Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Haunting and sexy. Cool voice. Sounded like a broadway production at times. Will I be listening to it all the time? No. But I think it sounded good 3.5
Wat saai
kate bush, but with classical music and more conventional voice
6/10 Its interesting, different from a lot of stuff here and pleasant to listen to. I like how over the top it is. But it's missing memorable songs.
She had a strong and interesting vocal presence. I didn't care much for the style or selection of songs, but altogether it was ok.
it’s ok ig? most of the featured songwriters have a lot of personality and as soon as i hear that Tom waits penned song I know it’s him and Kathleen behind it. little water song have nick cave written all over it. such personality. I love it. But still, 3.5/5.
J’aurais aimé haïr ça plus que ça, des covers de Nick Cave, Elvis Costello ET Tom Waits, dans le style de la Castafiore? Je présageais la catastrophe, mais en vrai l’heure est très digérable.
Felt like I was listening to a soundtrack from 007. Probably is good, just not my thing.
Best songs were there two that involved Tom Waits. Not that I’m biased or anything. She does have a great voice, it’s just not much of it is my style.
Cabaret songs written by Costello, Waits, and. Cave.
I am not one for this style of music and would probably never listen to this again. I like the sound of the woman’s voice, but the lyrics are way too romantic for me and strange. Split has a really good instrumental intro though. Not bad, but not something I enjoy.
Not something I’ll listen to regularly but a fun diversion. The description of James Bond songs about everyday things seems pretty accurate.
To call it "uneven" would be kind. It starts off pretty great - unique and invoking an emotional response. Then it gets a little weirdly euro-pop. But then it comes back! but then it gets boring again. Then it recovers a bit and - guess what comes next? 57 minutes of it is too long. I cannot believe this project doesn't have half stars, but even if it did, I think 3 starsis probably about right.
I loved the first song and then it was more of the same style which became pretty boring
Fantastisk vokalpresetasjon på Little Water Song. Det første jeg tenker, er Joanna Newsom minus harpe. Synes det er litt for tynt musikalsk, men det tar seg opp allerede i The Case Continues som stødig bygger seg opp til et crescendo. The Passionate Night fortsetter litt i samme spor, legger stadig til elementer som gjør det til noe mer enn bare ballade. Synes det drar veldig på midten. Og duettene med Neil Hannon funker ikke, synes ikke stemmene deres komplimenterer hverandre spesielt godt. Tittelsporet får meg til å tenke på California-era Mr. Bungle, men synes Mike Patton gjør det bedre. Fortsatt noe jeg kan like. Tror kanskje jeg liker dette bedre som idé enn å faktisk høre på det? Selv det jeg var positiv til mens det gikk, har på en måte forsvunnet helt, som om det ikke har gjort noe inntrykk å snakke om.
First track, Little Water Song. With Nick Cave on the credits? Oh yeah sign me up! Wait, where the heck is Nick Cave? Oh, he just wrote it or something, doesn't sing on it? And the entire song is kind of slow and dull? Oh man this album is going to be a slog. Second track, The Case Continues. Never mind, maybe this won't be so bad after all. This is pretty nice! Third track, Passionate Fight, also pretty good, nice and smooth. Then we get Tango Ballad. So much fun, Ute Lemper is joined by a male singer, in a song about finding love in a brothel. Loved it! The rest of the album cruises along nicely. Split was another breakout track. The album could use some better organization, the first and last tracks are the worst. But other than that, this was pretty fun! Best song: Tango Ballad
I could probably do this as I was watching a movie or a play or a shower with shampoo but it felt pretty over the top for straight up listening. As usual, I can appreciate the artistry but not going to make heavy rotation.
Enjoyed it! ★★★
I have a tolerance for this album's musical theatre and classical-ish edges. Cornball lyrics at times. Interesting musical ideas and a nice switch up in style for this list. That said, probably not to be revisited in full. Best tunes: little water song, tango ballad, streets of berlin, split, scope j
What a trip, musically sounds good, her voice is good, his eh, lyrically insane
I really don’t get why a lot of you hate this album but also love Björk’s or even Meat Loaf's. Yes, it’s not as perfect or as memorable as the other albums on this list, but the delivery is great. Call me nuts, but it sounds like a soundtrack album from the 60s (from a James Bond movie, as they say) with 90s production quality, kinda ahead of its time. Favorite track: Streets of Berlin
Listened Before? N This one was pretty good. Theatrical and well composed.. You can really hear Nick Cave's influence here as it could honestly be one of his more recent albums. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Little Water Song
Fresh perspective. I enjoyed a few covers more than the originals.
Þetta var aðeins of mikið að reyna að vera list fyrir minn smekk en samt aðdáunarvert hvað margir listamenn komu að hverju lagi. Ég min gleyma þessari fljótt
Very good voice. Very good arrangements and production. And my guess is that if you took 10,000 random people, you could find someone with a comparable voice. Now give that person the same producer and "guest stars", and you might wind up with a similar result. It's pleasant, and it's well done, but it's not epic.
Ok
This album has absolutely no reason to be on the list, but it’s so cheesy and over the top that I couldn’t help but enjoy it. I’m all for this cabaret of cringe.
Kinda hilarious. I'd pretty much rather listen to any of the original recordings.
I found the last track punishing but the rest was enjoyable especially when Neil Hannon shared vocal duties.
Better than Coldplay
Quite reddit.
Sounds like musical theatre, not really my thing. Her voice is also not super appealing to me, I think there are better singers that make similar sounding music.
odd.. but good?
A very interesting collection of songs on an album by a very talented stage actress. The songs are all interesting and they are all arranged, performed and recorded well. The vocal performance is very dramatic as expected and there’s a lot to take in from the lyrics. Once again, hearing an album like this makes me think of other albums in this vain, especially recordings of musicals as well as soundtracks. So many albums to be considered for this project and so many that are not on the list! Anyways it was good to listen to this album as it’s not something I would normally gravitate to. I was quite mesmerized by the last piece and finding out that it was by the great Scott Walker and also learning that there’s another long Walker piece as a bonus track means that I’m gonna try and track it down so I can listen to it.
"Punishing Kiss" is a studio album by German singer and actress Ute Lemper. Classical, pop, chanson and avant-garde are the Wiki-listed genres. That's about right, I think. I don't know about chanson to agree/disagree. The album is a collaboration between Lemper and the Divine Comedy (Neil Hannon and Joby Talbot) with the Divine Comedy being the backing band. It also includes songs by Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Phillip Glass, Tom Waits, Scott Walker and Kurt Weill. The album reached #104 in the UK. The albums opens with "Little Water Song," a song written by Nick Cave. Strings. Lemper's voice is delicate at first and then gains strength showing an emotional range. A very interesting song lyrically about a murder victim's perspective as that person is drowning. The next song "The Case Continues" amps the dramatic factor. Piano. Strings. Marching drums. A Divine Comedy-coined detective story about a relationship that ended after a passionate affair. Neil Hannon joins Lemper in the duet "Tango Ballad," a Bertolt Brecht and a Kurt Weill song. Piano, strings and a wavering guitar. Dreamy and dramatic in a song set in the Weimar Republic Era. An ominous tone pervades Phillip Glass' "Streets of Berlin." A tuba noise and dark beat. The song does a good job creating a mood which probably was intended. Strings opens "Punishing Kiss." Softer vocals. There's a flute. A more cabaret-style song. Elvis Costello and Cait O'Riordan wrote this song. Ute Lemper shows her wide vocal range. It's big, dramatic and soft when needed. The Divine Comedy's arrangements are lovely with strings, horns, piano, guitar and beats. This album is like listening to both a movie soundtrack and a score. Heck, it likes watching a movie in a sense. No overall motif, to my ears, in the lyrics (multiple writers) but the tone is dark and historical events and places seem to be important. I did enjoy this album to an extent; Lemper's vocals and overall drama puts in the like category. I'd say if you're baroque pop or Divine Comedy fans, there's probably enough here for you.
Something that probably would have never crossed my radar if it wasn't for this list. It was solid. She's a great vocalist, I don't hate show-tunes. The last song was too long, but that's really my only complaint.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. Most of the album sounded like a Bond soundtrack
It’s ok. A bit wonky but nothing too crazy. If it was a sport i can be the judge.
ура 2000е
Wow very dramatic. It was a fine change of pace but doubt I'll come back to it
A pop album for some alternate reality where everyone on the planet is a High School Drama Club member. Seen through that lens, about half the songs aren't bad.
Some serious song writing talent on this album. Very solid listen.
Strong work, no doubt in part thanks to collaborating with so many big names. Honestly I'm kinda amazed that I've never even heard of Ute Lemper before. She's still putting out music now 25 years later, including weird music videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsmmm0H2rYk
Talented vocalists, but not quite sure what this album was. Felt almost like a musical but without the story or cohesiveness.
I’m a bit torn on this one. It was sometimes quite dark and ominous which worked for me, and sometimes veered hard into camp which did not. Shakes out at a 3 I think.
Giudizio falsato visto che ho ascoltato solo i primi 3 brani, che però non mi sono dispiaciuti. Da recuperare
mi sono sentita in un racconto, che fosse scritto, girato o animato
A dramatic love that’s calmly sung in most of this album’s songs. Yet some of them contain more anger, more powerful frustration and it’s refreshing.
Hmm. Looking at the cover - Like: Nick Cave, Philip Glass Don’t like: Elvis Costello, The Divine Comedy Neutral: Scott Walker Idk: Kurt Weill, Ute Lemper? …huh, that was something. I actually thought it was pretty cool at first, but the appeal wore off quickly and it became something to endure. It was too hammy and theatrical (like that Divine Comedy album, though the singer here was more bearable). Even though there were apparently so many talented musicians involved in making this, it doesn’t feel like there’s much diversity in style; I can see the artists’ influence on each track if I squint. Too many cooks? I’m not even sure that that’s the problem. Favorite: Little Water Song
This really grew on me as it went on. You Were Meant For Me stood out. 3.5/5.
Got an extra star for the lyrics being some of the most wild if heard in a longtime
Yep okay, soundtracky musical-like, ⭐⭐⭐
Solid singer. Not a fan of the type of music.
5/10
Feels like it's trying too hard. I guess it's in the style of a musical.
Some great Songs, some really weird ones. You we're ment for me was my favorite.
It tries to be this big spectacle and kind of ends up being a big testicle. 5/10
Ethereal. It works.
I could immediately see this on a theatrical stage. I love the beginning of Little Water Song. A big performance all around.
She has a wonderful voice
its ok, i enjoyed it but dont know how often id return to it
Jovy Talbot on tosi hyvä mutta sanoisin että Nick Cave heh klassikko klassikko ei voi väärin mennä mutta Kurt Weill se osaa sen siltä kyllä paukkuu ja vinkuu mutta ehkäpä Steve Nieve siis kyllä semmonen musta lammas mutta aika aika tota hyvä mutta Philip Glass sieltähän se tulee ja armoa ei ei anna se armoa laisinkaan mutta Alfredo Pedernera järjettömän kova kulkija siinä ja ei kukaan voi vastaan väittää mutta Bryan Mills vetää turpaan ketävaan ketä tahansa lyö naaamaan täysillä mutta Stuart Bates se sieltä ottaa pippelin esille ja helikopteroi ympärille eikä kukaan voi vastaan väittää mutta Alasdair Malloy imee sen munaa ilman mitään ongelmia mutta ELVIS COSTELLO H ÄÄÄÄH? HÄÄÄH? you were meant for me
Très bon album, mais me fait trop penser à un musical par moment. Le début et la fin est très bonne.
I see what she's going for, I'm just not sure I want it.
Very gothic. Interesting lyrics. Her voice is unique.
Classic album - when putting together a super group works as it should.
so unbelievably mid the only song here I liked was Split, everything else feels so empty and pointless - 5/10
A rather somber sound overall, with a mix of downer lyrics to go with it. I liked it ok, but not a real standout for me.
Okay. I tooootally get the controversy. Idk. Maybe it’s cause I listen to a lot of Jpop and am kinda used to awkward lyrics and line delivery, maybe it’s because it reminds me of listening to Metal Gear Solid music(probably that), but I had fun with it.
Mysigt
Började riktigt lovande men slutade i oljud.
Det var lite för svårt att ge mer, men väldigt fin musik bitvis.
This feels a bit like Fetch the Bolt Cutters. Almost operatic. Kinda felt like if Disney made a soundtrack for an R rated movie. Overall I was certainly engaged in this one, not necessarily my favorite, but it was a good listen. High 3 with no intention of coming back, but I'm sure I'll remember this one when we get to the finish line.
A little bit dramatic don't you think (talented tho) Will I listen to again: 1%
This was a lot of fun. It gave off spy thriller theme vibes.
Ute Lemper becomes interpreter and performer of many an artists songs on Punishing Kiss, leaving no stone unturned as she sways from one mood to the next in the modern mixture of cabaret, avant-garde and classical. Fairly intriguing stuff for those interested in the extracurricular offerings from some of alt-rock's very best of the time. Favorites: Little Water Song, The Case Continues, Tango Ballad, Couldn't You Keep That to Yourself, Streets of Berlin, The Part You Threw Away, You Were Meant for Me.
This seems like an odd choice but definitely appreciated the Scott Walker vibe songs and didn't mind listening to this. Especially the last song
Didn't love it.
Very traditional, stately, and cinematic. Good voice and production. Not something I would seek out, but I appreciate how unique it is from the rest of the list. Best song: The Case Continues
Dramatic.
I can’t not vote. But I have no context for giving any sort of appreciation of this.
This was interesting...not amazing but not too bad either. Decent listen.
*Sultry and interesting. *Enjoyed the singer’s voice and most of the songs, but not the ones by Elvis Costello. *Fave tracks - split and little water song. Rating - 7/10
Surprised that I quite enjoyed this. Quite a bit of variety on there. The last song really dragged though.
She has a great voice and this had all the weirdness of Nick Cave and the brilliance of Elvis Costello. An all-star cast of writers, for sure. It was entertaining and I appreciated it.
“And tiny Little fishes entered me” “If sex were an Olympic sport we’d have won gold” “I got the brain and she supplied the breast” (there are more in tango ballad but this song is GARBAGE) I like split! Title track instrumental would fit on Pretty Odd! Purple Avenue good! Meant for me? Great! I think maybe this album needed to punch me in the face multiple times to get me to understand it. I don’t love the vocal deliveries and there is some definite doodoo on here but there are some phenomenal instrumentals and really top notch vocal performances when they’re not spewing terrible lyrics or stories. I am not ruling out the possibility that I was Stockholm syndromed into liking the last half of this album. Thankfully the last track reminded me there is bad (I like the outside skin side fur side whatever nine inch nails ass part).
It was alright, some songs better than others the album did start to drag a bit
Music to drink wine with a girl. Kind of dramatic, cinematographic, a bit dramatic for my taste.
Great voice, but weird album. I'll have to find some more of her stuff though.
It was pleasant to listen to, but nothing made me go wow. It is a pretty average album. 3 stars
"If sex were an olympic sport we would've won the gold." Sure Jan. Just crack a window this time, we can smell the theater room from Algebra
She has a soulful voice and the lounge singer vibes usually are right down my alley, but for some reason this one just didn't do much for me. It felt a little too cheesy.
This feels a bit like Germany’s answer to Björk, backed up by some heavy hitters doing cabaret. I don’t know if I mean that in a good way or in a bad way. Maybe I need to listen to the album again… 3⭐️
Many years ago, I followed the start of Ute Lemper's career. She was considered a star who was more or less ignored in her own country. But in France she was celebrated. Ute Lemper may be a well-trained singer. But I don't like the genres she performs. Too artificially artistic. I was excited when I saw in the track list that Nick Cave was involved in the album. Well, I listened to the album to the end. You can hear how well both Ute and the accompanying singers can sing. Nevertheless, I found it altogether too clinically clean, distanced and untrustworthy. I think that's a good description: clean, distant and untrustworthy. I will not become a fan of Ute Lemper 3/5
It has some high points.
I quite enjoyed this one for the most part, really like the Weimar Germany influences with the cabaret and themes of nightlife in Berlin, emphasised by the fact it has a song from Kurt Weill, some of the songs were quite boring though as they were very much like generic 60’s Sinatra type songs in which the divine comedy usually has a passion for and the last song especially was a drag (did not need to be a song yet alone over 10 minutes), favourites: passionate fight, the Kurt Weill one and split. Overall 6/10.
Spotify wouldn't let me listen but what i heard on ubtibe was fine.
I didn't dislike it so it wont get a two star rating. While I found this album to be a bit toothless and muzakesque, it’s well produced and well performed by Ute Lemper. I don’t think it’s a good sign to be checking the track list while listening to see how much of the album is left.
Quite enjoyed this. Bit "dramatic" in places but might revisit.
I'm sure she's dramatic and German and all that but her voice is not that good
I don't see myself revisiting this album, but it's not bad. It really just isn't the type of music I would choose to sit and enjoy
This was different for me.
На самом деле музыка отличная, но совсем не ровная. Лучшая песня - You Were Meant For Me.
An interesting listen featuring some ridiculous talent. While it’s not something I feel compelled to revisit a lot, I’m glad I’ve heard it and know of its existence. Nick Cave proves again that he has a golden touch, and Tom Waits’ Purple Avenue was the highlight to me.
Was confused at first that musical albums were included on this list, but then got it when I looked up her cabaret background. It certainly was interesting, just a little dramatic for regular listening for me.
This feels like cheating because so bet if I could get award winning artists like Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Stevie Nicks to collaborate with me I would make an album that would appear on this list...and honestly I think I would do a better job. I didn't think it was bad it's gots some tracks that are actually great (there's one that sounds like it should be in a James Bond movie) but there's a great deal of waffle and actually shit sounding songs....it's going to be a 3 and I get why it's on the list as I do think everyone should have to suffer through this but only once. I don't get why it's average score is so low however
Some nice songs but mostly not that interesting
It's almost four-stars from me. Based on some of the other listener's notes, I thought it might trigger me into a diatribe of vitriol. But that didn't happen, and I didn't find it over-theatrical. I quite like her voice and appreciate the power of some of the songs. Since I really don't like The Divine Comedy, I'm surprised to find that I quite enjoyed the journey through this album. I certainly can't give it less than three stars.
I’m not typically a fan of crooning showtune style albums but the performances are so great here.
She's an AMAZING singer, but I can't do the overly-theatric music. Every song sounds like a showtune.
I have a story. So I began to listen to this and being familiar with choir music and musical theater, I was like "she sounds like a second alto that decided to make a cover album and sing with others." But I did no research, I wondered if she was German maybe? But as I listened I was more sure she was not a solo musician by typical trade, as it was not a "jazz" voice, nor a "lounge" voice she had, but a more disciplined alto to be sure... So I looked her up. Indeed she is German and indeed she is part of musical theater. Now it all makes sense. She thrives in productions, as part of an ensemble. She is an intricate part (alto) of a team (choir or opera) with a particular musical role and she is trained up for that role. This album made me rethink musicians and singers and their place in that world. I think, in all honesty, that she should stick with musical theater where she can shine as an important member of a team and leave the solo stuff for parts of a production and not an individual career.
Never heard this artist or album but enjoyed it!
Кабаре шансон со щепоткой электроники в аранжировках. Может было бы интереснее, если бы я лучше знал исходные песни.
It’s a good sound, but definitely not my thing. Kind of sounds like a musical.
Great voice and the arrangement of the songs is fun. Very theatrical, very musical theater, not surprised to find that this artist has indeed starred in many stage musicals. You can hear it. I do have to say that this is KINDA a stealthy way to just get another Elvis Costello album on the list since half of the tracks are covers of his songs.
5/10… comedy / Kabarett ???
Heavy dramatic cabaret music. The list of people featured on this album is crazy. Worth a listen, but I can imagine coming back to this
no comment
I really enjoyed it for the first few songs. Then for some reason it turned boring.
Not the type of music I'll keep in my playlists but there were some good ones like "The Case Continues" or "Streets of Berlin", she has a pretty nice voice and the duos sound really well.
I can't say whether this is good or bad. It's not something I am into hearing at this stage of my life.
This one features proficient lyrics written by other artists: 'And I glow with the greatness of my hate for you' (Nick Cave); 'If sex were an olympic sport / we'd have won the gold' (Neil Hannon); 'St. Mary's prayers, / Houdini's hands, / And a barman who always / Understands' (Tom Waits). It also features the voice of an actress who starred in Cabaret and Chicago, a voice very much suitable for those outlets but uninteresting on a bistro-inspired cover album. It's not that it's pretentious, since she does what she is good at. It's that the theatrics don't offer a reason why - why here, why now, why the passion, why the atmosphere? Her best covers are of Waits, since he favors the performative, but the rest are drab and tiresome.
Chanson sounds very nostalgic to me, even if I'm not crazy about it I still like it. A lot like Tank Battles The whorehouse song was beautiful, absolute cinema in music form Lmao I like how it's so obvious when the Scott Walker's song starts that it was written by him I just can't believe all of those fuckers who usually make the most mediocre music can actually make something good. They should've stuck to ghostwriting
the mix between electronic and classical instruments is really well put. Ute has such a beautiful voice. the duets with Neil Hammon in Tango Ballad and in Split ♥️ reminds me of the Hooverphonic live orchestra album Personal favorite: "The case continues" "streets of berlin" & "Purple avenue" "scope j." on the other hand is an experimental snooze-fest and it's sucks that it's the last track. overall : a nice record but unfortunately pretty forgettable
Hmm, it was fine but nothing noteworthy - normally a 2, but +1 for female artists.
I love her voice. Sweet yet powerful, dramatic. Music wise, it's not that interesting, just some smooth pop music. However I'm glad to spend a quiet evening sitting on my couch listening to this through the radio, it has that potential. Well, but that's a life I'll never have. Yes, some of the tracks are very musical theatre, which I do like. Exact 3/5.
I feel like I listened to 57 mins of James Bond theme songs.
This might be the most left field album I’ve gotten yet. German cabaret singer doing songs by an eclectic set of famous musicians. It wasn’t the terrible mess a lot of people see to think it was. Still not exactly my bag, but it was an interesting listening experience. The arrangements and her vocal abilities were pretty impressive and it was a fun exercise to keep my brain with.
Very interesting. Her vocals are compelling and the song choices are great. Wish Hannon didn’t sing on it, but The Divine Comedy works as a house band on it.
Very nice; pleasant listening
Cool stuff
3+
I enjoyed this! Felt like end credits music for a fantasy film
She has a great voice
An easy listen but not particularly interesting.
I quite enjoyed this one, good ballads
I expected this album to resonate with me right away, given the involvement of writers like Nick Cave, Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, Elvis Costello, Philip Glass, and Tom Waits, along with contributions from Scott Walker (mixing) and a musician like Warren Ellis. However, for some reason, it didn’t connect with me. I have no complaints about the quality; it’s well-crafted in every sense. Yet, I found myself hoping for it to end, even on my first listen, and my feelings didn’t change during the second listen.
i looked at the wikipedia page and this album is like, the 1001-albums-you-must-hear-before-you-die equivalent of the Avengers (it also shows that much on the cover but im not observant) if you told me nick cave wrote the whole album and the lead singer was just nick cave with a voice changer i would probably still believe you
3/5
Very mellow. The singer has a wonderful voice.
More inexplicably harsh reviews of this one!
I wanted to like this because I got excited by the names of collaborators on the cover (Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Scott Walker...) but it's pretty boring. 3 instead of 2 because I think the names that worked on it are still very cool but yeah disappointingly boring. Feels like a lesser Nick Cave record, like one full of ballads that all sound the same.
Who?
This was pretty bizarre, but interesting. She has a very dramatic voice, fitting for her musical theater background. And each track has a very distinct feel for each collaborator. Not something I'd seek out, but intriguing and weird.
Took a bit to come around on this one. But once I caught the vibe I was pretty into it. It’s weird to find a genre you’ve never even heard before.
Not sure how to feel about this one
6/10 it's pretty good but not what I'm looking for atm
It's a pretty wide range of songwriters essentially writing songs for musicals. You can hear their influence, from the weird lyricism of Nick Cave, the blues influence of Waits, and the traditional jazz of Costello. And then it gets flattened out and pushed into that sound that every late 20th century musical sounds. It's an interesting project, but it does show the arbitrary limits placed on musical theater. It seems like every non-jukebox musical either has this sound or that rock opera sound.
Different than other albums on this list. Some catchy tunes but it didn't grab my attention or get me to listen more closely as the album played on.
I liked a couple of songs, but most of it wasn't to my taste. Not terribly surprising, given that she's collaborating with a bunch of different people... folks are going to like some, and not like others.
Interesting. Good voice, bluesy, melodious. Horrid songs, almost talky, hate the lack of musicality. 3.5/5
Uhm ok, interessant! Dit is een soort filmmuziek album denk ik? Het zijn allemaal nummers die geschreven zijn door anderen? Met een ijzersterke stem van Ute die er doorheen klinkt. Want jezus wat heeft deze vrouw een stem!!! De muziek is echt ontzettend filmisch en schetst vrij gemakkelijk een beeld dat hierbij hoort. Wel is de muziek vrij veel van hetzelfde, dus hoewel ik het grotendeels episch vind is het uiteindelijk ook ietwat saaiïg? Denk dat Ute haar stem dit album echt een beetje red hier! Uiteindelijk moet ik zeggen dat dit album gewoon een soort musical is. Ik haat musicals. Album is dus gewoon een soort van prima. FAVO: The case continues, passionate fight, Streets of Berlin
I can appreciate a vocal cover album!
I think she did better things
I won’t say that this is The Part You Throw Away, but this wasn’t my favorite.
first listen it's a bit of a ride, little weird
I liked it, but not as much as I thought I would once I saw who contributed to the album. It was a little too much at times.
Mooi, maar niet voor mij
Don't quite know what to make of this. I liked the drama of the Nick Cave opener and The Case Continues from Divine Comedy. Elvis Costello trying to sneak in yet another album can do one. The Tom Waits stuff is good. I can't really envisage a future scenario where I'd be listening to this again. Sounds like watching a film. I got bored before the end. The last two songs caught my attention again because I like Scott Walker, I could have a skipped a chunk of the middle.
Artiste inconnue. Cet album est particulier ! Je n'accroche pas à ce style de musique orchestre + voix, en plus la façon de chanter ne me plait pas trop. Il n'est pas désagréable à écouter (j'ai entendu pire ...), mais j'ai dû sauter d'un morceau à l'autre souvent pour aller au bout. Des exceptions : 2. "The Case Continues" (mélodie au piano, signature rythmique) 12. "Scope J" (harmonie dissonante + structure particulière, le résultat est très original, les +10 mn passent très bien) Je n'y reviendrais probablement pas, sauf peut être pour les exceptions qui me font augmenter la note. Dommage que les autres morceaux ne soient pas aussi réussis. =>3/5
It’s odd. Because on paper I should love this. What pushes people away is what I greatly enjoy: the bombastic theatrical style of the music. But the lyrics are often quite awful. 3/5
Was this made for a musical or something? It's weird. The music is not bad, though.
Its not great but i dont think its quite as bad as you people are making it out to be
Quite dramatic! 2.9
Some of this is goofy and overdramatic. The case continues and much of the middle is very compelling.
Hmm, that was interesting. Not sure about this. It sort of did but then didn't get off to a particularly good start, and continued in that vein. I believe my life would have been poorer for not listening to it, but doubt I will ever do it again. I'm in a real quandary here. I feel it's worth more than a 2 but less than a 3. Well I have already devalued a 2 by giving that to u2 so I having set the president it'll be a 3.
This album is fine, but it is definitely not for me. There was just nothing for me to grab onto here. On the other hand, her voice is beautiful and she uses it well. The songs are well written, and the lyrics are generally good. I just also want the music to be completely different so that I can enjoy it 3/5
never in my life have i been more conflicted on an album on this list. on the one hand, there are so many songs in here that are beautiful and what i wish bjork sounded like. on the other, there are just as many songs that are exactly what bjork does sound like, and we’re back to that. i don’t know. i found myself swinging back and forth between 2 and 4 listening to this so for that reason it gets a 3, but not because it’s boring or mid but because i don’t know what to do here. i also like AND hare how musical theater ish some of the songs are. i just can’t seem to form a concrete opinion on this album
Pre-listening thoughts: I was lowkey excited for this cause like a woman! An international album! An album made this century! BUT NO. OFC THERES SONGS BY: TOM WAITS. NOT AGAIN PLEASE FREE ME. I JUST had to listen to him YESTERDAY. Hoping his songs sound better sung by someone else cause I really can’t go through yesterday again. Post/during listening thoughts: she has such a beautiful voice that carries lots of emotion. The strings are gorgeous in this first track but something is missing - it feels a little too freeform for my tastes. Now the second track is more up my alley, we’re seeing big arrangements that don’t get lost in themselves! I am a littleeee convinced the guy who originally made this book is obsessed with Elvis Costello enough to put this in there JUST because of him. Ute gets a little caught in the lyrics in track 4 which I can’t spell sorry. It’s a mouthful (the title and all of the lyrics!). Man this album kinda feels musical-esque as well. I could hear the boo hoo in the first Tom Waits track immediately. Wait but “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”…. See maybe Tom Waits can cook if it’s not his own voice lol! WHY DO ALL OF THESE ALBUMS HAVE TO END ON 10 MIN TRACKS?! Can’t we just conclude an album with a 2 min song I’m TIRED. This like should be right up my alley but it’s just nottt hitting the right spots for me. Idk if it’s cause I’m tired but I’m finding myself bored. Wait why is her voice very lowkey giving Pearl from Steven Universe can she cover It’s Over Isn’t It 5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: The Case Continues, Passionate Fight, Split, Purple Avenue (Tom Waits is sometimes not my opp fr) Least fav tracks: Tango Ballad, The Part You Throw Away (Tom Waits is my opp fr), Scope J
9/12/24. I typically don't get exposed to cabaret style music very often, but it's always entertaining and different. I enjoyed the grand, large-scale production on this one, along with the variety of different artists. Almost like a movie score!
beh l'ho ascoltato
This album was quite unusual. It felt a little bit musical theatre with the back and forth between vocalists, and seemed to have a storyline ongoing. The Divine Comedy seem to feature a lot here, and they’ll be here sound great. Not to detract from Ute, who also sounds fantastic, but Ute is a person I’d never heard of before. Overall, I can safely say that I enjoyed this, but also that I don’t think it is an album that will stick with me and necessitate a return.
Not bad
I like these songs musically. The lyrics are often overwrought and seem as if they've been translated into English; and the subject-matter is melodramatic but seems to take itself seriously, not playful or campy. I'd rate this at least 4 stars if it were instrumental.
I thought it was an original proposal, even though it wasn't my style at all
Didn’t listen to it in full to be honest don’t know if I fully enjoyed it but will try it again - can definitely appreciate it
I listened. It's interesting. I'll never listen again. I think German cabaret falls into one of those "Oh that was a fun thing I saw on a random Tuesday night" but I'm not going to actively seek it out.
A little boring
Equally funny and bad. Makes it good for the wrong reasons
Interesting but not really for me (3)
This was a new one to me, never heard of Ute Lemper before (or Kurt Weill for that matter). I found it very interesting, not something I would be in a rush to listen to again though. I didn't like the duet songs at all, but found the second track and the last pretty fantastic. Reminded me of latter period David Bowie and Scott Walker in places.
Lemper’s voice is kinda cool. The quality of the songs varies with that of the collaborators.
wonderful
Hand up, came in fully expecting to hate this album. I mean, featuring songs by Nick Cave, Tom Waits, and Scott Walker is basically a war crime for me. But this was pretty good for the most part. Definitely not monotonous or plain underneath the vocals. Fair enough, Ute. Favorite track: Punishing Kiss
Very artistic and beautiful. Won’t listen again.
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.
Kissy
Doesn't the guy who made up this list owe us SOME kind of explanation? If he offered a few words about each one, maybe people would not be so pissed off and puzzled. Come on, man.
OK, this was unexpected. A German music theater kid who did the localized singing dubs for Disney's Little Mermaid & Hunchback, doing avant-garde orchestral pop numbers with an operatic voice, including lines like "If sex were an Olympic sport, we'd have won the gold." The last track in particular is nearly 11m of what sounds like a literal train wreck w/ an off-key ambulance siren blaring over a dissonant orchestra (sounds like when my kid opens up the digital piano, sets it to "strings," and then leans on as many keys as possible at the same time.), interspersed with haunting piano tri-tones that would fit right into the Severance soundtrack. Probably not something I'd choose to listen to, but kudos for actually pushing musical boundaries on this list & not just shoving another 900 Neil Young & other generic classic rock albums down our throats.
Very theatrical. You have to admire the talent.
Fallegt, einvala lið sem kemur að tónlistinni.
Last song was too weird. Album was interesting though, very theatrical
Not really my cup of tea, but it's interesting and grand in places. It has a mix of cabaret and modern sounds with a dark and moody vibe. Kinda theatrical. It's a decent listen if you like a blend of classic and contemporary music.
This one really confused me. It was well produced and the storytelling was well done, but I had no idea how to approach the cabaret style of music. I definitely found myself warming up to it by the end, and I am very glad to have listened to this because I never would have otherwise, but at the end of the day, it’s just not for me
A good background album.
Not my style, but she can sing.
A haunting, beautiful, theatrical album. It's not my cup of tea, but i think all our parents would really enjoy it.
Sounds like a musical I'd never watch. Kinda like it, kinda not.
I thought I would hate this after the first song but I kinda enjoyed it. Euro-sex and Euro-noir? Yes please! Concept album! Hell yes! Cool artist guests? Oh yeah! First and last tracks are drags. Really liked “The Case Continues”. Best line on the album: “If sex was an Olympic sport, we’d have won gold” Split was good too and it should have ended with the James Bond-esque sounding “You Were Meant For Me”. Btw - never heard of Ute or this album before.
Nogle sange havde næsten James Bond titelsang kvalitet, andre var bare transportsange, som skulle lede dig videre til næste. Om end meget bedre end jeg frygtede da jeg så artisten hed Ute :)
Okay... Det her var en meget positiv overraskelse. Det er ikke fordi det er banebrydende, men bare virkelig godt håndværk! Stryger arrangementer, og kæmpe lydflader, drama og teater. Jeg svævede direkte igennem hele albummet uden at føle det blev kedeligt. Sejt nok!
Overall, I quite like this. At it's best it's theatrical and very dramatic. Lots of people are hating on this, but I'd way rather listen to something like this than some insipid, safe pop album. This one at least swings for the fences a little bit and is doing something interesting. Funnily enough, the tracks I like the least are where other artists are involved that I'm not particularly a fan of.
Okay album, great voice by Ute, some very interesting guests on the album, but it definitely wasn't something spectacular. Just not a type of a record I would like to listen to.
This is definitely not my scene, but I appreciate the musicianship on this album. It's a little too torch for me. Lemper has a good voice, and she seems to have no problem singing in 5/4 time or a swung waltz along with many others.
tries to be baroque, but ends up being just too much and sometimes even comical. there's a few very good songs
I was expecting this to be a 4 star but alas it didn’t quite make it. I love the lyrics and story telling, it’s the closest something has gotten to Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds musically without being Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds. Favourite track: Die Dreigroschenoper Tango Ballet.
I didn’t like it at first but it grew on me. I’m still not sure why it’s here when there’s so many more impactful broadway recordings and this was nothing new in 2000
Very different from the other albums on here. Very broadway-esque. Enjoyed it
Great voice.
A collaboration between German musicals singer Ute Lempur and The Divine Comedy, with contributions of songs by other artists including Nick Cave. It has pedigree. The end result is quite nice, whimsical, easy listening music, which given the two main artists involved, shouldn't be surprising. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Little Water Song Date listened: 24/04/24
Spooky and theatrical. I liked it, but wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it
Interesting, not that I would prescribe a daily dose, but for something out of the ordinary, it was interesting.
classical (sinatra) woman singer. pretty good
Interesting Cabernet style music. Wouldn’t listen to it often but was interesting and she has a very talented voice.
Interesting
It's giving depressed James Bond lounge singer.
I feel like I should like this given some of the talent involved. Unfortunately rather than hitting any heights this just sounds like background music in a cafe.
3.75
dark and atmospheric. emotive and powerful voice. very much reminded me of a female version of nick cave. consider me intrigued.
It’s definitely theater kid music but i mean that in the best way possible. Not exactly for me, but I appreciate it musically and will revisit one day.
This so strange and so fun to listen to. German stage legend Ute Lemper recruited an avengers squad of her alt-lounge songwriter bros to provide covers for a frothy, raunchy, funny, and violent modern cabaret. There's almost as much drama as a Metallica album, but she's leaning into the camp on a song like "Die Dreigonschenoper" a duet about a couple missing that old whore house where they used to live. "The Part You Throw Away" and "Purple Avenue" are stand outs, both Tom Waits covers.
A medieval gothic vibe to this one. Didn't care for it much at first but it did grow on me. Can't deny Ute has some chops, even if I don't necessarily want to listen to it again. 3.5
This was a weird experience. Clearly she is a good singer, and I like some of the music in the background, but I never felt comfortable listening to it. It leaves me feeling odd. I get the feeling there's more to dig into here, but I don't really want to.
ouuuuuuuuuu well not my thing i’ll say that nuch
Again, another low rated album that is nowhere near as bad as the ratings on this website would have you believe. I didn’t mind this. It’s nice and theatrical, and has a strong cabaret flavour, mixed with faux John Barry/James Bond musical arrangements. Camp, but never completely jumps the shark. Yeh, this was alright.
C'était peut-être le seul mannequin allemand à qui c'était pas trop une mauvaise idée de mettre un micro entre les mains, par opposition totale à un autre dont le pseudonyme commence par Ni et finit par co. Dites-nous tout le mal que vous pensez des albums de Nico sur robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com
Un bel album commémoratif, retraçant le générateur a travers plusieurs de ses artistes les plus mémorables. On y retrouve par exemple la fraude Costello, le professionnel du stand up Tom Waits, le dépressif Nick Cave sans ses mauvaises graines, le faux Charles Aznavour en la personne de Scott Walker, et notre chouchou The Divine COmedy surnageant parmi tous ces artistes moyens. L'occasion de vous rappeler que la lutte anti-Costello bat son plein, n'hesitez pas à vous abonner à la newletter robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com
Pretty good. A musical feel to it; enjoyable, smooth songs with gritty subject matters.
Starts out well, cabaret pop, very atmospheric, but eventually vanishes up its own rear end.
So chill… not sure what inspires such indignance in so many users here. The Scott Walker composition was a nice suprise!
Bruh
Not at all my style, however very nice voice
Sounds like a bunch of songs that didn't make the cut for the latest James Bond movie. Not terrible really, but I don't want to hear more than one at a time.
This felt like female nick cage music which makes sense given that he was a featured artist. Gonna get the same rating as average nick cage stuff too. Fav song was the Beth gibbons song that came on after the album ended.
Chill, un peu space aussi, je l'écouterais pas tous les jours mais c'est certainement de la bonne musique
This is the first album from the list to confuse me. It's like cabaret tunes written by your goth friend. It's smart, depressive, very over the top, and pretty interesting, in certain ways. That said, even after finishing it, I have no idea if it's meant to be taken seriously, as campy fun, or somewhere in between.
One of the things I enjoy about this little project is getting these out of the blue genres that I'd never have picked on my own. Cabaret singer doing Nick Cave and Tom Waits? Heck sure, why not. It's pretty good! I don't know if I'll ever have the desire to listen to it again -- but if one of these tunes comes up on shuffle, I'm not hitting FF. Unexpected bangers: Tango Ballad, Split
I don't know what to make of this album. It's kind of like a compilation of Broadway-style songs featuring different vocalists. I was sort of surprised to see this was from 2000 for some reason. I don't really know who the intended audience for this record would have been at that time. I mean there are some cool songs here but I guess I don't really get why it was made. It sort of seems like these songs were all cast offs from failed Broadway shows and they just lumped them all together. It was interesting to listen to, not offensive in any way, flowed well from one to the next, but I won't be listening to this album again. 2.5/5 rounding up to 3.
I couldn't find that album. On Spotify, it was greyed out, on AM, YTM, Tidal, and Deezer it wasn't there.
Some excellent tracks, would be a 4 but not so keen on a couple of the latter tracks.
Voice is phenomenal but the album should be 15-20 mins shorter
Slow pop with some dark cabaret vibes. I didn't like it much at first, but it seemed to have grown on me by the end (either that or the second half was just better). Might require a re-listen.
nothing noteworthy
Some great songwriters but a little too Broadway and a little too bleak for my aste. It could grow in me.
i mean its decent music but it feels strange to encounter on this list of amazing or historical albums
Think a German Streisand
Good voice, was expecting a Marlene Dietrich strong German accent, but the vocal is strong and clear. Divine Comedy is as good as usual and I can kind of hear Elvis Costello’s phrasing. Overall it’s OK, but not something I’ll choose again (but please note that the last song, Scope J, is particularly poor).
Sounded like a Broadway show. The lyrical content didn't do it for me, but The Divine Comedy as the backing band killed it. Made me wish there was an instrumental version of the album.
Show tunes but rock album? Her cadence was a little tough to get into, but it was pretty good. Good instrumentals. Wanted to skip quite a few times
It's all right I suppose - maybe for COC?
I've enjoyed other recordings of Ute Lemper singing Kurt Weill - but I agree with other reviewers, there was something a little phony about this.
3.5
3*
Little Water Song - excellent. Powerful evocative vocals and lovely strings The Case Continues - equally good. Passionate Fight - awful. Too much Divine Comedy Die Drigoschenoper - Dreadful. Hannon at his worst. Couldn't You Keep That To Yourself - No. Streets of Berlin - pretty good actually The Part You Throw Away - Cabaret, but listenable Split - No. Eurovision like. Punishing Kiss - Jazz cabaret Purple Avenue - pretty good You Were Meant for me - interesting. Very 007 sound Scope J - too Phantom of the Opera Overall a 3. Divine Comedy dragged it down
A lot of great features for this German woman's album who I've never heard of before. Turns out Ute Lemper has some incredible songs here. Incredibly fancy and theatrical in nature, the runtime ends up being a bit of a mixed bag. This is especially true for the closer Scope J., which does little to justify it's length or inclusion. This album drags on as it continues, but there are some pieces of artistic merit that make listening a worthwhile experience.
One of the most aptly titled albums ever?
This is kind of bonkers - overblown show versions of songs with the madcap backing of the Divine Comedy.
Meh, not sure where I sit when it comes to this cabaret-style pop music. Ute Lemper has a strong, haunting voice, which really adds to the experience of listening to this. Generally it felt a bit OTT though, and just fell into tedium for much of the album. The first couple of songs were okay though. Not sure it was bad, just weird and not really meshing well with my day working in the office. Favourite: The Case Continues
The drama!! The absurd lyrics!! I guess this is as close to a cast recording as we're gonna get. The music is good and some parts of the songs are really good, but original musicals take like 10 years to make and I'm guessing these lyrics didn't get that treatment. It's giving a decent original song from a musical tv show vibe. 3.
German cabaret, huh? All I can say is I cannot sink in to the genre. Ute Lemper is clearly a dynamic, emotive vocalist. She clearly has the respect of the industry, based on her collaborators. It's all lost on me. This is a style of music and singing that does not compute.
Idk this is just boring... 5/10
3/12, 25%
Lovely
Nuevamente, me encuentro escuchando algo que desconocía. Su comienzo me recuerda a la voz de Beth Gibbons de Portishead. Ute Lemper se siente profunda, pasional, hasta quizás para alguna película de Tim Burton o de David Lynch. Gran gran voz. Puede maridar bien con un almuerzo o cena íntimas.
Dramatic singing of covers in a german cabaret style, produced and coworked by the divine comedy. good stuff but very uneven
I don't think this album does her justice.
Album 223 of 1001 Ute Lemper - Punishing Kiss Rating : 3 / 5 It was like listening to a female Leonard Cohen with a bunch of guest performers who seem like Leonard Cohen. Pretty relaxing sounds, actually. Very interesting listen. Interesting. Not necessarily musically outstanding.
Musikaalimusiikkia, paljon fiilistelyitä ja tunnelmointia. Taustamusiikiksi sopivaa, mutta aktiivisessa kuuntelussa keskittyminen herpaantuu nopeasti. Ei yhtään huono, varsinkin kun en ollut koskaan kuullut ko. artistista.
The first song was great, I loved it. Great vocals, and lots of influence from Bjork, Kate Bush and even Shirley Bassey. The rest, though, were all in show tune style, which I didn't really like but understand that is her background. That being said, I also felt there were Bond theme vibes occasionally,and maybe this was a type of audition for her to potentially sing a future James Bond theme...which I think she would have been brilliant at. If I can find her singing non-show songs, (I bet she'd be a great jazz singer!) I would definitely listen to her again.
The fuck…? I have never heard of this artist, but this album is fun. Kind of like Goldfrapp meets Liza Minnelli. YMMV but this is so far mostly pretty good. She’s a great vocalist.
Feels like the soundtrack to a stage show. I enjoyed the quirky lyrics. Fave song is probably Die Dreigroschenoper: Tango Ballad
Bit of a puzzling inclusion on the list as Robert Dimery barely seems to know that continental Europe exists, but hearing Neil Hannon appear in a song and then reading that this is a side project of his, it suddenly makes sense. Really, Dimery shoulda included The Duckworth Lewis Method if he wanted to add some more Hannon - a cricket themed indie pop concept album would have provoked some delightful reviews from our cousins across the pond. 😆 This album is alright, I guess - some of the songs work a lot better than others. Fave track - "The Case Continues" for being Bond theme-esque, and "Scope J" for being Bond credits music-esque...
Not my usual vibe but fairly enjoyable. Little water song I was thinking sounded like a female Nick Cave and yeah, sure enough 🥲
Soft 3
Well that's a trip!
An interesting one. I've never heard about it or even seen the cover. Interesting moody songs. Some moments of the album feel very intense.
This album is worth a listen for fans of cabaret, chanson, and art pop. It showcases Lemper's talent and versatility as a singer and interpreter of songs. It is also a tribute to the legacy of Kurt Weill and his influence on modern music. However, the album is not too my personal taste. I felt that some of the songs were too similar to each other and lacked variety. I appreciate the artistic value of the album, but I won't be listening to it again anytime soon. I would give this album 3 out of 5 stars. It is an important album that deserves more attention and appreciation than it has received, but it is not for everyone.
Ute Lemper’s Punishing Kiss is a bold, ballsy showcase of her strong, theatrical voice. While she brings real power and personality to the songs, she isn’t weighed down by the larger-than-life fame of someone like Streisand — which is honestly a plus. The album is mostly pretty inoffensive and easy to listen to, with a few genuinely great melodies shining through. 3/5.
Best Song: The Case Continues. Suave, sultry. Sounds like it could be a Bond song. Worst Song: Die Dreigroschenoper: Tango Ballad. Far too campy for me. Also, much of the lyrics seem wholly unfit for the instrumentals, so the vocalists have to rush the phrasing to finish in time. Overall: Nice vocals paired with nice songwriting here, although (seemingly be the nature of the project) the songs are really eclectic, which detracts from any sense of cohesion the album might have.
For a rock singer, Ute is a pretty good stage singer. Her over-emphasis on a LOT of the songs made it feel like I was listening to a cast recording of some Broadways show. It was all... a bit too much.
Meh. Lemper's got a decent voice and the whole album felt like a cross between old-timey jazz (Sinatra style) and baroque or orchestral. I didn't mind it, enjoyed certain parts a fair bit, but I'm not going to go out of my way to look for more of her stuff.
Little Water Song - 7.5/10 The Case Continues - 8/10 Costello: Passionate Fight- 8/10 Weill: Die Dreigroschenoper Tango Ballad - 8/10 Couldn't You Keep That to Yourself -8/10 Streets of Berlin - 8/10 The Part You Throw Away - 7.5/10 Split - 8/10 Punishing Kiss - 8/10 Purple Avenue - 8/10 You Were Meant for Me - 8/10 Scope J - 7/10 TOTAL - 94/120
Some fun tunes but nothing I'll come back to
I was expecting to strongly dislike this, as I usually dislike cabaret style music, but this was not bad. Yes, it was a bit dramatic and cabaret-ish, but it wasn't over the top on that front and was balanced out by interesting songs and guest performers. Still not something I would listen to regularly but I'm glad to hear it once. 3 stars.
For all the precisely articulated drama, this gets pretty meh pretty quickly. And record that focuses on top-class vocals compromises itself with lines like "If sex were an Olympic sport/We'd have won the gold." She's got a strong voice (obvs), but this doesn't come off. The horns are too much here, the strings too syrupy there, not to mention several moments where the songs feel overpowered by unnecessary emoting. "Tango Ballad" is lurid lyrically, but musically excellent. Odd that most of the standout moments are about the sounds more so than the vocals (see end of "Passionate Flight" and the intro of "Die Dreigro" and the accordion solo flourishes on the Tom Waits tunes, which seem most suited, among the contributors, to her stylings. This is not exactly Kate Bush, but more for people who like a certain old style of talky cabaret singing and don't mind a bit of anachronistic udpating. Perhaps she should stick to lieder, chanson and Weimar schtick.
I love Ute's voice and the other artists on this album are amazing but in all it doesn't quite do it for me
An interesting album for sure. Dramatic vocal stylings. Unique songs that fit her voice and style well. I especially liked The Case Continues and the opener Little Water Song. 3.5 stars
I like the backing band, and the instrumentation, but it's a bit too dramatic for me after a few songs.
This sounds like a musical from another era and the fact a lot of the songs are covers it's hard to tell. It has an interesting sound that oddly appealing at times. Not my music of choice, but it is okay to listen outside of your comfort zone sometimes, right?
So ~*dramatic*~
The Divine Comedy are my favourite band but I’d somehow never got around to listening to this. Ute Lemper has a great voice but these do occasionally sound like cabaret covers of stuff Neil Hannon, Scott Walker and Nick Cave do better themselves. It’s not essential by any stretch of the imagination but it’s considerably better and more interesting than a lot of the reviews on here suggest. It’s a 3 but I’m feeling generous so go to 4 as I know I will come back to listen to it again Edit - much as I like it and think it was harshly judged by lots on here I can’t stick the 4 so a 3 feels fair
Pop. Clásico. Un poco aburrido.
Lemper has a quality that would be awesome for a stage musical
All right, but not for me.
Show tunes wow
Pretty interesting project, a little excessive at times though. 3.5/5
Sounded a bit like a Bond soundtrack in parts.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: The case continues
Meh
Very strange and not my cup of tea. Not boring anyway.