Title: Für Immer und Ewig
Artist: Die Art
Genre: Indie Rock
Release date: 25th September 2009
Label: Brachialpop (Distribution: Rough Trade)
Introduction
The German independent band DIE ART has been around for more than 20 years and released four underground tapes in GDR times and 13 albums after the German Reunification, their latest one being the dark wave CD ‘Funeral Entertainment’. Now they present the first Best Of in their musical career named ‘Für Immer und Ewig’ (For Ever and Always), a compilation of their most successful German songs completed with re-mastered and new tracks.
Line-up
Makarios - vocals
Thomas Gumprecht - guitar, keys
Conne Hoffmann - bass
Sven Löbert - drums & programming
Websites
DIE ART at myspace: www.myspace.com/dieart007
Label: http://www.brachialpop.de/
Distribution: http://www.roughtrade.de/
Shop: http://www.upsound.de/
Detailed Review
In autumn, when the days become shorter and the nights long and cold, it is time for a new dose of the German independent band DIE ART. Their first best of album after more or less 23 years of creative noise making turns out to be a fine piece of indie music art. For hardcore fans of the independent heroes from Leipzig, ‘Für Immer und Ewig’ might appear to be just the expected anthology of their German top hits. Some will surely complain about their own favourite titles missing, others about the selection of the songs. Those critics might benefit from re-mastered tracks, new versions of well known songs and three complete novelties on this CD. The item which is unlikely to be debated is the album quality. Both the old classic hits like ‘Sie Sagte’ or ‘Das Schiff’ as well as the digitally re-mastered songs come along like freshly made and some of them with this breathtaking melancholic depth typical for DIE ART.
Listeners unfamiliar to the band might ask: How is this possible? The recipe is pretty simple: Take the bright and intoxicating melodies masterly performed by the guitarist Thomas Gumprecht, who has been compared in the past with Chris Urbanowicz from THE EDITORS and who, thank god, is not getting tired of producing lively to psychedelic riffs and mixing them into so far well known songs. And then add the dark, profound lyrics written by singer Makarios and performed with his intriguingly sonorous voice. This leads us automatically to one of the album’s surprises: the new version of ‘Nur 1 Traum’. If this song does not touch your heart, than you are likely to have none... And still, the listener is caught by the melody and the expressed vision, kind of an end of time scenario, while the stoic beat produced by drummer Sven Löbert pumps the stone-cold blood though your veins. A good way to approach THE ART’s sound spectrum is the trilogy ‘Der Ozean’ - ‘Der Schiff’ - ‘Samtmarie’. It spans from slow, out of this world melodies to indierock and punk tunes which tend to stick in one’s mind and might entrap to sing along after the second listening. While doing this, one cannot help thinking that the partly bright themes opposite these endlessly sad lyrics, a conflict which became the band’s hallmark.
The song about merciless ‘Samtmarie’ completes the story about the drown seaman and his waiting bride from “Das Schiff”. It was, by the way, written and composed by Frank Bröker, second half of the RUSSIAN DOCTORS, one of Makarios’ side projects. Two other exceptional songs are worth mentioning. The song ‘Vereinsamt’ which first appeared on a tribute CD in 1999 is DIE ART’s setting of a Friedrich Nietzsche poem and exhales a fatalistic beauty. Suicidal persons kindly skip this track. Secondly, the new tune ‘Every day’ - with English headline but German lyrics - surprises with an edgy but powerful melody, which complements the rough and unpolished words.
Tracklist
01. Endlos - 4:04
02. Ozean - 4:18
03. Das Schiff - 7:31
04. Samtmarie - 3:48)
05. Sie Sagte - 2:32
06. Heimatlied - 4:09
07. Alles Was Dein Herz Begehrt - 4:40
08. Symbole - 2:42
09. Nur 1 Traum VERSION - 3:30
10. So Weit … - 3:18
11. Weich Wie Schnee - 4:57
12. Schreien - 3:46
13. Tanzende Schwermut II - 3:10
14. Vereinsamt - 4:33
15. Radiokrieg - 3:36
16. Every Day SPECIAL BONUS TRACK - 2:53
Cover Picture
Conclusion
If you like handmade punk-rock and guitar based music with lyrics that give you something to chew over, this CD is just right for you. New listeners find a representative cross-section through the work of this extraordinary band, and long-term fans will enjoy the new song versions. DIE Art will be on ‘Für Immer und Ewig’ tour starting October 2009, and if you can, witness the live performance of this album which can be considered a milestone of German indie rock.
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 8/10
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