Photo: Lukas Friesenbichler
Text: Constantin Jacobs
Reino Glutberg is a singer-songwriter from Burgenland (AT), who conjures up bluesy melodies with his western guitar and tells stories from his life in dialect. If you're a fan of rural guitar sounds and dialect singing, you shouldn't miss his new album.
After a few EPs and singles, he is now releasing his debut album "Freilondstroß" on Friday, February 25th, 2022.
Nailhead Magazine: Your debut album called "Freinlondstroß" will be released on February 25th. Tell us a bit about the process and the making of the album.
Reino Glutberg: After my first two EPs, I felt like making a whole album that went a bit in a different direction, both in terms of sound and style. Because most of the songwriting and pre-production happened during the lockdown times, rather quiet, folky numbers were created, since I had to rehearse quietly and cautiously in my apartment in Vienna.
Nailhead Magazine: On Instagram you shared that there will also be vinyl records for the album in collaboration with Dominik Hofstädter from Hasn Music, how did that come about?
Reino Glutberg: Dominik and I have always supported each other in all sorts of projects over the past four years. Since I know what makes him tick and how he works, I asked him if he would like to produce the album and release it on his label right away. With his know-how, we were able to get funding from the state of Burgenland and used it to finance the record.
Nailhead Magazine: Your new album is called "Freilondstross". Why exactly this title?
Reino Glutberg: The "Freilondstroß" or country road is sort of a leading thread that runs through the album. The common thread or the theme is growing up on the countryside where you are dependent on the car because public transport on the countryside is almost non-existent. That means lots of experiences and stories behind the wheel and thus on the "Freilondstroß".
Nailhead Magazine: How do you write your songs? Do you have a melody in your head first and then the lyrics grow out of that - or vice versa?
Reino Glutberg: For me it almost always starts with a dialect phrase, some colloquial statement or something, and one sentence usually leads to a little scene or story. So almost always text and then melody.
Nailhead Magazine: What were the main influences for your new record?
Reino Glutberg: In terms of content, the biggest influences were my youth in Burgenland, the year before the pandemic, in which I made many tours through Vienna to check out concert locations and also the time in the first lockdowns. Musical influences I would say JJ Cale, Ernst Molden and Townes Van Zandt.
Nailhead Magazine: How would you describe your debut album to your listeners without having heard it?
Reino Glutberg: The album is a thoughtful folk disc with a light country vibe. Quasi Pannonian country folk rock.
Nailhead Magazine: You released your first EP "Schau nie zruck" in 2019 and have since released a few singles and another EP, why is an album only coming out now?
Reino Glutberg: Because good things take time. ;) We scheduled the release later than originally planned because we wanted to take a little time for music videos and promo stuff. Also, we thought it made more sense to release the album at a time when you can also play live.
Nailhead Magazine: You describe your music as bluesy western guitar music in the deepest dialect, did you always know that you wanted to play exactly this kind of music or is there a long finding process behind it?
Reino Glutberg: My first musical project was a psychedelic blues rock band heavily influenced by groups like Led Zeppelin, The Doors and Black Sabbath. At the beginning I also wrote English texts and only later got the taste for writing texts in dialect. So one would have to talk about a discovery process.
Nailhead Magazine: In the single "Lederjackn" you sing about yourself in your youth, where you just did your thing as an outsider. To what extent did your youth influence or shape you musically and personally?
Reino Glutberg: My youth as an outsider plays a big role. When you come across intolerant and ignorant people who want to "bend" you, Rock N Roll gives you the answers. Man, that sounds cheesy! (laughs)
But it’s true. The heroes on stage are all weirdos and misfits themselves.
Nailhead Magazine: Will the song "Lederjackn" also be heard on the record?
Reino Glutberg: Yes, the last three singles are all on the album.
Nailhead Magazine: How many songs will be on the album in total?
Reino Glutberg: 11 songs.
Nailhead Magazine: If I'm not mistaken, we've had about two years of the Corona pandemic, in which the art and culture industry has also suffered greatly. How did you experience the time?
Reino Glutberg: Conflicted. I have to say with caution that I was able to enjoy it at the beginning because I just locked myself in the studio. But over time it became more and more difficult. Organizing concerts was difficult or almost impossible. Now I'm looking forward to a post-pandemic time HOPEFULLY coming soon.
Nailhead Magazine: Would the album have been different without Corona?
Reino Glutberg: Yes, I think so. Maybe it would have been louder and not so thoughtful. (laughs)
One or two songs would not have seen the light of day.
Nailhead Magazine: What else do you have planned for the coming months?
Reino Glutberg: We will release a live session on the HASN MUSIC Youtube Channel in mid/end of March, there will be a music video in April and three concerts are planned for April/May.
Nailhead Magazine: Thanks for the interview Reino!
Stream the artists music on
Bandcamp: https://reinoglutberg.bandcamp.com/music
Keep yourself up to date on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reino_glutberg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReinoGlutberg/
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