Höhner shine with new album: 11 songs for Cologne's heart!

Höhner shine with new album: 11 songs for Cologne's heart!

The Cologne band Höhner has released their new album with the meaningful title “11 + 11”. The special number indicates that there are eleven new compositions that are intended to enrich the current musical landscape. Among these is the chart hit “Princess”. The new numbers are complemented by eleven selected highlights from the band's five-decade history, such as “Hey Kölle” and “If not now, when then”. According to singer Patrick Lück, the songs currently sound a little different than before, but the fresh wind doesn't change the classics that much. “Viva Colonia” remains unchanged, said Lück in an interview.

A lot has happened in terms of personnel in the traditional band in the last five years. The band has become significantly younger, especially since the departure of long-time singer Henning Krautmacher at the end of 2022. Current musicians strive to be fresher and more experimental while staying true to the old classics. Lück demands that the band be more than just a carnival group and points to projects such as the Höhner Rock'n'Roll Circus or the Christmas shows, which present the band in a broader context.

The variety of new pieces

The new songs capture the creative range of the Höhner and expose the misunderstanding that the band should only be seen as a carnival group. An example is the song “It's not what you think”, which has already been released as a single and heats up the party atmosphere. There are also songs like “Jlöcksmomente”, which sounds very hymn-like, and the folk song “Hüsje am Rhing”, which addresses Cologne’s cultural diversity and tolerance. The ballad “The Most Beautiful Stroß”, in which keyboardist Mickischläger sings about his longing return to his hometown, is particularly touching.

Cologne and the “Kölsche Jeföhl” can be found in all new texts. Lück makes it clear: “We have our roots here in Cologne, so we also sing in Kölsch.” This decision also proves to be advantageous at performances in other cities: many fans appear in the typical red and white colors and can at least sing along to the central passages of the songs.

Performance at the heavy metal festival

A notable highlight in the band's history was their appearance at the heavy metal festival in Wacken two years ago, which proved that the Höhner can move in different genres. Without a doubt, the band shows with their new album that they are not just intended for the carnival season, but can appeal to many music fans with a versatile repertoire. The members feel unbound in their creative freedom, which leads to varied performances and new musical experiments.

In summary, the album “11 + 11” brings fresh sounds to the band’s history while remaining true to traditional values. More about the Höhner's return and their new musical adventures can be found in further reports at www.shz.de.