So used to seeing Conny Ochs alongside Scott Weinrich, it’s easy to forget that Ochs already has two albums all his own. Third addition to this, ‘Future Fables’ further proves that the German singer/songwriter doesn’t need the St. Vitus frontman by his side to make a deep musical impact. Despite the clean vocals and use of acoustics opposed to multiple amps and fuzz pedals, ‘Future Fables’ possesses the ability to speak to music fans even if their typical listening repertoire only consists of bands with ‘bong’ or ‘wizard’ in the title.
Conny Ochs utilises all 12 songs on this record in order to bare his soul and the only heaviness to be found is in the mood of how personal the subject matter is rather than the actual music itself. ‘Piece of Heaven’ possesses a rather typical song structure – interchangeable verses and choruses with a full band backing things up, while ‘Fools’ uses its verses as a jumping off point for the chorus, making use of two guitars and soulful vocals. ‘Killer’ purveys soft percussion and bluesy guitar tone. No two tracks employ the same dynamic and it’s this diverse style that proves what a talented musician Conny Ochs really is. To be able to switch up the playing style so frequently while still remaining such a powerful and emotional hold over the listener is an impressive feat.
While the playing style is certainly soft and accessible, the moods and themes most certainly aren’t and, for those looking for a feel good easy listening rock jaunt, this may be something to steer clear of. It’s a journey of pain, regret and soul searching and, no matter your current life situation; there will be at least one track you find yourself able to relate to.
(8/10 Angela Davey)
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