KINDER + NARREN

Ow. This one hurt. A lot. Without Eroc's guiding hand or Mist's colourful keyboard work, the group went pretty far off-course.

This one sounds painfully 80's. Simmons drums, blaring digital-synth brass, synthesized bass, the whole shebang. And the music really isn't good enough to sustain one's interest. Wildschwein is still there, as is long-time roadie Toni Moff Mollo, now promoted to co-lead vocals. His singing is actually quite charming, rather in the same style as Roger Hodgson. There's also a new guy, Milla Kapolke (the bass-player), who sings like he constantly has a bit of food lodged in his throat.

Singing aside, there's really not much to spark your interest here. Ostensibly another concept album, the songs are so pedestrian they simply don't register on the radar. Well, except when you're overcome with nausea, as on the disco-rocker "Keine Angst" or when the children's voices appear on "Die Kinder zieh'n zum Strand" (shades of "Circus Of Heaven"). Actually, you're overcome with nausea a good deal, as Jürgen Cramer's synth tones are so in-your-face and obnoxious, much of the album is unbearable. Not even the attempt to get all anthemic on "Könige der Welt" really registers. Pretty sad.

Grobschnitt - 'Kinder und Narren' (Children and Fools) is their 10th album (including the live releases) and, shoot me down, I like it. It is yet another concept album, the inner sleeve has an in-depth story in German so I couldn't say what it's about, I ought to get it translated some day. The line-up has undergone an incredible make-over, with original drummer/founder member 'Eroc' having left the fold and keyboardist 'Mist' long gone, and they never really had a stable Bass-player, Milla Kapolke filling in the role here, and contributing vocals. Replacements seem more in tune with the 'Pop' genre than Prog, bringing us a kind of Neo-Prog-ish/Pop album with flashes of inspiration, 'Orakel' being the best example of this, with its odd-time sigs and sectioned structure - some great keys- work from newbie Jurgen Kramer is sure to excite some listeners. 'Ich Liebe Dich' is just beautiful, with a 'Tony Banksian' piano arrangement. Remaining tracks range from M.O.R. to hard rockers, with a very 80's synth-pop sound. It's an improvement over its predecessor, 'Razzia', it's worlds away from 'Solar Music', but I don't think that it fits the bill of total rubbish. I find similarities with Genesis S/T from 1983. 3 stars - generous perhaps, but as I mentioned earlier, I like it.

This "Grobschnitt" album is an absolute nightmare. But I haven't use the next key. At no moment. And I can tell you that I should be rewarded for this. To listen to forty minutes of this "music" is quite an exercise.

From the very first seconds of this disgusting album, one knows that he/she will go through very, very painful minutes if ever he/she decides to listen to the full album (which I absolutely not recommend).

From the early stages of my reviewing process, I decided to go through the entire catalogue of each band (or almost) I was writing about. This is the only reason to discuss this "Grobschnitt" one. In expectation of their many "Solar Music" live version that were produced later on.

One reviewer authorized to shoot him down because he liked this album and rated with three stars. Since he authorized to do so, I'm just shooting him down as I write (I'm just kidding of course. I have to much respect for fellow reviewers, but he wrote this sentence, so.).

This is another crappy album from "Grobschnitt". What a P.I.T.A. to have recorded this one (and the previous one, and the previous one).

One star of course. If ever you would be offered this album, Just destroy it before it contaminates your CD player.