Artist: Dr. Arthur Krause
Title: Solutions
Genre: Gothic Rock
Release Date: 1st November 2010 (original release)
Label: M&A MusicArt
Album Review
I have to confess, that I was a bit sceptic about, when I heard the bands name for the first time and when I read, that it was chosen cause CURE and THERAPY were already in use, my doubts were growing. The press sheet informed, that DR. ARTHUR KRAUSE were founded in 2001 in Gothenburg (Sweden) with the intention to invoke the much-cited “spirit of the eighties” Gothic Rock, focused on the iconic heavyweights THE SISTERS OF MERCY in combination with influences of other well-known godfathers like the above mentioned THE CURE; JOY DIVISION and DEPECHE MODE.
What a challenge!
And if you see, that they even “borrowed” the typical SISTERS font for their name and the minimalistic merciful release artwork style in addition to the unavoidable accessories like sunglasses and hats, you are inclined to wonder: Could this become embarrassing again? So let’s see. ‘Solutions’ is the 3rd fulltime album of the foursome and after shading the Swedish Goth scene it seems they are now (distributed by a German label [Echozone] and an English booking agency [Thirteens13]) ready to jump over the mainland. But let’s stop with the boring theory for diving into the essential - the music.
The albums opener ‘A Girl From Town’ starts with a rattling drum-machine (yes, it is that similar!) and climbing guitars, that serpentine around an instrumental intro for increasing the tension for that moment everyone is waiting for - the appearance of the vocals (Sorry, but if you mess with Mr. Eldritch, it becomes one of the main aspects!)... and it is obvious and it is clear. The same low-tone crooning, the same wolf-like howling, the same kind of despair while ending the verses. I like the voice, really, cause the more it creeps to the surface, the more parallels you can find. Lots of Eldritch of course and sometimes even shades of Mr. McCoy (the upper spheres, you can find in ‘Darkcell’ or ‘Laura’ for instance) and naturally memories of those, who came along in the dawn’s wake, like THE MERRY THOUGHTS, GARDEN OF DELIGHT and other. Musically you can call it a “standard” Goth Rock song, dressing in sawing guitars, a swirling bass and an under-cooled monotony, caused by the straight programmed drums and the unadorned arrangement.
‘Dance Like Hell’ comes along with little synth flashes and the mandatory choirs from the machine, before it follows the path of it’s predecessor in direction of “classical” arranged mid-tempo Goth Rock attitude. ‘Wait’ creates an enjoyable melancholic atmosphere by clean guitars combined with E-bow layers and the almost wailing despaired vocals, whose relationship to enough mentioned bands comes clearer with every tune. ‘Give Me The Queen’ lifts the tempo up again for unveiling a dirty Rock’n’Roll piece with all necessary ingredients like cutting distorted guitars, pumping drums and an unquestioning guitar solo, embedded in spherical keyboard soundscapes and palpable acoustic fog (commemorative of an album named ‘Vision Thing’).
Next is ‘Mariah’ (I had to smile a bit while reading the name), a five minute heartache-epic, skilfully emitting that kind of nihilistic coldness, that flows unfailingly through all songs up to now, called in existence by the almost static musical movements, that creates the familiar atmospheric monotony on the one hand, but unfortunately some kind of boredom too. And that’s one of the main problems I have with the songs I heard up to now - musically they all sound like being caged, jailed in a little dark cell (!), moving in circles and repeating themselves. They are all pleasantly atmospheric and the transportation of despair, sorrow angst and emotional coldness works very well, but speed, direction and outfit just feel too much the same, too one-sided. But let’s move on.
Oh, seems I was a bit too hasty! ‘Release Your Wild Horses’ (I remember U2 was a quoted influence too) crawls in with lovely acoustic chords , fragile and carefully to call: bright! And suddenly the vocals switch in a timbre, that reminds to the pathos filled singing of a Joachim Witt (!) and for a moment I feel like listening to a completely different band. And when with ‘Under A Silver Moon’ even the drum-pattern modifies and a cure-like guitar flows in the scenery I feel a bit reconciled again. A lovely piece, pacifying and stroking senses. But ‘Torture’ brings us quickly back to the dusty Goth-lands, echoing the prevailing mood of the albums soundscape. ‘Overdose’ introduces itself with a bass line reminding of NEPHILIM´s ‘Celebrate’ for falling into a flickering, acoustic carpet, almost experimental and psychedelic, like an installation of sounds. ‘Funeral Drum’ is a gloomy, nightmarish soundtrack, creating its sinister atmosphere by spooky synths, whispering vocals and a lightless minimalism of movement. And finally we reach ‘Final Solution’ (as a matter of course), a circling mantra with rasping guitars above nihilistic words... ”we have reached the final end...” over and out...
Summarizing I (unfortunately) have to realize, that my midway impression wasn’t wrong at all. ‘Solutions’ is a very moody album, with passion for time-related details, but that doesn’t work throughout the duration of the whole album. Music and atmosphere are too single-edged and too little diversified. Additionally the songs´ flow lacks of arcs of suspense and changing surfaces, like hidden behind frosted glass, chained by the braking and predictable drums. The vocals do a great job, colouring plausibly and tangibly the overall despair and sorrow, but too often it dominates and downgrades the music, occupying too much space in the bands musical dark lands. There are some really great tracks among them (‘Release Your Wild Horses’, ‘Under A Silver Moon’), but not enough for keeping the whole album afloat. A diverting nostalgia, that gives pleasure, but leaves no marks. What a pity!
Tracklist
01. A Girl From Town
02. Dance Like Hell
03. Wait
04. Give Me The Queen
05. Mariah
06. Release Your Wild Horses
07. Under A Silver Moon
08. Torture
09. Overdose
10. Funeral Drum
11. The Final Solution
Line-up
Dr. Arthur Krause – vocal, guitars, keyboards, programming
André Robsahm – bass, backing vocals
Fredrik “Hell” Thell – Guitars
Matthias “Gr. Fill” Axelsson – Live Drums
Website
http://drarthurkrause.se/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 6
Sound: 7
Total: 6.5 / 10
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