Hamburg, Germany

Yet another moody, Brit-pop-influenced indie rock outfit to emerge from Hamburg, Germany, Kettcar formed in 2001 with former Rantanplan members Marcus Wiebusch and Reimar Bustorff. Driven by a desire to get away from the raucous punk and ska music that dominated their earlier careers, the two musicians joined up with Erik Langer, Frank Tirado-Rosales, and Lars Wiebusch (Marcus' brother) and recorded an album's worth of material. Kettcar were unable to find a label, however, so they teamed up with fellow Hamburgers Tomte to form Grand Hotel van Cleef. The band released its debut on that label, Du und Wieviel von Deinen Freunden, in 2002. After a three-year break, during which time the bandmembers busied themselves with tending to the business of running a label, Kettcar released their sophomore album, 2005's Von Spatzen und Tauben, Dächern und Händen. ~ Margaret Reges