Hell

Even though Die Ärzte are in many ways a comedy band, you could easily listen to the trio from Berlin without even knowing a lick of German. That’s because these guys aren’t just funny, but they are also extremely talented musicians. For the most part Hell is solid rock music but the band tries out a slew of other styles and genres as per usual. This eclectic offering can be a deterrent if you’re more of a generic purist. But even absolute musical trash like the intro benefit from just how silly they are. So if you don’t dig the vibes, you can take solace in the fact that Die Ärzte are not being serious and it’s all just a joke. And speaking of those jokes: They are often daft and sometimes smart. Nonetheless, every now and then, through all of the anarchy of their pseudo-punk, the band actually says something profound.

Favorites: “Plan B”, “Das letzte Lied des Sommers”, “Ich, am Strand”