Markus Acher fronts the German indie rock band The Notwist. To celebrate The Notwist’s latest record — News from Planet Zombie, which just came out this week via Morr Music — Markus is sharing a selection of his favorite songs featuring clarinets. Stream it below, and if you’re in the mood for more great music featuring the woodwind instrument, be sure to check out News from Planet Zombie.
— Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music
Tassos Chalkias — “Dirminitsa (The Bride‘s Dance)”
When I was a teen, my father had the dream of having a family-Dixieland-band of him playing trombone, my brother Micha playing trumpet, and me playing the clarinet… so I learned to play the clarinet. But I didn’t like it very much, and there weren’t any clarinets to be found in the music I was listening to at that time, so I stopped and switched to guitar and drums. Many years later now, I really love the sound of it and clarinets are a part of many songs I love, in any genre, old and new. Like this incredible recording by the Greek clarinet player and composer Tassos Chalkias, released on the label Radio Martiko:
plainhead — “You Have The Key To The Whole World”
Chris Xiao runs the Munich-based Indie-collective and label New Basement and plays in different bands. He just released his second album of his solo-project plainhead, where he creates unpredictable, moving songs. He also played clarinet on our new album, together with Theresa Loibl, and became an important part of the sound of it.
Gratin Carnival — “Just Watching”
In the Japanese Indie-music-scene, I found many incredible bands using brass-instruments, that mix all kinds of styles. Gratin Carnival is the project of Koreyuki Mitsunaga and he writes wonderful songs like this one from his album Such December.
Mark Hollis — “The Daily Planet”
Talk Talk‘s Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock were huge influences on our band and Mark Hollis’s solo album still is one of the greatest and most singular pieces of music I know.
Summits — “Open Reel”
Summits are another great and unique band from the Japanese indie scene featuring members of the Brassband Zayaendo and the legendary jazzplayer Kanji Nakao. They combine clarinets, keyboards, and voice to this beautiful minimal pop song.
Joakim Åhlund & Jockum Nordström — “Sovkupe”
I am a huge fan of the Swedish artist Jockum Nordström, and since I found his albums, he recorded together with Joakim Åhlund from the band the Caesars, I am also a big fan of his music and can really recommend to look for these beautiful vinyls. On this song, you also hear the clarinet-player Isak Hedtjärn.
So Sner — “Opening Parade”
Our dear friend, the electronic musician Stefan Schneider, released two albums with the bass clarinet player Susanna Gartmayer as So Sner. They are inventing a very unique sound-language by combining acoustic and electronic sounds.
Michael Hurley — “O My Stars”
I love Michael Hurley and especially this song. His music is always an encouragement to use the side streets instead of the main road. On this version from the album Sweetkorn he is also beautifully accompanied by a bass clarinet.
Potawatomi — “V”
In the ‘90s, we had a band together with bass clarinet player Rudi Mahall called Potawatomi. Three guitars, bass, drums, turntables, and a clarinet, making a lot of noise… We enjoyed it a lot. We recorded two albums and one 7”, and this is an Ornette Coleman-inspired song from the record Noisy Le-Grand.
tail — “Song of the ghost”
The last song is also from a wonderful Japanese trio called tail, playing tuba, trombone, and clarinet. They are, like many other great Japanese bands with brass instruments, on the two LP compilation Alien Parade Japan, which I can’t recommend enough.
