On his new album, Micha Acher opens his „Songbook“ under the
alias Henry and the Ghost – with compositions for bands such as
Tied & Tickled Trio and Ms. John Soda from previous
years.
Why are we interested in ghosts? What fascinates us about the
eerie? According to cultural theorist Mark Fisher, the allure
that the eerie possesses is not captured by the idea that we
„enjoy what scares us“. It has, rather, to do with a
fascination for the outside. For that which lies beyond
standard perception, cognition or experience, as he writes in
his book „The Weird and the Eerie“.
In fact, also none of the 15 pieces from Henry and the Ghost is
really scary. On the contrary, they all feel strangely
familiar. Like revenants or doppelgängers, which in fact they
are. They have all been released before. But in a different
form. In different line-ups. With different band projects such
as Tied & Tickled Trio, The Notwist or the Alien
Ensemble.
With the „Songbook“, Micha Acher's aim was, as he says, to find
out how the familiar pieces sound in a chamber music
instrumentation. Therefore he met with Theresa Loibl (bass
clarinet, piano), Timm Kornelius (bassoon), Markus Rom (guitar,
banjo, electronics) and Simon Popp (drums, percussion) in his
living roomfor a musical séance in the summer of 2022. The
séance lasted two days. Afterwards, Markus Rom (Oh No Noh),
added some haunting electronical ideas.
The mood of most of the pieces is melancholic. There are
surprising twists and siren-like melodies. Just as ghost
stories should be. However, most of the songs sound very
light-footed. With their feet in pop, folk, jazz and classical
music. Pieces such as „Johanna“ with its wheezing harmonium and
spooky piano, or the dreamy „Modest Farewell“ on the other hand
have a cinematic flair. Immediately faces and scenes arise in
the mind. But at the beginning, there is „Hamlet“. It starts
with ghostly electronics and merges into a calm, almost
classical guitar piece. Could it be that the ghost of Hamlet's
father is hiding between the strings?
„34E“ begins with a banjo. Then the deep humming of Micha
Achers sousaphone and the other brass instruments kick in. In
the slow, solemn „Aelita“, the sousaphone starts a dialogue
with a children's piano. With the banjo and the other wind
instruments acting as mediators. The title of „All Tomorrow's
Past“ brings Velvet Undergrounds „All Tomorrow's Parties“ to
mind. Another ghost from the past. What connects the two pieces
is free-floating percussion, which accompanies the sumptuous
melodies.
„Arc“ takes us on an exhilarating voyage at sea, with the
sousaphone providing powerful propulsion. Towards the end,
things get quite turbulent. With the clarinet stirring up the
water, before the sea calms down again. „Henry and the Ghost“
is characterised by a ghostly mood change between major and
minor. In „Radio Four“ the banjo with its stoic chords keeps
the lively brass section in check. „Solid Ground“ is imbued
with melancholy. „Space Minor“ takes us into outer space, with
the power of sousaphone and percussion.
„Tomorrows“ is filled with cautious optimism. And the
concluding „Nordlead“ turns out to be a revenant of the
instrumental „N.L.“ from The Notwist's legendary album „Shrink“
from 1998. In the new version, the piece sounds like a distant
echo. One that also brings to mind how Micha Acher's music has
evolved. Which new worlds he explored and opened up since the
nineties. And yet Acher's signature is recognisable in every
single note of this fascinating „Songbook“.