Music: 17 Hippies: Heimlich

Our Take

It is always interesting when a band makes music in several different languages throughout the course of an album. As a native English speaker listening to foreign music I often find that it is extremely intriguing to listen to music not in my native tongue, as there are many intricacies to be found. And in this regard, 17 Hippies’ latest album is a wonderful listen. Combining French, German, and English lyrics with an acoustic folk meets polka sound, Heimlich is very unique. Though the more upbeat songs may be the most noteworthy, as a whole 17 Hippies’ latest effort is a real treat.

One of the main focuses of the 17 Hippies project is for the members to experiment with instruments that they didn’t have that much previous experience with, as well as creating a sound that is typically acoustic. For Heimlich the band goes between up-tempo folk/polka style music with strong accordion grooves, and slower songs. The slower tracks make use of strings and clarinet along with some other instruments, and the results are extremely interesting. Although both slower and faster tracks are interesting, the transitions between the two feel just a little too awkward at times.

Luckily for those who only speak one language (in the case of readers of this review: English), there are translations of the lyrics included with the album booklet. The male vocalist is able to switch between German and English quite easily, as his voice sounds very similar no matter what language he is singing in. 17 Hippies female vocalist sings entirely in French, and she has a beautiful voice on par with groups such as Nouvelle Vague. The mixing of all three languages works extremely well, and will certainly help 17 Hippies to further gain international appeal.

There may be some minor issues with transitions throughout Heimlich, but this doesn’t make it any less impressive overall. 17 Hippies have continued to make music that is quite different from the ordinary on this release, and it is sure to help them. If you enjoy listening to music in different languages and are looking for something with a bit of a folk style to it, Heimlich is definitely worth your time.

http://www.17hippies.de/

Chris Dahlberg
October 06, 2007