Aussegrasn

A slow start doesn’t necessarily indicate a dull ride. But in the case of Fei Scho's latest offering, this theory is tested and strained, to say the least. The Bavarian modern folk troupe do manage to inject an interesting sound palate into their 15-track strong album Aussegrasn. From funk to jazz to polka, it's all here. The only thing is, this journey tends to be a rather unevenly paced one. Just as the listener is brought to a thundering climax on tracks such as the rock-infused ‘Herzkasperl-Polka’ the mood is dramatically flung in another direction, which makes for quite a restless listen at times. This however, is quite possibly an intentional move, with the album cover art aptly depicting a powerful yet jovial bucking bull.

The guitar playing really is the album's saving grace, as it is often this element that projects the band into a different and pleasing direction. There's something about Aussegrasn as a whole that suggests this band could be a lot more engaging as a live act, as the potential energy of these tracks unfortunately seem slightly lost in the recording process.