Folklore-free Folk Music
by Bernhard Hanneken
In the land of Oktoberfest and Hofbräuhaus, folklore kitsch is omnipresent. The two Bavarian musicians that form the nucleus of the band Dreiviertelblut create a new kind of local folk music: Alpine trad with a clear mark of Americana – after World War II, Bavaria was controlled by the US, and this cultural influence lives on until today. The lyrics cross the border to Austria with the neighbour’s predilection for a morbid and fatalistic view on the world. You may not understand the meanings – the boys sing in their native Lower Bavarian dialect – but you will catch their attitude and superb musicianship.