VIELLEICHT BIST DU EIN CLOWN ?

One could hear changes on the horizon for Novalis with this one. No Hardenberg interpretations this time round (The somber, Mellotron-laden album-closer "Die Welt wird alt und wieder jung", however, was based on Friedrich Schiller's poem "Höffnung"), and "Manchmal fällt der Regen eben lang" borders on Kansas and AOR. And the album's "epic" centerpiece, the rather melodramatic "Vielleicht bin ich ein Clown", suffers from the same problems as "Astralis": stiff rhythms and repetitious musical constructs.

On the plus side, Detlef Job's composition "Der Geigenspieler" (a song about a street violinist, featuring a guest spot by Walter Quintus, ex-Parzival, on violin) is lively and varied, as are the two evocative instrumentals. "Zingaresca" features some of the strongest dual-guitar work since "Wer Schmetterlinge lachen hört", and "City-Nord" allows Rahn to toy effectively with various keyboard sounds and textures.

So, like BRANDUNG, about half a good album. Not essential, but fans will certainly want it. I'd say it's worth it for "Der Geigenspieler" and the instrumentals alone, but then, I'm a bit biased as this was my first ever taste of Novalis.

Neat, surrealistic Hipgnosis cover artwork on this one, too.