lineup changes.
Following the release of "Hätte Sehnsucht Gewicht," Earth Furniture will be performing live in the philharmonic halls of Hamburg, Cologne, and Berlin in July. Markus Berges, described as a lanky, introverted intellectual who ponders every statement before making it, will undoubtedly deliver captivating performances with the band's unique sound enriched by the addition of the string quartet.
In the spirit of celebrating their anniversary and expanding their unique pop music, Earth Furniture is planning captivating live performances in Hamburg, Cologne, and Berlin, with celebrities from the Kaiser Quartet adding an element of entertainment to their music using intricate interplay and rich orchestral textures. The band's frontman, Markus Berges, finds it challenging yet exciting to sing re-recorded hits in a manner that complements the new, sophisticated sound provided by the string arrangements, inspired by artists like Joni Mitchell.
