LP Review: Hands off Gretel - I want the World (2019) (English)

Yesss, this is kick-ass, loud, snotty, colourful, and rebelling music. Hands off Gretel have released their second full-lenght album "I want the World" and this is an absolute masterpiece. Hands off Gretel play rough, melodic, fast, and emotional Grunge Punk with some New Wave, Cross-Over here and there, and a lot of power.

The trio from Southern Yorkshire, UK was founded four years ago and consists of Sam, Seán and mastermind Lauren. Hands off Gretel are the gaily coloured punk rockers you cannot unsee since they are the colourful, loud, sympathetic, attractive, inspirational epicenter of every event they participate at. Their music is aggressive but still emotional, rough but melodic, loud but reflective. All in all this a masterpiece.

The band describes their own style as Sugar-Coated Grunge-Punk. I really love this expression, and despite me being a smart-alecky creator of neologisms, I cannot come up with a better titling for Hands off Gretel's music. Their style is located somewhere between Brody Dalle, Dave Grohl, Skin, Lars Frederiksen, Joe Strummer, and Dolores O'Riordan. A fantastic potpourri of great Rock music.

An aspect I love a lot about "I want the World" and about the band in general is their feminist approach. The lyrics speak a clear language which leaves no space for misogynist, sexist or homophobic agenda. Lauren presents a powerful space of female empowerment, unity against sexism and homphobia, and a call for equal rights movements. In tracks like "Milk" or "Fingers" the band reminded me of Skunk Anansie's "Everything is political" or "Intellectualies my Blackness".

How to wrap this up? There are so many amazing aspects about this record and I might not even have managed to mention all of them. This disc is the new soundtrack for a powerful, punky, grungy, feminist movement. Almost 45 minutes of strength, feelings, raised fists and hugs. A dozen tracks of reflective, rebellious, boppy, and harmonic music.
Follow this band, go to their concerts, purchase their merch, listen to their message, and join them in fighting for a bright, colourful, free future!