Britpop / Britrock made in Germany – that’s a likely the best short description you can do about the Berlin band Pictures. On 28th January 2022, the band will release their second album, It’s OK. I had a listen.
Pictures – About The Artists
The origins of Pictures are already in the very early 2000’s. In Bad Bentheim in Northwest Germany, the very promising grunge band Union Youth was founded. Just some five years after the first steps of the band and three rather successful albums later, they broke up again. A key person of this band was the charismatic singer and guitarist Maze Valentin, who struggled a lot and finally had to go through the tough process of a drug withdrawal. the faith of the band has even been described in a documentation movie. He (as: Matze Exler) and another former Union Youth member, drummer Michael Bowy Borwitzky decided to go for a new project, Pictures. The other two band members are Ole Fries (guitar, vocals) and bassist Markus Krieg. They are based in Berlin.
The band had quite some success from the very beginning. In 2017, they released the EP Kind of Promise, followed by their debut album Hysteria in 2019. It’s OK is the band’s second album.
Pictures – It’s OK – Track by Track
The twelve songs long 41 minutes.
1. It’s OK
The album opens with the title track. There is, without a doubt, a touch of Oasis in the ear of the listener. However, the sound is very straight and pure. Thus, so far, the Germans feel to do it better to me.
2. Repeater
The catching element of Repeater is the happy-humming main theme in the background. A touch of surf pop – but the guitars give you the right rock feeling as well. I love the work on the instruments in here – they lead to one of my favorite songs even though I prefer some of the vocal performances on this album more.
3. Rockets
Rockets is having a nice indie-style. I even think about some electro-rock bands while listening to the third track of the album. The performance on the microphone is very energetic. You just have to listen to this song while the album is running.
4. In The Morning
The fourth song comes with a lot of chords and riffs and volume, but overall feels a bit too simple to me. Definitely one of my least favorite songs.
5. Who Took The Soul
After this listening experience, I am glad to be able to relate better to the next song. Who Took The Soul comes with some dirty garage sound, a lot of presence and, especially, a catching melody. Very nice listen.
6. Shivers
Shivers works with a lot of echo and atmosphere. To me, the song rather feels to me like an intro than an individual and unique track – you just wait when things are really starting off – but then, after some 2:30 minutes, the song is over.
7. Good Day
Even though Good Day feels to start with a somehow boring drum computer style rhythm, you just listen to the song. This illustrates the vast talent and the catching character of Matze Exler / Maze Valentin’s voice. The song could be as needless as Shivers, but the focus on the guy on the microphone spreads at least some magic.
8. Purple Walls
The chords, the vocals, the distorted sound – Purple Walls does not sound to colorful, it is a rather dark track. However, this leads to a very individual character of this song. Nice one.
9. Happy Afterlife
You cannot say that the lyrics are very deep, especially in the chorus. But Happy Afterlife has a nice touch, it is very catching. And, again, Matze Exler does a great job presenting this job.
10. Mobile
This song is a massive surprise on the track list: just one of the song just (barely) made it to a longer duration than three minutes, there is no track longer than four minutes on It’s OK. But there is Mobile, an almost eight minute recording. The song feels like a small storybook by its own. A nice walk through different stages and atmospheres, even though some parts feel a bit lengthy.
11. Drifting
I felt like skipping Drifting after a quite short time already. The song does not really feel to be other than monotonous. The middle part, however, suprises with a loud and powerful part. Other sections almost come with a psychedelic touch. I should have better skipped it.
12. Secret And The Lost Empathy
The final four minutes of the album. The song has some nice breaks, but I feel the band pushes a bit too much and works with too strong distortions of their sound.
Pictures – It’s OK – Spotify
Here is It’s OK on Spotify:
Pictures – It’s OK – My View
It’s OK is like a rollercoaster ride to me: there are so many ups, nice turns, there is energy, a very talented vocalists. But some songs are too much heading for the extremes, the do not feel like there is a common link between them. The title track is so good – and some other songs are really nice listens as well. But overall, I rather feel the album is upper average.
Music in Berlin
Here are all my Music & Media postings related to Berlin:

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 22 September 2023)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 01 September 2023)

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 11 August 2023)

Heart to Heart – Semmel Concerts Introduces the Songwriters Round to Germany


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 04 August 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 30 June 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 16 June 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 09 June 2023)


Flora Falls – Hidden From You EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 12 May 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 28 April 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 21 April 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 31 March 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 24 March 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 17 March 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 10 March 2023)


Weird Al Yankovic tours Europe 2023 – My Reprise


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 03 March 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 24 February 2023)


Antonia Kubas – Liebe und Musik EP


Tanzwut – Silberne Hochzeit


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 03 February 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 13 January 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 06 January 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 09 December 2022)


Nina Hagen – Unity


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 02 December 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 18 November 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 04 November 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 14 October 2022)


Allee der Diktatoren – Dieses kleine bisschen Wut


Jim Kroft – The Isolation Diaries Vol. 3 EP



Rock of Ages – International Dates of the Musical in 2023


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 26 August 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 12 August 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 29 July 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 22 July 2022)


Confirmation – Survive EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 24 June 2022)


Leepa – Brain Freeze EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 27 May 2022)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 13 May 2022)


Mina Richman – Jaywalker EP


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 08 April 2022)


Der Sonne zu Nah – Schwerkraft


Flora Falls – Ankle Deep EP


Alex Christensen & The Berlin Orchestra – Classical 80s Dance


Egotronic – Stresz


Die Liga der gewöhnlichen Gentlemen – GschichterIn aus dem Park Cafe


Orian – Before It Weighs Us Down EP


Noah Levi – Indigo EP


Kicker Dibs – Vagabund


People Club – Take Me Home EP


Mighty Oaks – Mexico


Robert John Hope – Plasticine Heart


Diane Weigmann – Die Wahrheit liegt irgendwo dazwischen


Löwen am Nordpol – Löwen am Nordpol


Hanna Batka – Mitten in Berlin


Blutengel – Fountain of Destiny


X-Perience – 555



My Favorite C2C: Country To Country 2020 Songs


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 3 (08.03.2020) – The Main Stage



C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 3 (08.03.2020) – Splitter


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 3 (08.03.2020) – The Side Stages


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 2 (07.03.2020) – The Main Stage


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 2 (07.03.2020) – The Side Stages



C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 2 (07.03.2020) – Splitter


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 1 (06.03.2020) – The Main Stage


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 1 (06.03.2020) – The Side Stages



C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 1 (06.03.2020) – Splitter


Country 2 Country 2020 in Berlin – A Preview


Country 2 Country 2019 in Berlin


Kiddo Kat – Piece of Cake (Album Review)
All “classic” blog posts
No reviews – just debating and certain topics – these are my “traditional” blog posts in the categories Just blogging, Just blogging on music and Sports Blogging:


The Privilege of the Loo – On Bathroom Distribution in Airplanes


Rock of Ages – 2024 International Dates of the Musical


Thank You, Rohan Bopanna!


Food I Had Onboard X (July 2023 til early September 2023)


Praise The Underdogs – I Look Back to the European Soccer Competition Qualifications



Heart to Heart – Semmel Concerts Introduces the Songwriters Round to Germany


Home is where the heart is – My Twelve Favorite Cities of the World


NHL Schedule 2023-24 released – Here are my suggested Trips


Seepark Biker Days Pfullendorf 2023 – Atmosphere & Impressions


Seepark Biker Days Pfullendorf 2023 – A Preview


Food I Had Onboard IX (Mid-May 2023 til June 2023)


Rock of Ages UK Tour – A Personal Farewell and Thanks


My Traveler’s Thoughts About… Renting a Car and Driving in Iceland


Food I Had Onboard VIII (April 2023 til Mid-May 2023)


My Favorite Eurovision Song Contest Songs


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Travel all Germany for 49 EUR a Month? The New Deutschland Ticket


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Food I Had Onboard VII (mid-February 2023 til March 2023)


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Jim “Kimo” West is playing the very first German Weird Al Show tonight – he is back with “Nacht der Gitarren” in Fall


Food I Had Onboard VI (December 2022 til mid-February 2023)


Davis Cup Qualifiers – A Bad Day For (Men’s) Doubles Tennis


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2022


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Albums / EPs 2022


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Songs 2022


How I would love European Flight Compensation Regulation to Change


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Some 2022 new Christmas Song Releases – Good Ones and Weird Ones


Food I Had Onboard V (September 2022 til November 2022)


Loyalty Programs – Are We Too Committed To Stay Rational?


Weird Al Yankovic is touring Europe 2023 – Tour Dates and Travel Hints


Visiting the Lillehammer 1994 Olympic Sites in 2022


Steel Guitar Santa is Back – The Flyctory.com Country Christmas Playlist 2022



Rock of Ages – International Dates of the Musical in 2023


Food I Had Onboard IV (May 2022 til August 2022)


NHL Schedule 2022-23 released – Some suggested Icehopping Itineraries


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Food I Had Onboard III (Mar 2022 til April 2022)


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Food I Had Onboard II (Nov 21 til Mar 2022)


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Flyctory.com – My Favorite Albums / EPs 2021


Flyctory.com – My Favorite Songs 2021


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Why I feel it makes sense to continue Flyctory.com during the Corona crisis



C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 3 (08.03.2020) – Splitter



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C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 1 (06.03.2020) – Splitter


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2019


Christmas Songs – Why not Hawaiian Style?


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Frog Leap – An Amazing Project Back On Tour 2020


The Flyctory.com Country Music Playlists – The First Ten Weeks


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Sound of Nashville Press Event & Logan Mize Concert (11th Sep 2019, Cologne)


Flyctory.com on Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited


A Preview to Country Music Concerts (European Tours)


Very Important Postings – January to June 2019


CMA Fest 2019 – My Meet & Greets


Visiting CMA Fest 2019


My Favorite CMA Fest Songs 2019


Christina Taylor & Carolyn Miller – Two Upcoming Country Artists


CMA Fest 2019 – Fan Events with Cassadee Pope and Jana Kramer


Country Music Concert Summer 2019 in Germany – a small Boom?


Shallow-ism – One Song in countless Versions


My Favorite Country 2 Country Songs 2019


European World Floorball Championship Qualification – A Preview


Entertaining or not? An Inflight Magazine Comparison


Floorball Champions Cup 2019 – A Preview to Gävle


Very Important Postings – July to December 2018


My Favorite Songs 2018


How to buy a Hotel Group Status


Davis Cup World Group Playoff 2018 – More complex than ever!


Very Important Postings – Flyctory.com’s 1st Half 2018


Flyctory.com’s Introduction on Mileage Pooling


Atlanta 1996 – 22 Years later


Ode to my Superhero – Leander Paes


My favourite Country 2 Country 2018 songs


My Medal Count Winner 2018: Canada

