Klee (band)

Klee

Klee performing at the 2010 "At the Edge of the Sea" festival in Brighton, England
Background information
Origin Cologne, Germany
Genres Pop
Years active 2002 (2002)–present
Labels modernsoul (Ministry of Sound), Island (Universal), Warner Music
Associated acts The Early Bert, Ralley
Website www.kleemusik.de (German)
Members Suzie Kerstgens
Sten Servaes
Past members Tom Deininger

Klee (German for "clover") is a German pop band from Cologne. Named after German painter Paul Klee, the band was formed in 2002 by singer Suzie Kerstgens and musicians Sten Servaes and Tom Deininger. Klee's brand of pop music incorporates electronic as well as acoustic sounds and, in more recent years, the band has embraced chanson and schlager. Four of Klee's albums have entered the top 30 of the German albums chart.

History

During the nineties, Tom Deininger, Sten Servaes and Suzie Kerstgens were members of German band Ralley and recorded the albums Ralley (1997) and 1, 2, 3, 4 (1999).[1] A serious traffic accident in 1999 forced them to take a three-year break so that Deininger and Servaes could fully cover from their injuries. The trio then reformed in 2002 as the band Klee.[2] According to Kerstgens, the new band name was inspired by the work of German painter Paul Klee, and also hints at the four-leaf clover as a good luck symbol. With the change in band name, there was also a change in style from guitar pop to electropop.[3]

In 2002, the single "Erinner dich" (Remember) from Klee's debut album, Unverwundbar (Invulnerable), was released. The single was in the top 100 of the German singles chart for one week at No. 94.[4]

In July 2004, Klee's second album, Jelängerjelieber (The longer the better), was released.[5] The first single from it, "2 Fragen" (2 questions), brought the band to the attention of German radio and television stations. In November 2004, Klee gained further exposure by performing "Gold", another single from the album, on television show Sarah Kuttner – Die Show on MTV Germany.[6] The band then represented the German state of Saarland in the Bundesvision Song Contest 2005 with "Gold", finishing in 10th place with 37 points.[7][8][9] "Gold" stayed in the German singles chart for nine weeks, where it reached number 54.[4]

An American version of Jelängerjelieber titled Honeysuckle was released in July 2006 by US record label Minty Fresh. For this album, three songs were re-recorded in English: "Für alle, die", "Tausendfach" and "Gold", the respective official English titles being “This Is for Everyone”, “A Thousand Ways” and “Gold”.[10][11]

Klee's third album, Zwischen Himmel und Erde (Between heaven and earth), came out in August 2006 and became the band's first top 20 album in Germany, peaking at No. 17.[12] One song from the album, "Die Stadt" (The city), was released earlier in July 2006 as a single and reached No. 55 in the German charts.[4] Zwischen Himmel und Erde continued the trend started in Jelängerjelieber of Klee’s music becoming less reliant on electronic sounds and giving more prominence to guitar sounds.[13][14]

In July 2008, Klee released the single "Zwei Herzen" (Two hearts), which became the band's first German top 30 single, peaking at No. 29.[4] The single came from Klee's fourth album, Berge versetzen (Moving mountains), which was released in August 2008 and went to No. 15 in the German albums chart.[15] The second single from the album, the title song "Berge versetzen", was released later in 2008 and reached No. 57 in the German singles chart.[4]

In 2010, Deininger parted company with Kerstgens and Servaes, leaving the duo to record Klee’s fifth album, Aus lauter Liebe (Out of sheer love).[16] Released in August 2011, the album was the band’s most successful to date, peaking at No. 6 in the German albums chart.[17] One single released from the album, "Willst du bei mir bleiben" (Do you want to stay with me), reached No. 29 in the German singles chart.[4] Aus lauter Liebe shows a further development in Klee's sound, with several songs having hints of chanson.[16][18]

Klee's sixth album, Hello Again, was released in August 2015, featuring bossa nova-influenced cover versions of schlager songs,[19] such as "Hello Again" by Howard Carpendale and "Du bist nicht allein" by Roy Black.[20] The idea of doing the album came about by chance during the recording of Klee's next studio album, which is due to be released in 2016.[20] Hello Again charted at No. 23 in the German albums chart.[21]

Live performances

Klee frequently performs live,[16] giving up to 150 concerts each year.[9] The band’s appearances ranged from performances at small venues[22][23] to opening for established bands such as The Wedding Present and Nena.[24] Outside Germany, Klee has performed in London and Amsterdam, and also in Turkey, Russia and China following invitations from the Goethe-Institut.[23] For live performances, additional musicians including drummer, bassist and guitarist are added to Klee’s lineup[23] and the band adopts a greater "rock sound" than in its studio recordings.

Musical style

Deininger described Klee's musical style in a 2009 interview: "We make international pop music that has its roots in the eighties. It can be more minimalistic and electronic, as on the debut album Unverwundbar, or it can be more acoustic and on a grander scale, as on the third album Zwischen Himmel und Erde." ("Wir produzieren internationale Popmusik, die ihre Wurzeln in den Achtzigern hat. Mal minimalistischer und elektronischer, wie auf dem ersten Album ,Unverwundbar´, mal akustischer und größer, wie auf dem dritten Album ,Zwischen Himmel und Erde'.")[2]

In its biography of Klee, online music magazine laut.de called the band the great romantics of German pop ("die großen Romantiker des deutschen Pop") and described the band's music as a harmonious marriage of synthesizer sounds, forceful drums and British-style electric guitars ("Synthie-Sounds, druckvolles Schlagzeug und britisch angehauchte E-Gitarren gehen eine harmonische Ehe ein"). The magazine also noted the contribution by Kerstgens' unique, softly breathing and velvety voice ("veredelt von Suzie Kerstgens einzigartiger, weich hauchender und samtenen Stimme").[1]

Various journalists have noticed the British pop influences in Klee's music.[1][25][26][27] In its review of the album Jelängerjelieber, music website plattentests.de found such influences in the songs "Gold" (New Order), "Unser Film" (The Cure) and "Wunschfrei" (Coldplay).[28]

Lyrics

Klee's lyrics are written by Kerstgens, while the other band members provide the music.[29] The band also has a long-time working relationship with German songwriter Tom Liwa.[9] Songs are produced in the band's own studio in Cologne.[30]

Klee's lyrics refer to deeply felt moments in human relationships. Klee's lyrics straddle the material world and a dream world in which desires and conflicts intermingle.

In a 2012 interview, Kerstgens stated: "I completely open up my heart in our songs. Everything in Klee is autobiographical, personally experienced and personally suffered." ("Ich offenbare in unseren Songs komplett mein Herz. Bei Klee ist alles autobiografisch, selbst erlebt und selbst erlitten.")[24]

Band members

Current members

Former members

Additional members for live performances

Discography

Albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
GER
[31]		 AUT
[32]		 SWI
Unverwundbar
  • Released: 23 July 2003
  • Label: modernsoul (Ministry of Sound)
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 — — —
Jelängerjelieber[I]
  • Released: 23 July 2004
  • Label: modernsoul (Ministry of Sound)
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 75 — —
Zwischen Himmel und Erde[II]
  • Released: 4 August 2006
  • Label: modernsoul (Ministry of Sound)
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 17 68 —
Berge versetzen[III]
  • Released: 1 August 2008
  • Label: Island (Universal Musical Group)
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 15 72 —
Aus lauter Liebe[IV]
  • Released: 26 August 2011
  • Label: Island (Universal Musical Group)
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 6 — —
Hello Again
  • Released: 14 August 2015
  • Label: Warner Music Germany
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 23 67 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
GER
[33]		 AUT
 SWI
"Erinner dich" 2002 94 — — Unverwundbar
"Lichtstrahl" 2003 — — —
"Nicht immer aber jetzt" 2003 — — —
"2 Fragen" 2004 — — — Jelängerjelieber
"Gold" 2005 54 — —
"Tausendfach" 2005 85 — —
"Für alle, die" 2005 — — —
"Die Stadt" 2006 55 — — Zwischen Himmel und Erde
"Liebe mich Leben" 2006 — — —
"Dieser Fehler" 2007 — — —
"Zwei Herzen" 2008 29 — — Berge versetzen
"Berge versetzen" 2008 57 — —
"Willst du bei mir bleiben" 2011 29 — — Aus lauter Liebe
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "laut.de-Biographie - Klee" (in German). laut.de. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  2. 1 2 Krechting, Wiljo. "Glücksfall für die Popmusik" (in German). RP ONLINE. 12 August 2009.
  3. ↑ Gauger, Joachim. ""Saudi Arabien wird Weltmeister!"" (in German). laut.de. 1 July 2005.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Chartverfolgung / Klee / Single" (in German). musicline.de. PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Klee - Jelängerjelieber - Album" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  6. ↑ "Klee" (in German). AMPYA. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Bundesvision Song Contest". fan-lexikon.de (in German). Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Ein Lied für Stefan Raab - "Bundesvision Song Contest"" (in German). PRESSEPORTAL. 11 February 2005.
  9. 1 2 3 Gantzkow, Sven. "Experten in Sachen Widerspruch" (in German). Westdeutsche Zeitung. 31 July 2008.
  10. ↑ Reges, Margaret. "Honeysuckle - Klee". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  11. ↑ Henson, Amber. "Klee - "Honeysuckle" - Album Review". The Red Alert. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Klee - Zwischen Himmel und Erde - Album" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  13. ↑ Cordas, Alexander. "Sanft dahin gehauchte Songs rund um das Thema Liebe." (in German). laut.de. 4 August 2006.
  14. ↑ Sülzer, Torsten. "„Es hatte sich viel aufgestaut“" (in German). Kölnische Rundschau. 8 August 2006.
  15. ↑ "Klee - Berge versetzen - Album" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  16. 1 2 3 Probst, Volker. "Mit Klee auf dem Dach" (in German). n-tv. 31 August 2011.
  17. ↑ "Klee - Aus lauter Liebe - Album" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  18. ↑ "CD-Vorstellung in der Lieblingsbar" (in German). Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. 15 June 2011.
  19. ↑ Brandstetter, Markus. "Sommer, Sonne, Schlager im Bossagewand." (in German). laut.de. 17 August 2015.
  20. 1 2 Lippert, Oliver. "Klee veröffentlichen Boss Nova-Album „Hello Again"" (in German). The Huffington Post. 7 August 2015.
  21. ↑ "Klee - Hello Again - Album" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  22. ↑ ""Also, rauf auf die Bühne, spielen"" (in German). Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. 8 May 2010.
  23. 1 2 3 ""Klee" lässt das sechste Album sprießen" (in German). RP ONLINE. 19 April 2014.
  24. 1 2 Sielski, Karoline. "Suzie Kerstgens - Musikerin bei Klee" (in German). stadtmagazin.com. 6 June 2012.
  25. ↑ Bauer, Janine. "Die Kölner Pop-Band Klee "macht ihr eigenes Ding"" (in German). schwäbische.de. 25 June 2005.
  26. ↑ Pierschke, Christoph. "Sehnsucht nach Schönheit" (in German). Kölnische Rundschau. 31 July 2008.
  27. ↑ "Zuckerwatte mit Widerhaken" (in German). Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. 24 June 2010.
  28. ↑ Krautzig, Steffen. "Hasenbraten" (in German). plattentests.de. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  29. ↑ "VIP Interview: Talk with Suzie Kerstgens, Female Vocalist of Band Klee". LIAONING GATEWAY. 16 June 2009.
  30. ↑ Köhler, Michael. "Die süßeste Versuchung seit Nena" (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine. 22 October 2008.
  31. ↑ "Klee – Longplay-Chartverfolgung". musicline.de (in German). PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  32. ↑ "Discographie Klee". austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  33. ↑ "Klee – Single-Chartverfolgung". musicline.de (in German). PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 3 April 2015.

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