Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Very strange and not my cup of tea. Not boring anyway.
Average. Lyrics kinda interesting.
I was excited for this bc yay Germans & cool guest musicians. I was a little dissapointed.
Loved her voice. So passionate, seductive and emotional. Liked the songs. You can tell that Nick Cave and Tom Waits were around. I am listening to this a couple of times more.
Seemed like this record had a lot of potential to be pretty cool, given the names involved. And it is, but it isn't really what I was expecting or hoping. The orchestral, chamber pop nature of the all the arrangements lends a nice juxtaposition to the darker subject matter conveyed in the lyrics, but it just really isn't for me. That isn't to say it wasn't enjoyable to listen to.
not bad
I imagine super rich people listening to this when they get nostalgic for the late '90s.
Vähän hidas mun makuun, mutta selkeesti hyvällä tyylitajulla tehty. Aika vaikuttava kööri mukana.
Tiukka ääni ja melkoinen lauluntekijäkimara! Osa biiseistä genressään oikein hyviä, osa taas jäi vähän kädenlämpöiseksi. Varmaan 3/5.
Like a box of Ferrero Rocher, one Ute Lemper song makes you think this is the best thing ever. But after twelve the richness makes you feel a little bit sick. When you add in Neil Hannon as well, we really are at risk of diabetes. If you could discipline yourself to listening to this as one track a day that would be best.
Not a fan of show tunes and that is what this really reminds me of. It isn't bad for what it is, but I don't think I would ever seek this out to listen to it again. Overall I give it a 3/5 (which is good for something I don't ever want to hear again!)
Very operatic / musical.
interesting slow music
I liked it. Had a very dramatic storybookish nature to it. Very showy
I had a busy day and had to listen to this as background music while talking with others. This is definitely not the right way to listen to this bad boy. I wanted to get the New Year off on the right foot and not be behind on my 1001 homework so 3 it is.
December 28, 2022 3* 1st cabaret-esque record Points for the theatricality and eclecticism on display, conjures up a stormy Broadway musical thought I knew what I was getting into with the Walker track (based on “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore”), the brief break from dissonance was a goosebumps moment, but it definitely felt its length The album leaves me more curious about The Divine Comedy/Neil Hannon, and about Ute Lemper’s career (sounds like this English crossover was kind of an anomaly) HL: the Tom Waits ones, “Little Water Song”, “Punishing Kiss”, “You Were Meant For Me”, “The Case Continues”
This album has a dark and monumental sound, kind of in the vein of Scott Walker. Like other reviewers, I was hopeful seeing songs by Nick Cave, Elvis Costello and Tom Waits, but ultimately the album mostly left me cold. I don't know anything about Ute Lemper and have no idea if all her music sounds like this. I do know Neil Hannon though, and his fingerprints are all over this album. As with much of his work with Divine Comedy, I had difficulty feeling much of a connection to this music. It's well-constructed music that is awfully heavy handed and draggy in its execution. 57 minutes of this is beyond enough and I was weary of it long before it was over. Lemper is a talented enough vocalist, if a fairly bland one. I keep thinking these songs would work better if someone else were singing them. Fave Songs: Purple Avenue, Passionate Fight, The Part You Throw Away, Couldn't You Keep That to Yourself, You Were Meant For Me
Interessant en sfeervol album
Not saying you can't have a good jazz album solely made up of covers of songs, but it certainly would be difficult. A good cover respects the original while also adding the covering artists signature flair to the song. These covers don't sound like their originals so she has that going for her. Where she falls short is that the flair she adds isn't really enough. It wasn't enough to interest me very much. Like a boring James Bond intro song. Technically good and it's not unbearable, but I'm going to choose not to bear it in the future. 3/5
This seems like one of those albums that didn’t make a splash commercially or critically but the book compiler has decided ‘fuck it, we’ve not had any German cabaret singers interpreting rock’s most melodramatic songwriters, let’s stick this in’. And you know what, I don’t mind it. It’s something different. Not a genre I'd usually listen to but a bit of Bond-theme bombast every once in a while is no bad thing.
Punishing Kiss is quite engaging in that it has this enormous big screen sound and energy about it that convinces me overlook some of the musical shortcomings and just feel the emotion in the delivery. It pulls it off enough for a 3/5, it treads that fine line of being a pastiche of itself but still serious enough perfectly imo.
Never heard of Ute or this album, but obviously do know a lot of her contributors. It's been absolutely trashed on the site, but I really quite like it. It's not exactly groundbreaking, but it's lyrically clever, her voice is beautiful, and she tells some really fun stories. The people who compare this to hotel background music clearly haven't been listening properly, it's way too hard-hitting for that. Shades of musical theatre and bombastic Bond theme tunes in places, pretty melancholy in others, I think this is great. 3, pushing close to a 4.
eh
It's well arranged, produced, played and sung and is certainly in it's own niche. Stylised and theatrical which characterises all the artists featured. It doesn't deserve some of the bad reviews hurled at it considering some of the other stuff I've had to listen to but it does sound like film music and lacks a soul in my opinion. Maybe that's part of the package? It feels like musicians being paid to go through the motions. Very accomplished musicans but integrity goes a long way.
Osa kappaleista oli komeita kuunneltavia ja työpaikan avokonttori ei tehnyt olosuhteena kunniaa levylle. En kyllä tiedä mikä olisi oikea hetki tälle, ehkä jonkun videopelin taustamusana tms.. Taipuu kolmosen puolelle.
Ihan makee setti. Harvemmin tulee kuunneltua tollasta... no en itse asiassa tiiä miksi tota kutsutaan, mut kuitenkin. Tykkäsin.
像是个音乐剧，歌剧，有些口白之类的感觉，还是蛮有趣，华丽的。
This came out of left field, in a good way. Lemper's stage musical singing chops really shine, and the musical compositions are top notch. I was unaware of Lemper's pedigree as the (THE) modern interpretive authority on Kurt Weill and "Tango Ballad" is perhaps the most interesting interpretation on an album of very interesting interpretations. Not sure I'd listen to this on repeat, but when in the mood this album hits all the right spots.
I really wanted to recognize this album for its remarkable collection of songwriting, and while I did enjoy the music at times, it started to feel long and slow and a bit underwhelming. Balances out to an average 3.
Quite strange to include what is essentially a covers album on here, but it was an interesting listen, a lot of the arrangements are lovely
Ultimately disappointing: a great voice obviously, but with three or four notable exceptions, the choice of material doesn't match the potential of the possibilities.
3, dramatic
This was interesting. I like the world that the album creates; makes me feel like I'm wearing a bit into a different time. Ute's singing though was often the best or worst part of the song.
Fancy, but somewhat boring
Beautiful voice, music behind it was uninteresting
6/10 Best Song - Punishing Kiss
Like listening to a string of Bond theme songs which I'd never heard before. She's CLEARLY a stage singer - everything sounds Broadway. Didn't add - though I did listen to chunks of her other THREE DOZEN albums.
A solid album with variety, good writing and every song is decent. I loved the musical composition and orchestration. And the features are very noteworthy, esp. Nick Cave, Elvis Costello and Tom Waits. Only thing that keeps me away from giving 4 stars is her vocals. FT: The Part You Throw Away Little Water Song Punishing Kiss Purple Avenue The Case Continues Passionate Fight
On first listen, I didn't love this as much as I expected to but I suspect it will grow on me with repeated listening.
This is the kind of thing that is so unexpected that ends up being a good experience. I'm not a fan of "The divine comedy", but these versions and songs are pretty much cool. They are not quintessential for music, but I already received many worst things on this list, so, this is nice.
Eh
Lite häftig men också lite enspårig. Coolt ljud!
Förvånandsvärt bra? jag var livrädd att det skulle vara trist swing yehaw det svänger katten ^.^ men det här var mer gothhhh. men fortfarande covers så lame zz.
I agree with the one review that says "Respectable, but not my type of music". It's very well done, but it's not my type of music. Favorite Songs: Couldn't You Keep That to Yourself, The Part You Throw Away, Purple Avenue, Scope J.
So I was going to give this a 4, I really was. But that was before it went on and on way longer than it should have. I enjoyed it at first but I got tired of the same relentlessly dramatic style that felt tedious and redundant during the whole second half. Super theatrical, which would have been cool if it had ended 30 min earlier.
Interesting sound with lots of good collaboration.
I think it's really fun. The vocals fucking rip honestly. Maybe the writing isn't exactly the best. But it's super fun, feels like dramatic as it gets.
3 stars. Nothing interesting here to talk about. Just a lengthy pseudo-musical record that doesn’t do much for me
Too theatrical to my liking, but there's no denying the singer's presence.
A German cabaret singer who I heard in my childhood in Hunchback of Notredam. (see Spotify most listen) Again, I wonder why it's one of the 1001 albums? (6/10) FT: Tango Ballad, The Part You Throw Away
A bit odd, a bit musical, a bit over the top in places. Had never heard of this person but don't mind the album.
Musicals. Not for me. She has a good voice though. Very musicals
Esta chido... pero como que le hecha mucha crema a la voz y termina enfadando.
Pas trop mon style mais belle voix. Je n'ai pas écouté jusqu'au bout. 3
Nah I'm skipping this one, who is this person and why should I care lol I'm sorry if this is pretentious but like cmon
weird album. not bad just weird
So theatrical. A bit surprised to see some Tom Waits covers but it sort of makes sense. I generally do not get into this sort of thing, but she's clearly talented.
A strong vocal performance from Ute Lemper. My first time listening to any of her work, but I'm very much intrigued to hear more of her music.
Sounds like it are musical songs All songs are good, but feel like there from a musical 3,5/5
Dramatic, ominous showtunes. A good time!!
Wow I actually like this album (Apple Music previews), but it's not available here :(
Very interesting cabaret style album
Complex and odd (in a bad way) but I did like passionate fight
Did listen, and quite liked. If you were into this go see Camille O’Sullivan if ever things open up enough for gigs to be played.
This has strong musical vibes. Which for me means I sort of hate it. I love to listen to the soundtrack for a musical if I know the songs and can sing along. It’s a chicken/egg situation.
Great voice; the lyrics dig into deep narrative and character development. Tho it sometimes falls into too much edgy cynicism for my taste
Is this a musical? Very wierd, but interesting. A lot of drama. Music was a little... cabaret for me at times, but also quite beautiful. A lot of big names on here...I don't really understand what's going on, but it kept me semi intrigued
Buen disco. Tiene algún tema maravilloso y otros demasiado grandilocuentes y agotadores
5/10. This was so weird, the vocal performance was great but the songs were so cheesy and I only liked a few of them
6/10. Weird that there was a duet about missing the good old days when they were living in a whorehouse.
Eerie and beautiful. I don't think I'll revisit it, but the haunting sound here will stick for a while.
Interesting idea for an album but the music just didn’t sit well with me. 5
good sound but not really what I'm ever looking for
I would never have heard this without this project, I maynever hear it again, but it was a nice listen while it was here. There are a couple of wonderful songs, and a couple of almost unbearable ones. Those couple of wonderful ones are so wonderful they make up for the rest. The woman has a killer voice too.
Classy, pretty interesting. Favourite song: The Case Continues
This lacks a bit of life, which keeps it from being as beautiful a set of songs as it hints at. Lemper has a good voice, but the recordings seem a bit by-the-numbers. Ditto with the instrumentals, though they have nicely sharp bits. It's certainly cozy, though, and I can see myself returning if I become fonder of any of the non-Scott Walker writers or listen to more Lemper or Divine Comedy. The closing song is a great Walker suite, but it speaks to his strengths more than it reinforces the rest of the album.
6/10 FT: split
Not my style. Vaguely confusing in most ways, not necassarily a bad thing. I really like Split (track 8) but thats the only one.
This is a bit odd, it's arty and a little avant garde without ever being dangerous or too edgy.
Dramatic and artsy cabaret-style music. It was interesting and she's a good singer but the album overstayed its welcome and there weren't any highlights that I'd want to listen to again.
A collection of what sounds like bad show tunes. On more than one track I was baffled by lyrics like “If sex were an Olympic sport you’d have won the gold”. I couldn’t take this album seriously and neither should you.
Punishing Kiss by Ute Lemper sounds like the title of a weird German porn. It seems the writing was quite on par for that so she made a weird album instead.
There are some pretty damning reviews for this and I don't think it's as awful as they would make out. On paper it's some sort of bizarre cabaret meets Divine Comedy, and in reality that's exactly what it sounds like. It's never going to make anyone's top ten and I'm not sure why it's included in this list but it wasn't awful. It sounds like it's slightly tongue-in-cheek, but even if it isn't, well, that's sort of funny too
Strong vocals but outside a few tracks near the end the instrumentation wasn’t particularly memorable
5/10
This was a strange one and definitely something I would have never listened to or heard of if I hadn’t done this. It almost felt like a musical soundtrack. I could almost see the over dramatic scenes play out on a stage while it was playing. Not something I’d ever listen to again but interesting to try.
Out of line with my usual listening, so didn't really enjoy this. Just strange and not in an enjoyable way.
Best part of this album is the list of features. Could take or leave the music
Ærlig talt jeg synes det er lidt halvhjertet sammenlignet med sådan noget som Dagmar Krause. Lidt sjovt at se så mange kunstnere fra 1001 Expanded Universe på coveret
As if this was made to please the 1001 albums crowd (at least the ones who like the some of the obscure artists)
Parts of this were listenable. Other parts, not so much.
The Case Continues is top tier, everything else is instantly forgettable.
Nå baladigt singer songwriter feel. Ljummen.
klinkt als een Sherlock Holmes movie soundtrack, met Georges Bataille als regisseur tis oke, zolang je het maar ni al te serieus pakt would not listen again
Cringe lyrics, instruments were okay, vocals were good
i guess 1001 was too many to only put like, real meaningful ones huh? tho i didnt hate it so whateva
Meh. The music is fine but the vocals...
Lounge and avant garde are two styles that don't really mix. Nice vocals and interesting production in places but it was mostly too out there for its own good
I'm not a fan of traditional German music. Mind you, Ute Lemper is barely traditional, but it leans enough that way that I didn't enjoy this album. The final song, Scope J, is very unique, feeling more minimalist, but still barely to my likiing. There is good music here, but not in my wheelhouse. 2/5
Out there, but I don’t think in a good way. I was impressed with her vocals on the first song, but it started to transpire into some theatrical work I wasn’t a fan of. Yikes on the last song… Rating: 3/10 Favorite Song: Little Water Song, you were meant for me
2/5 Favorite Song: Split
tower of terror hotel lobby-ass music
I don't know what to do with this. Adding a star because Kurt Weill, Phillip Glass, Joby Talbot, and an omnipresent bandoneon, all of which makes me feel like I should like this but also I spent the entire album thinking "what the actual f is happening right now," and not in the super-cool-but-out-there-art-that-makes-you-think kind of way, just in "what the actual f" kind of way. I don't regret listening to it, it was an experience, but it also is not an experience I need to have again.
merkwürdiges Album
nope
Mid mid mid skip skip; 2
Holy holy holy Lord Smaug almighty Burn baby burn This ain't no disco inferno Outside the collaborations with Cave and Costello I didn't get much out of this album when it later waded into the psychedelic serial like music waters.
This is too show tune for me
Eh. Didn’t really enjoy it. Every once in a while there were elements I liked. Very theatrical sounding. What are the odds I get this and Divine Comedy in the same week?!?
im listening to it but its not that good. lol
< the Beatles
2x 2.4 unique and unexpected
calkiem spoko chocuqz nie zapowiadalo sie zobaczylam slowa jednak i wtf? zmieniam na 2, dobrze ze sie nie slupialam na nich jak sluchalam
Interesting.
Thoughts before listening: I don't know. Based on the name and the 2000 release fate, I'm going with some sort of Euro industrial techno thing. Add in the list of featured artists, and I'll guess this will be pretty out there. I mean with Nick Cave, Tom Waits, and Scott Walker singing these songs, I have to assume this is going to be pretty dark. Review: Nope. I was very off on this one. Ute is a female vocalist performing overly dramatic orchestral pop that seems as if it could be a movie soundtrack or cast recording from a musical. I immediately thought that Ute must be a major influence on Florence and the Machine, but AI informed me that while they occupy a similar space, there are no direct connections. Ute certainly has a powerful voice, and this is interesting music for sure even if its not really my cup of tea. Also, the contributions from Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Nick Cave, etc is as songwriters not performers. I kept waiting for their recognizable voices but never heard them. I'm going with 2-stars here. Its perfectly fine, but I kept looking at Spotify to see how close I was to the end.
Yeah, I didn’t like this. It had snippets, not much more.
*Joe Pesci "what the fuck is this piece of shit" gif* I don't know what this is or who it's for, but the answer to the second is a very emphatic "NOT ME". 2
--Little Water Song…oh my. I like the instrumentation. Vocals are, uh, provocative --The Case Continues…about a murder. surprised this wasn't the Nick Cave song --Passionate Fight…pleasant --Tango Ballad…melodrama. kind of fun in an over-the-top Broadway musical way --Couldn’t You Keep That to Yourself?…I hear the passion but the song is nothing special --Streets of Berlin...this is poppier than most Phil Glass, I guess --The Part You Throw Away...the recording is nice, but it feels like everyone here is trying to pull extra emotion when there isn't any --Split...fun duet. some straightforward pop I enjoy --Punishing Kiss...kind of a Bond song, but a weak one --Purple Avenue...I dig the accordion. I wish the the entire album was this. relaxing. elegant. --You Were Meant For Me...this one confuses me a bit. sounds like it's for a musical that doesn't exist --Scope J...read that this was written by Scott Walker. I assumed it would get weird and was not disappointed
Net meins
Hon har en riktigt bra röst, vilket också är den stora (enda?) behållningen. Har bitvis inslag av musikal, vilket jag alltid har svårt för. För att vara textdriven musik så imponerar de inte heller. I övrigt ganska slätstruket. Stark tvåa blir det ändå pga hennes röst.
As I was totally unfamiliar with this work, I read some reviews before listening (something I try not to do). Seeing they were overwhelmingly negative, I went into the listen with an incredibly open mind, after all this isn't just a list of 70s and 80s rock and pop albums as some reviews seem to wish for. The large positive is the backing music from the Diving Comedy, who provide some excellent orchestration throughout, particularly in the darker, more powerful numbers. Ute's voice is also strong in these darker, Bond theme like songs. Lyrically however, I struggled with this album. As many have said, it is like listening to a musical to which you don't know the story. Lots of that talking/singing type of thing with forced rhymes and crammed in lyrics which don't flow particularly well. It's a 2 because I didn't totally despise it and there's definitely talent in there. However, not one I'd return to, and certainly not an album I'd suggest people to listen to before they die.
All very dramatic, and more a stage performance than a song. Backed by a symphonic score to add to the drama with lots of hand selected deep lyrics to deliver with that powerful voice. But sorry it’s really just not to my tastes.
Experimental chamber pop? I don't know. This really tested my patience. The Case Continues would fit on a Bond soundtrack. I don't know what this album is trying to do but now I'm at the title track and it sounds like it's from a stage musical. Ultimately, I'm perplexed at this album's inclusion here.
i honestly don’t understand why this is here
Edgy Céline Dion
It insists on itself
I really didn’t care for this album at all. Obviously well crafted, lots of talent went into it. That being said it was almost pseudo musical theater, which I do like, but for some reason the combination of sounds didn’t gel with me at all.
A lovely voice with an insufferability in mind of Morrissey.
Favorite Song: The Case Continues
nada muy especial, la verdad. un album bastante lineal, muy pegado al estilo “musical” pero que no le termino de encontrar el vacilon. siento que se queda muy en la superficie en muchas canciones. no me termina de cuadrar su participación en la lista de 1001 albumes que debes escuchar antes de morir. normalaso.
No sé qué pensar. No está mal como canciones. Pero no me llamó nada que sea medio comedia musical y eso. Ella canta excelente igual. Muy buena intérprete. 4/10
2 musiques bien sinon on s'fait chier
Was not in the mood for whatever this is.
Theres absolutely nothing wrong with this album. Its got great bones and timeless structure and sound. I enjoyed what I could about it but, in the grand scheme of things this is not my preferred genre of music. Cabaret/lounge tunes are good for background music most times and do not deserve a dedicated album listening. This one features cool names like Costello, Tom Waits and Nick Cave. Although I don't think I hear there contributions it must have been behind the scenes or something. But I can't complain much. Just not something I would come back to. Also its by that guy the Divine Comedy. That english fuck had a miffed album on this list and I won't forget it.
It's giving Musical. I didn't hate it but it's surely the first and last time I'll be listening to this one.
Ah, one of those. This is just so not my thing that it’s hard to judge. If I was stuck listening to it it would’ve been worse. Gonna go very high 2. Counts as a nick cave entry btw.
This was way too theatrical for me. Wasn't a fan
Bastante ok.
Not too sure what this album is really, quite dreary and depressing. Some good parts to it. But overall it was a hard listen and not something I’d even want to try again. I don’t really get the whole nick cave thing either. Probably a genius album but for me it just doesn’t hit any spots right now.
I didn't really understand it, some songs I thought oh that's nice bit as a whole it doesn't sell me at all
Hmm. Yeah, alright. I don't really get the whole page here acting like this is the worst sound they've ever heard. It's fine. The arranging and orchestration are generally quite nice and the same goes for the melody work. The lyrics get silly sometimes and I'm not sure where I stand on Ute Lemper's voice. It's hammy, but I can stand hammy for a small time. There are definitely much more offensive picks present for a big, impossible-to-be-comprehensive list like this, though I do concede I didn't need to hear it before I die.
2 is me being nice. It has its moments I guess, overall though its just sort of eh. It feels like music that thinks its really good but its like babies first album and it just fucking drags on and on, the male vocalist also sucks ass. 1.5
Read a review that said “ Sounds like the soundtrack to a musical I don't want to see.” and I think that’s totally spot on. There’s some cool stuff going on here but overall I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to this. Cabaret type stuff isn’t really my bag. Some of these songs have that sneaky “spy” quality that make me think they would show up in a Kojima game. 2
theres something to enjoy in every song. i dont LOVE her voice but damn some of the melodies and instrumentals are really beautiful. 5/10
Clearly talented, and talented songwriters attached, but the style isn’t really for me.
Avengers assemble! Sounds like the soundtrack of a broadway musical my mom would drag me to and I’d ask my dad for my DS every 8 minutes.
I'm not sure what for, but "Punishing" is right. Hilariously bad lyrics but agree with the champ who wrote "soundtrack to a musical I don't want to watch"
There's something so satisfying about the structure of a lot of these songs, the cabaret/chanson inspired craftsmanship of the writing, her voice is incredible and I adore Costello and Waits. However this is a lot, it's so bloody camp and euro sleeze - see the two dreadful duets and bawdy songs about whorehouses. A little more subtlety would've gone a long way.
No thanks. Supremely boring. B sides of Divine Comedy.
Not surprised this lady did cabaret. This album shows off a theatricality mixed with an impressive vocal ability. So much of it is hilarious and raunchy. Not sure why this one in particular was chosen out of Ute’s repertoire, but it’s good.
Z2.5
2.5
Wow, that album cover promises maybe the WORST lineup of guests…can’t believe it isn’t a one star album despite having so many one star ppl involved.
Quite a random, nothing album but I didn’t mind it.
Listening to The Punishing Kiss feels a bit like being cornered at a party by someone who insists on performing their entire one‑woman cabaret show directly into your face. For an hour. With no intermission. And you’re too polite to fake a phone call. Ute Lemper is undeniably talented — that’s the tragedy here. The album is like watching a world‑class chef insist on serving you a 12‑course tasting menu made entirely of lukewarm porridge. Every track promises drama, intrigue, emotional depth… and then delivers the musical equivalent of someone sighing theatrically while staring out a rain‑streaked window. The arrangements try so hard to be edgy and avant‑garde that they loop back around into feeling like background music for a noir‑themed IKEA showroom. And the lyrics — oh, the lyrics — they’re so self-serious they practically come with their own black turtleneck and cigarette holder. By the halfway point, you start to wonder if the “punishing” part of the title was meant literally. By the end, you’re checking the clock like you’re serving a sentence. If nothing else, the album is a masterclass in endurance. You made it through the whole hour, which means you can probably survive anything now.
This gives off a Kate Bush vibe... but in a weird way.
I mean it’s alright pero esto no se me hace que debería estar en la lista
Hmmmm…. Just wondering would this album be on this list without The Divine Comedy. Also thinking that it would be great if albums on this list would contain songs written by the artist and not a collection of big-names. Fine album but never would listen this again.
Just looking at all of the writers and personnel involved here tells me I'm probably not going to enjoy this... Things were about what I expected here: very avant-pop and dramatic. Ms. Lemper certainly has a voice for cabaret, I won't deny that, but the overarching themes and sound just became too histrionic for me at a certain point. I won't even bother mentioning some of the lyrical choices too. Discover that for yourselves (or better yet, don't!)
fav songs: passionate fight theatrical, chamber, dull 30/100
I would never ever choose to listen to this. One added star because the singing talent is there, I just don't like what she chooses to do with that talent.
Once this album completed, the next song in my algorithm was by Bjőrk, and I thought,”Now that’s the sort of pretentious claptrap I actually like!”
I respect all forms of music and can appreciate quality for what it is. This seems well done, the voice is nice and i always enjoy Neil Hannon. I just couldn't find anything exciting or interesting about it.
And yet another record that made the list largely because some sophisti-pop musician from the UK was involved. In general, I do appreciate that the editors wanted to include a few odd ones out - perhaps as a bet on “this will be a future classic.” Since the initial list must have been compiled around 2005, not much water had yet run down the Thames between the editing and the release of Ute Lemper’s Divine Comedy-arranged album, so the editors had to do a bit of guessing as to which records from that period would still feel relevant twenty years later. Punishing Kiss is - unfortunately - not one of them.
She has a great voice, but I don’t really like this style of music. It was very show tune/musical sounding- which I don’t mind if I’m watching an actual musical, but I don’t care much for it as an album.
Rating: 5/10 Meh.
Classic
The second I saw Nick Cave’s name, I despaired. Thankfully, there are some other songwriters here I’m keen to hear more from. Unfortunately, the album itself was just very dull. I liked The Divine Comedy’s Casanova, which we had a while back, but their backing here bored me to death. Perhaps they’re just a bit one-note. Everything else about this felt flat and I won’t be coming back to it.
His was worse than I hoped for. I like that this sounds different from most of the records here but it’s not as good as it should be.
Was interested as the Divine Comedy are involved in this. There were some interesting moments, initially, then it wears thin. It's like listening to showtunes that go on for way too long and never really goes anywhere. 2 stars as musically it's not bad, but it's just boring and not an album you need to hear before you die.
2/5
I thought Dimery favored singer/songwriters, not cover artists whose ambition was to star in "The Phantom of the Opera".
Not as awful as other people say. But it does feel all over the place.
I just can't listen to 'musical' type music no matter how good it is.
I love the Divine Comedy but this was just dull.
Rating is based solely on my personal enjoyment of this album. It would be impressive if I was into this type of music. Respect. But not for me
There was enough to pull this to a 2 but barely
Meh
Genuinely, why is this album on this list? It's so boring in every aspect and all over the place. Is it because it has several famous musicians that worked on it? Well, they did a shitty job, it's not even cohesive. Plus, this album had like zero cultural impact, so what are we doing???
Música de fadinha e filme da Disney, só que feito pra adultos. Tankei 4 músicas e desisti
This album was honestly hard to get through. The first 3 quarters was boring to me and felt like it dragged on and was a chore to get through. Then in the last quarter it picked up with the only two songs I enjoyed from this album and the final song that had some nice moments but was way too long.
While there are a variety of songwriters on this album Ute's vocal style makes everything sound like a show tune.
While Ute Lemper might have a great, cabaret-heavy voice, and there's a bunch of decent co-writing credits on this album; Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits; this is another instance of wondering why this is an album you must hear before you die, because it seems strange that this is included when you have to consider acts that have nothing on this list. For example, Tool has no albums on this list, nor does Blink-182, Weezer, INXS, Pat Benatar, Divinyls or Ozzy Osbourne on his own. So how does this obscure German cabaret singer get an album full of songs she didn't write on here, but those other acts I mentioned get shunned from the list? I don't dislike this record, I'm just frustrated at its inclusion on this list when those other acts I mentioned have nothing on here. Best songs: Little Water Song (because of Nick Cave's writing credit)
absolutely not
I am not sure why this is on the list ... but I did not like it!
4/10
Give this to the cabaret-obsessed high schooler in your life
oh wow the dipshit creator of this list couldn't resist stuffing Elvis Crapstello and the Divine comedy into yet. another. album.
No idea how this made it into the top 1001. I would happily have never discovered it existed.
Much better when you're not paying too much attention, which is not a great sign. It's just a bit pretentious, some alright songs that I kind of enjoyed, so that saves it from a 1
I wasn't prepared for this. This was too weird. It might have been better if I didn’t understand the lyrics. It sounds like they're making a soundtrack of rejected songs from James Bond movies. The last two tracks are just unlistenable. I've already had both the Divine Comedy albums from the list and felt similarly for those, but the lyrical magic on this one just takes it to the worst level.
Im Musical auf der Bühne singen ist das eine. Aber auf Platte funktioniert das nicht.
Tell Me There's A Little Love Left In You 1001 Albums Generator 211 (1/22/2025) I actually thought that a couple of songs near the beginning weren't so bad, especially the energetic, odd time-signatured, crime story in The Case Continues, but it quickly became one of those albums that is just a chore to get through. The whole run from Tango Ballad to Purple Avenue that was really killing me. Ute Lemper's voice is not bad, but I don't like this style of theatrical cabaret pop at all. Idk, 1.5/5, rounded up to a 2, because it doesn't suck technically, it's just annoying. Favs: The Case Continues Passionate Fight You Were Meant For Me Least Fav: Purple Avenue
No thanks
I thought all the compositions here were good, but the lyrics and vocals really didn't work for me, especially with any of the male voices on here. It does feel like maybe I was missing visuals to tie this album together, but nothing really stuck for me.
Why is this here? Why is this deemed important? What is the lasting influence of a modern collection of torch songs? I am genuinely perplexed. The album was fine. Not as bad as some of the others so far.
Favorite track(s): bootleg Bjork and a Tally Hall reject cause immense aura damage to even some of the greatest songwriters
shit from a butt
Omg, no. 2/5
Gostei dos arranjos musicais, orquestras. Mas falta algo, parece teatral mas sem alma.
Mannered, arch, cerebral, dry. One for the chin-strokers.
PUNISHING KISS IS RIGHT. No I don’t care for this… What’s happening here? Color me the Leonardo DiCaprio Shutter Island meme. Tom Waits… immediately no. She is so whiny. I don’t care for music like this. It also has like weird French vibes? “Scope J” gives me Severance vibes (and not in a good way).
2/5 i liked the music and i can appreciate the good singing and lyrics, however it just didn’t do it for me!
How very boring wow.
2- Stars (4/15)
Man, this is a bummer. I really love the musical arrangements and I wish they had someone like Kate Bush or Bjork singing. It just sounds like bad musical theater. 2 stars just because of the arrangements.
got some hundred people on the album just for it to be mid
Dette høres ut som teatergruppa har laget en musikal-versjon av James Bond. Jeg river meg ikke i håret av å høre på det, men det er virkelig ikke noe for meg. Fin vokal
Punishing Kiss tips its hand early and yet I still appreciated its cabaret-infused, art pop mood for what it is. But it's not for me.
Tango Ballad
Talbot: Split was really up my alley. Aside from the vocals. Also all the vocals.
While this was an ok listen, I’m not sure why it’s on the list.
i dont. remember
I was glad when it was over.
It was punishing, I’ll give it that.
I mean c’mon. This is just silly. Schmaltzy overly dramatic cabaret music that is for a musical that never gets produced only to be pitched again for a James Bond film that never existed in the first place.
Sounded like some amateur doing karaoke of a musical that wasn’t very good.
This is simply too much. 2/5
I'm just confused by this one. What on earth does Nick Cave have to do with any song on here? Is this entire album just "look at how many famous people I can get featured on my album!" for an hour? Why do I see Philip Glass everywhere? Lots of unanswered questions. The questions are much more interesting than the music, though, so I don't particularly feel like looking into any of them. I feel like I'd care more about this album in general if it didn't seem like she's flaunting all of the big names she got on her album and not doing a whole lot else. That and the incredibly strange way of talking about sex. Someone perfectly said what I was going to say so I'm just gonna quote him. "I fully believe the lyrics were written by a teenager making their first attempt at erotic fan-fiction and you cannot convince me otherwise." -1001 Review Guy, 10/13/22
I generated this on a day I was in a really bad mood and almost insta-1-starred it. Instead I sat on it. Gave it another listen a week later, and while I was able to make it all the way through, I didn’t love it. And for a mediocre cover album, I can’t in good faith give it high marks.
Music is interesting but the vocals often do little for me. Sort of a weird cadence and sound to the vocals much of the time. I particularly dislike the male vocalist who's on a few of the tracks. "Passionate Fight" is pretty decent. "Punishing Kiss" is pretty annoying. Funny that Costello contributed to my favorite and least favorite. "Scope J" is pretty bad too. Technically this is the first album I've DNFed because I got fed up after 7 minutes of the ten minute final song. Another artsy fartsy album that, while largely inoffensive, doesn't work for me.
I actually really like most of the instrumentation on this album. However the lyrics are at least a couple standard deviations worse than anything else I have heard during this project...and I sat through something like 4 hours of Ira Gershwin last month.
This is actually a rather boring album. I couldn't wait for it to end. Her voice is really nice, but the songs are just boring. Maybe this style of cabaret just isn't for me, but I'm not sure who would enjoy this.
Speaking as one myself, this is what happens when theater kids aren’t told “no” enough. There are words in music criticism that I usually hate, but this album embodies so many of these words, such as “pretentious” or “saccharine”. I won’t give it a 1 because I admittedly didn’t make it through the whole thing, just half way, but this is so boring and it’s 57 minutes long. 2/5
The Aldi off-brand version of Kate Bush
Is it camp? Is it kitsch? Is it corny? Is it all of the above?
If I could give this negative stars I would
Weill, Tango— First I'm hearing her voice... I like it! Good collab with Weill, whose stuff is hit or miss for me. Electronica is a plus. Talbot, Split: Very dramatic (to an almost comedic degree). This reminds me of Jacques Brel, and not entirely in a positive way. Costello, Passionate Fight: Does — does Elvis Costello not sing on this track? Talbot, The Case Continues: She's clearly a talented vocalist — very precise with her instrument — but I think it's just not for me. It's a bit maudlin and overwrought. This may be the penultimate track I listen to; if the next one isn't better, I'm out. Purple Avenue: Lemper is a latter-day chanteuse, I guess, but it's falling a bit flat for me. This was released in 2000 but sounds much older (and that's not a compliment). I've heard enough.
27/11/2025 This just wasn't good and it was bloody boring. Spotify listeners: 42.2k
It's amazing how an album with such a spectrum of impressive contributors can somehow sound so stale and lacking in variety. About two songs in I was already counting down the tracks waiting for it end. 1.5 -> 2/5
Pretty forgettable cover album for the majority of it. Cool cover.
I was enjoying this at first but it never delivered. Dropped pretty quickly from a 4 to a 2. The production value was pretty good, but the lyrics seemed cheap.
This type of show tune production across various songwriters and eras is 100% not my thing. Putting two stars in recognition of the underlying craft. But no thanks.
It's hard to give any review to this and not acknowledge my strong aversion toward musicals. Since a young age I have always been the kind to fast forward the songs in musical Disney movies and generally avoided any invites to attend a Broadway style show. I think one of the reasons I don't like them is the tendancy for the vocals to always be oversung. What I like in music is honesty, authenticity and often subtlety, three things that this super polished genre often lack. Some of the songwriting on this album deserves credit and I can't pretend that there is not real talent in being able to pull something like this off musically, it's just really not for me.
Was this good? No, absolutely not. It was like listening to the soundtrack for a bad German soap opera. However, I did enjoy imagining myself as a wounded, heartbroken German woman, so I suppose it deserves an extra star for entertainment value.
Got old very quickly
I guess it was some pleasant cabaret music, and Ute's voice is very nice on the ears, but the whole thing felt hollow to me, like it was structureless and missing a sort of identity I want out of these kinds of albums. I think a good chunk of the songs on this thing are covers, which might explain it, but as grand as the production here yearned to be, it all felt like too much and not enough at the same time.
Not for me.
Sounded like the music to a bad musical. Didn’t love it.
Doing a bit too much 2.5
Better than I anticipated. 2.5 stars
A strange inclusion in the 1001 list, and one I just couldn’t warm up to. Punishing Kiss is clearly crafted by talented people, and Ute Lemper’s theatrical delivery isn’t without charm, but the whole thing feels like it’s aimed at an audience I’m simply not part of. The art-cabaret vibe has moments of intrigue, yet they’re buried under melodrama that never quite earns its weight. Some tracks drift into outright weird territory (“If sex were an Olympic sport, we’d have won the gold…” over marching drums and strings?), and the emotional tone swings between overwrought and unintentionally humorous. It’s not poorly made. It’s not unmusical. It’s just… not likable, at least not to my ears. A respectable swing at something distinctive, but not something I’d ever revisit. Solid musicianship, no connection. 2/5.
I appreciate the attempt and the wide-ranging collaborations but in the end I found it all to be rather…boring.
This one was interesting. I kind of felt it was similar to that Dagmar one where she sings in German. Interesting that so manage modern artists wrote for her. Cool I guess, but not my type.
Sounds like bond music which is interesting to start and musically talented but gets very tiring over time and very hard to get through the whole album.
Not for me
Didn't really dig this one. Just feels a bit too much of a mishmash for my taste. 2.5 bumped down to 2.
It's like she's trying to make the next James Bond album... and it SUCKS
Shock
I didn’t enjoy this very much
Just not my style of album. Strong vocals but maybe im just too young to appreciate it?
Not my cup of tea. The music is fine. Lyrics less so, though I don’t like Nick Cave or The Divine Comedy, so that’s probably got something to do with it.
This was hard to listen to
Any songs that did not feature Elvis Costello or Nick Drake were fairly decent. Kind of liked the first song. Not a great album otherwise! Carly typed this hiii boyz. Alec sucks
A who’s who of artists I’ve come to absolutely hate on this list. Most of the songs were either super strange and I really can’t take Nick Cave seriously at all. It was better than I expected, but still really not that good.
With how intensely these lyrics are being sung I feel like I should be moved more. It's one of those things where I know it's supposed to be emotional, but I'm feeling nothing.
I didn't get it
Ok for a weird German opera I guess. I didn’t turn it off, but I didn’t really pay attention either. “If sex was an Olympic sport we would’ve won the gold” got my attention.
The music in this album is James Bond'ish, with plenty of strings, and an occasional accordion on Frensh-themed tracks. Based on that alone I would expect to like the album. But I just can't get into Ute's singing. It's overly theatrical/dramatic, with each word enunciated to a T (and from her bio I see that she's primarily known for her work on musicals like Cabaret and Chicago, so that fits). This singing style might be bearable if the lyrics were solid, but they are pretty cheesy. There was no GPT back in the year 2000, but it sounds like the words were written by an early GPT.
I did not like Divine Comedy's maudlin, lounge-singer dialed up to 11 vibe, so I was braced for this. Things started out okay given he's not doing the vocals on every song - and maybe her over-enunciation is a bit theatrical, but it also gives shades of Tori Amos? If you squint? Except the histrionics just keep dialing up with every song. You combine that with lyrics that can't touch someone like Amos or Kate Bush, and the whole thing starts to fall apart. You add in that one dude's comically bad delivery (I could not finish 'Tango Ballad') and the album drops from a tolerable 3 down to an intolerable 2. Yeuch.
Different
Meh
I know it's German, but truly an album that can only be appreciated by the French. Like him from the Divine Comedy, I too want to hear a reason why I should listen. Penultimate track is almost a goer but let down by the simplistic lyrics. Still, better that than some of the nonsense lyrics earlier in the disc.
Klingt wie Musical
2.75 Outside of moments here and there, it just did not grab my attention
non è male ma secondo me sarebbe molto più apprezzabile in una performance live che ascoltato così (in realtà sarebbe un 2 e mezzo)
A meh record - it's inclusion here seems like a personal choice versus a record of actual significance.
Not my thing. Very overdramatic
Not my cup of tea
First few tracks I was quite enjoying this and was wondering why the rating was so low. Problem was, while I didn’t find anything terrible, it didn’t hold my attention past the first 3-4 tracks. A couple of times I had to put a song back to the start cause I realised I had tuned out and hadn’t been paying any attention to it. Knowing now that The Divine Comedy were involved in this it’s mildly disappointing.
Feels like a bad broadway production, a little Les Mis, Cabaret, and Rent.
I don’t know how seriously I’m supposed to take this album. Maybe this would be tolerable if I were watching a musical at a dinner theater and these were the songs they were singing, but as an album to listen to? Nah. The lyrics are cringe worthy, the singing is too dramatic and over the top. Maybe I’m missing some context or something but I did not enjoy this. Added to Library: The Part You Throw Away
Not shocking to read that Divine Comedy is part of this. Also reminds me of that Dagmar Krause album I was forced to listen to. These songs aren't sung so much as performed.
Its like fine, bit long, slightly dull at times I dont see how this merits a place on the list Sounds like a musical. Fine but what are we doing here You Were Meant For Me is good but the song after sucks and it lasts 10 mins My fear that I'd run out of the classics seems to be accurate
starting with Nick Cave was already a bad choice, and dont get me wrong, Ute Lemper seems like an interesting composer to assemble something like this with all these artists, its just more of a slog and gets weighed down by some sterile performances. Something like this should be greater than the sum of its parts. Shouldve added some David Bowie, I think he wouldve lent himself well to this kind of project.
Boring but I didn’t find it as offensive to listen to as other listeners. However I still can’t stand Nick Cave and Elvis Costello so their presence really knocks this album down a peg
What a feature list. Was awaiting Tom Waits’s gravel voice to interject which sadly never came.
Better than I thought but not my cup of tea for sure
Not really sure this is long term for me
Pop’s most crepuscular talents emerged from their garrets to dance a doomed tango with Ute, until she stamps pitilessly on their necks. I am trying to figure out what activity this music is suited for. And what the hell is it on the list. Seriously.
Not my kind of music
I don’t like show tunes, and now I know songs that sounds like show tunes is also a things.
Very theatre coded. It feels like I'm listening to an opera or a movie score. Some nice vocal work on this one, but it's not an album I'd ever come back to. Definitely below average overall and a left-field pick for this list.
Didn't do anything for me
I struggled with this one. It somehow manages to accomplish the impressive feat of being equal parts unpleasant and uninteresting. One of the few albums where I didn’t bother with a second listen. 2/5 Highlights: Purple Avenue
The final two songs lean into an eerie and more ...authentic? ... vibe. Kept this from being a 1 star from me.
This sounds like the score to a musical I went to, but not by choice.
very dramatic and orchestrated, but genuinely feels like you're listening to the soundtrack of an off-off-broadway musical. lemper's voice is nice enough but the entire album has the veneer of a sideshow act. get ready for some carnival music! there's accordion and sometimes it feels like a calliope in a bad way. artsy for artsy's sake. and the last track! oh my god. 11 minutes of boring, yet dissonant nonsense! not my thing.
I don’t understand why this is on the list.
This wasn't very good. 2*
2.3
I am not sure what to make of this, one minute it was a one, next it was a four, so let's just settle at a two
I sometimes strain a bit to find the significance of some albums on this list. This album is a particular struggle. It's fine, but honestly, not that interesting. Baroque pop cover songs backed by The Divine Comedy. It has an audience, sure, but it feels pretty niche and not particularly groundbreaking. The original artists are better and mostly feature elsewhere in the list, so I'd ideally save some time and listen to those. Also, this album is something of a Trojan horse to sneak more Elvis Costello into the generator!
Underligt men utan att vara intressant
2. Not a theater kid and this would have been a one, but I can appreciate the effort and going outside of my comfort zone.
It's really not that bad, but it's quite problematic that Dimery's boner for The Divine Comedy is large enough to warrant this album's inclusion in this book. 2.5/5
Kind of a strange listening experience. It’s like an out-of-order tracklist for a musical I haven’t heard of. I respect the performances and arrangements but this is just not for me.
Mismatch of emphasis and talent imo. I also couldn’t get over the feeling that they butchered my favorite song from the Three Penny Opera
I can't explain it, but listening to this felt triggering for me. Like most of the album felt like I was stuck in a hotel lobby or elevator. I guess the Tango Ballad didn't really sound like lobby music, but it also was just flat bad. Nearing the end of this and the singing is getting on my nerves. Now we've transitioned to bad showroom singing. Scope J. sounds like if A.I. tried to create the instrumentals for Severance but then halfway through the program froze. Pretty unpleasant! I think this is solidly a 2 because at least the instrumentals were ok...at least on most of the songs.
Man there is some really, really bad shit on here. Not a fan! Even though some of the instrumentals are solid. It has the worst sounds of the 90's on here for most of it though. Parts of her singing also remind me of Jan singing in Threat Level Midnight. Not in a great way. Scope 2 reminds me of the Severance theme a bit. It's different so I'll go with a low 2.