Punishing Kiss

This was really interesting. I had never heard of Ute Lemper before, nor has I really heard any of these songs before, as far as I know. I got the impression from the album cover that most (all?) of them were covers of songs by other popular artists, but I definitely didn't hear any of those artists' sound in this -- the sound of this record was very distinct, even if I can't say for sure much about whose sound it is. Ute's voice sometimes reminded me strongly of Barbra Streisand and sometimes of Bjork, and I really enjoyed the vibe of the record. Each track seemed to be its own thing, but there was something very tangible that held them together in a cohesive unit, mostly due to the strong vocal timbre that Ute possesses and displays on this album. I listened to the whole thing twice, more because I wanted to really soak it in to know what it was I had listened to than because I loved it. I thought it was very interesting, but I doubt I would ever listen again. Four stars.

"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.

You’re 10 years old. Your mom drags you to a department store. She looks at clothes, she looks at furniture, she looks at appliance, she looks at shoes. You’re being dragged around wondering “when are we going to be done?”. Finally get to checkout, nearing the end (in this case, the last song in the album). But then she chats up someone and you’re stuck waiting again (why is this song so long). “When will this misery end” you think to yourself. This is the soundtrack to that feeling.

How much am I **really** supposed to care about Ute Lemper? That's a mean sort of question, I realize — and the first time I asked it, to my peers, it was a **lot** meaner. It **is** legit, though, the one I asked myself when I first saw this album. I mean, judging a book entirely by its cover, I had to wonder if this album was even on here for her at all. Look at how it proudly boasts that it features songs from Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, The Divine Comedy ... all the favorite artists of the people who use this website! It did sort of give me the feeling that the editors of the book saw all of these names, spooged their pants and slapped it in here without a second thought. And I can figure that kind of reaction was the one Ute was hoping for. From the little I've glimpsed at her discography, it seems she'd mostly been doing covers of songs from musicals. That must be a fine gig, but I can't imagine it'd get you too much critical respect unless you were just **that** good at it. Maybe, I imagine, she figured this would be her "serious album." She'd bring in all of these serious, critically beloved songwriters, alongside The Divine Comedy to provide instrumentals, and maybe on their combined strengths she'd finally get some real, serious praise. That's all mere speculation, of course. The real story might just be that Ute and the guy from The Divine Comedy wanted to work together. I mean, one hole in my "desiring critical respect" story is that ... well, alongside how she still covers a couple of songs from musicals (though more serious ones, written by Philip Glass and whatnot), none of the songs on here are exactly ... cohesive together. Frankly, all of the songs on this album might as well be covers for how they all sound like they come from different shows. There's no real through-line here. And when you take all of that together with how Ute herself didn't write a single word on this album ... well, what am I supposed to take away from all of this? Who even **is** she? And why should I care? Well, here's one answer: Ute Lemper, as it turns out, is an actress. A stage actress, even, who's won awards for appearing in productions of 'Cabaret' and 'Chicago.' She's got some bonafides — and, well, it certainly explains some of her earlier albums. Just as it also happens to explain what exactly is going on here on this album. No. You're not supposed to care about **who** Ute Lemper is. Because that's not the point here and that's not her job. Simply put, Ute is here to be an actress, and be the vocal catalyst that brings these songs to life. And I understand, this can be kind of a hard concept to grasp. These days, who an artist is and the details of their real life often play **huge** roles in this music. Hell, on some albums the "lore" of an artist is the only thing that matters (T-Swizzle). And besides, I'm the kind of person who often thinks context matters; nothing exists in a vacuum, and knowing the details behind some songs can often make them better. But there are some exceptions. There are some songs and albums where, hey, you **don't** hafta know all the details in order to appreciate them. They could help you deepen your appreciation, but it's perfectly valid to take them on a surface level for what they are. And that, to me, applies pretty well to this album. I think it'd help, honestly, to think of this album less as an album and more as a cabaret show. A singer's gonna come out and sing some good songs — and it could be anybody singing these. It's the songs, ultimately, that matter over everything. Not that the performer is **entirely** unimportant, let's be clear here. A good performer could heavily elevate the material, just as well as a bad one could bring it down. Luckily, I think Ute is a good performer (what with her stage bonafides and all). I don't ever find her **that** incredible, to be frank, but as far as doing her job goes, I think she did pretty dang well. It's a nice voice, honestly. As for how the songs themselves go ... well, it's a bit mixed, although I ultimately lean towards being more positive than not. There are some songs with some dark, James Bond-style instrumentation, and I dig it all the way and then some. There are some that're just ... fine, and I can't really give a hoot about them one way or the other. There's the two Tom Waits wrote, which, yep, from their first seconds sure sound like Tom Waits songs. And then there's the one Scott Walker wrote as a closer, which, I mean, is strange and I just wasn't able to get into as much as I would've wanted to. I'd've maybe've liked the album to've ended on the previous track, I'unno. But, yeah, that's the size of the album. Even if I can't say it made me any more interested in who Ute Lemper is as a person, I feel I can safely say that this album isn't just here for the names on the cover. Sure, they help, obviously — but I think it's more here as a credit to Ute's skills as an actress than anything else. Sure, I wouldn't exactly say it's anything I'd be dying to come back to. As a show I get to see one time, however ... it's a nice show worth taking in. By far the least punishing kiss I've ever been given.

Didn't really dig this one. Just feels a bit too much of a mishmash for my taste. 2.5 bumped down to 2.

I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4, but I was struggling with this album for a while. I do think she could do a better job of projecting more of her own voice onto these tracks, as opposed to settling for following some of the guides that it seems like she was given on the vast major– hold on, sorry, I think I started without some extra context. Let me rewind a little bit so you can try to figure out where I’m coming from. This is an album with a cavalcade of contributions from other artists on the list, mostly with instrumentation from the Divine Comedy (who do a great job throughout), and tracks submitted by themselves, Elvis Costello, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, & Scott Walker, among others. It’s lead by German singer / actress Ute Lemper, who I have never heard of, and yet has a pretty darn good voice & a pretty darn good resume, namely in musicals. She didn't help to write *anything* here though, which is surprising; she's mostly here as a vocal catalyst for the tracks, and given the "cinematic" nature of the album, the fit works. This album is a set of 11 tracks (and then one utterly avantgarde piece by Scott Walker) that all feel like they’re taken from musicals / operas, and some of them are! “Tango Ballad” is from the Threepenny Opera, & “Streets of Berlin” is from a play called Bent, about the persecution of homosexual men in Nazi Germany. Of course, you’d never know any of this unless you actively looked up some of these tracks, and… yeah, that’s my immediate major issue with this album. A lot of these songs exist in their own space, without any leading context. It is really noticeable throughout this album, straight from the beginning – “Little Water Song” is meant to be a contrasting track, showing a sort of wondrous beauty to the underwater scenery this lady is going through… as she’s being drowned to death by her lover, slowly losing consciousness. That dichotomy makes for a very good track, if you can get the context. I had to listen to it twice to fully get there, and I came out of it thinking the track should have opened with some kind of audio design to note a struggle, and really set up the track more fruitfully. This is my big issue with the album, and one that it takes a while to overcome, arguably never really doing so, given that it's all in slightly better writing. For the vast majority of tracks here, I think even just 30 seconds of sound design to add well-needed context would make a lot of these tracks click better. My other issue with the album comes in the disconnect between tracks, and that’s part of the risk of having this many cooks in the kitchen, especially with such a broad style between them, and without any real "authorship" from Ute Lemper. Since this isn’t a concept album where all of the tracks connect, it feels more like jumping from scene to scene in a bunch of random different musicals, and I immediately felt that disconnect once “The Case Continues” happened; at first, I thought it might’ve been a continuation of the same drowning murder from the opening track, but instead it’s a track about a clingy heartbroken lady desperate to keep a boyfriend who broke up with her over the phone, with the worst (but also funniest) lines on the album: “My only crime was passion, wild and uncontrolled / If sex were an Olympic sport, we'd've won the gold”. How do you go from a lovely orchestrated track about the dichotomy of seeing beauty as you’re drowning to “but we should be having SEX right now, damn it!” to a (very good, mind you) James Bond-esque instrumental? Granted, that issue becomes far less prevalent after “Streets of Berlin” (and trust me, the whole album improves exponentially by “Streets of Berlin”), but the first 5 tracks here don’t feel like they fit together at all. “Passionate Fight” is fine; it needs more work, but it’s a decent song about a guy who’ll never be satisfied by any one night stand he’ll get. “Tango Ballad” is really roughly structured, probably from being an English translation of German lyrics, & I could not get a single thing out of the lyrically incoherent “Couldn’t You Keep That To Yourself”. Elvis Costello, you’ve done better, man. The only thing that acted as a saving grace through the first 5 tracks is that the Divine Comedy do a great job with the instrumentals, and that Ute Lemper has a great voice. Seriously; she does a great job of keeping this album from falling apart. I do think she could do a better job of projecting more of her own voice onto these tracks, as opposed to settling for following some of the guides that it seems like she was given on the vast majority of these tracks (literally, stealing Elvis Costello’s inflections on most of the ones he wrote), but it’s not a big deal. The instrumentals & her vocals combined made each track still feel like a good listen, at the very least. Thankfully (and I do mean *thankfully*), those vocals / instrumentals are finally met with some songwriting chops & just the tiniest extra hint of context / setup in each track that makes the whole album click much better starting with Tom Waits’ “The Part You Throw Away”. “Streets of Berlin” is good, by the way, it’s just desperately in need of the context I mentioned earlier. Tom Waits’ songwriting style does wonders here, for a track about relationship advice after a breakup with some good imagery & an Italian instrumental, and it’s the spark for a back half of the album that’s good enough to that’s good enough to pull this thing from a 3.5 (that I likely would've bumped down) up to a 4. “Split” just rocks; super fun back & forth. “Punishing Kiss” is probably the most ‘eh’ track in the back half; the first two verses really needed to be flipped to set up the context of a woman using a TV show as escapism for her life, but it’s explained decently enough, with a damn good instrumental to it. “Purple Avenue” is just lovely, and thanks again to Tom Waits for some vivid imagery. “You Were Meant For Me” feels like a “Defying Gravity”-esque climax, and while it still desperately needs some opening context, her vocals are stunning & the way the instrumentation swirls around her as the centerpiece of the “scene” makes for a fantastic listen. I was genuinely stunned it didn’t end the album. “Scope J” is… strange. 11 minutes where I have almost no idea what’s going on, fully avantgarde, and Scott Walker’s production work here feels like a far cry from the Disney-esque baroque tones of “Scott 2”. Yet, I found myself kinda sold on the avant-garde nature of it all, as if the desperate thoughts of someone trapped in Russian captivity (from some war, I dunno when) & the lack of peace that comes with it were all brought to life in audio form. That was my interpretation, anyway. It’s a fascinating listen, and far, far removed from the rest of the album, yet I think that disconnect makes it stand out in a way that works as a closing track. It doesn’t fit at all, and yet, it worked for me. If this had stayed at the same quality level as the first 5 tracks throughout, I probably would be at a flat 3. As it stands, it's a 3.5 that will go up to a 4 based on how much I liked the back half. Frankly, it's kind of a miracle. I'm not even wholly sure it’s earned it, given that it's effectively a mishmash of tracks from a bunch of different artists to help up prop up Ute Lemper as opposed to an album where she has any kind of an actual, established "authorship". It's definitely bothersome, but other artists have made whole careers out of being ghostwritten (like a certain Canadian rapper), so I can't fault it too badly here. It does, however, make me wonder if she has any actual writing talent of her own. I don't really know if I need to find out. Ultimately, something about the album from “Streets of Berlin” onward clicked for me far more – maybe it’s better instrumentation / lyricism across the board, maybe it’s the smallest amount of context helping the tracks lyrically, and maybe it’s just the more energetic nature of the back half covering up more of the flaws. I can’t really figure it out, but I don’t think I want to. I just know that it was more enjoyable, and that’s all I need to justify it. There’s really not an actively bad track here (OK, “Couldn't You Keep That to Yourself” kinda sucks, but shh), just some baffling early flow between tracks that doesn’t work, but it ended up winning me over on account of its musical strength. Nowhere near enough to get a 5, but I think it's an earned bump up to a 4 regardless, and I am genuinely glad it's on the list. I cannot believe this album made me write my longest review.

girl what…. 1.5

3,83 - An manchen Stellen wird leider übertrieben, aber in den besten Momenten wurde ich von der Stimme weggeblasen. Besonders die Duette funktionieren toll zusammen. Highlights: The Case Continues, Tango Ballad

It's like she's trying to make the next James Bond album... and it SUCKS

Imagine a decadent, smoky cabaret bar in Berlin, with a leering MC and a spot lit stage as Ute Lemper walks up to the microphone and brings the house down with an astonishingly varied set. We get Brecht and Weill cabaret classics, surreal whimsy from Neil Hannon, noir detective tales from Nick Cave, and New York minimalist opera from Phillip Glass, as well as songs from Elvis Costello, Tom Waits and Scott Walker. This was a real treat on a gloomy Monday!

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.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. Most of the album sounded like a Bond soundtrack

This was hard to listen to

My interest was immediately piqued when is saw the list of songwriters who contributed to "Punishing Kiss", each of whom I like and admire. "Little Water Song" is a delightful opening track. A lovely sweeping arrangement, lush orchestrations and beautifully sung. The remainder of the album pretty much follows suite, maintaining a consistently high quality throughout. A thoroughly enjoyable, delightful album. With repeated listens this could make a five star rating, but on first impressions it achieves four stars. 1 "Little Water Song" (5/5) 2 "The Case Continues" (4/5) 3 "Passionate Fight" (4/5) 4 "Tango Ballad" (5/5) 5 "Couldn't You Keep That to Yourself" (4/5) 6 "Streets of Berlin" (4/5) 7 "The Part You Throw Away" (3/5) 8 "Split" (3/5) 9 "Punishing Kiss" (4/5) 10 "Purple Avenue" (4/5) 11 "You Were Meant For Me" (5/5) 12 "Scope J" (4/5) Total - 49 Average - 4.08 147/1001 77/147 albums reviewed were new to me.

I'll admit that it took me a long time to listen to this one (aka almost 7 months) because I was pretty put off by the appearance of the album, and I wasn't really sure what to make of it. That being said, I really enjoyed this album. It ended up being exactly what I wanted to listen to tonight, and she's got a beautiful voice. Also The Divine Comedy was credited on a bunch of these, which felt kinda full circle cause of his own album that was on this list. But yeah solid album, I was really surprised by it. Favorites: The Case Continues, Die Dreigroschenoper: Tango Ballad, You Were Meant for Me

Long et chiant

It’s ok. A bit wonky but nothing too crazy. If it was a sport i can be the judge.

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.

Kinda adds kindle to me wondering what the criteria is for an albums’s inclusion of the book. Already a bad take when they don’t include classical music and movie scores but then this is included? Just a baffling inclusion and makes me question who the 1001 albums is meant for, especially after the last few albums.

I didn't get it

Almost unbearably boring

New vote for worst album on this thing

What the hell is going on in this album cover?

ура 2000е

I really liked this!!! She has such a beautiful voice

3.5/5

Nope. I think I can see how this one could land in some circles. Unfortunately for me, my circle is well outside that landing zone. Very dramatic arrangements, artistic storytelling, and just not my thing. Makes me feel like I'm listening to the soundtrack for a musical. Couple moments where straight up sounds like someone stepped on a cat's tail.

Wow very dramatic. It was a fine change of pace but doubt I'll come back to it

I’m not a fan of this, enough said.

Eh, no thanks. Not something that I found interesting nor something I'd go back to.

Um, hard pass. After listening to the first song all the way through, I had to skip through the rest. Ute's voice was a bright spot but everything else was not.

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.

3.7 A few thoughts. -I liked this quite a bit more than I thought I would; very interesting throughout. -I think The Case Continues could be a pretty good Iron Maiden song if they took a run at it. -You can tell the songs the guest songwriters collaborated on. -Some of the lyrics felt like that SNL skit where Fred Arimsen and Kristin Wig are unprepared singer/songwriters. -And you would have to be an absolute psychopath for this to be your favorite album that you listened to over and over again.

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.

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.

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.

This was not my style at all

Dreadful whiny mundane album.

Different

She should be in musicals. Maybe she is. I don't care.

Some serious song writing talent on this album. Very solid listen.

I don't know who she is. I don't know what this is. And I have no earthly idea why I 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 listen to it. Just a load of weird atmospheric sort-of vocal jazz that feels like a shit movie soundtrack. Punishing Kiss? My arse.

Boring and long, though some of the orchestration is pretty.

Elevator pitch: Easy listening, but really hard instead. I listened to the whole first song, then half the second, and a quarter of the third. This is called tapering, and it's critical for challenges of this extremity.

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.

This one took me awhile to review. I absolutely did not like it on my first listen, but then I saw collaborators like Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Elvis Costello, among others, I thought that I must be missing something. After several further listens, my initial impressions haven’t changed much. Essentially, this is a collection of dark musical tunes. While Limpur has a good voice, it just doesn’t work with this material. In fact, I think it works against the mood the songs were intended to convey. I appreciate experimental music, but sometimes experiments fail as this one did. My overall impression was that Punishing Kiss was an album that couldn’t figure out what it was trying to accomplish or convey. I’m sure some will like it, but it was not for me. Definitely not something I needed to listen to before I die. 2/10, I think this might be my first one star, only because I forced myself to listen to it so many times because I was convinced I just didn't get it.

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.

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.

Boring

Klingt wie Musical

Neuetdeckung für mich!

2.75 Outside of moments here and there, it just did not grab my attention

Very operatic. Impressive guests like elvis costello n Tom waits. Probably great as a musical drama on stage. But didn't feel very lyrically clever, musically engaging or outstanding even as a postwar Berlin thing. As an album I reckon there should be stuff like this in the 1001. Not convinced about this example though could do a lot better or if not drop this . Costello and Waits certainly can. Persuaded me to generally be harsher as a critic. 1 star

non è male ma secondo me sarebbe molto più apprezzabile in una performance live che ascoltato così (in realtà sarebbe un 2 e mezzo)

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.

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

A spiritual journey through a variety of artists to support Ute Lemper's dream album.

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

I honestly think there should be a zero score do that me and many others could give this album its true score

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.

This really grew on me as it went on. You Were Meant For Me stood out. 3.5/5.

This album is a cool idea, and it intrigues my inner theater kid. But the reality of listening to more of it is not likely. Maybe a little too dramatic. But I love the concept.

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.

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.

Yuck

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

This was actually quite and enjoyable listen

5/10

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.

Punishing listen. 'The Case Continues' may be the most cringe song I've ever heard. It made me embarrassed for the singer. Then 'Die Dreigrosschenoper' started and suddenly there was another contender. It sounds like the soundtrack to a penny dreadful musical where Miss Havisham fights Dracula.

Should have been a 5. I liked the album but that last track is 10 minutes of awful. Rest of it is good though.

Not an easy listen but her wonderfully theatrical voice and the arrangements make this album a classic.

Feels like it's trying too hard. I guess it's in the style of a musical.

Better than I thought but not my cup of tea for sure

She can sing, but who in their right mind is going to sit down and think, oh, I need to listen to this album right now. I can see the influence from Nick Cave and Tom Waits on this album and that's not a good thing. The last song was punishing to listen to. 1/5

Some great Songs, some really weird ones. You we're ment for me was my favorite.

Marginally better than Tom Waits.

It tries to be this big spectacle and kind of ends up being a big testicle. 5/10

I don’t know what that wanted to be, but I know what it was - really bad.

Not a fan.

Not really sure this is long term for me

Ethereal. It works.

1 out of 5 This was not for me.

I really enjoyed this album! I knew about her growing up she seemed exotic & otherworldly - I feel like this is how Fiona Apple will sound when she’s older - superb talent, unique sound interesting musician

I could immediately see this on a theatrical stage. I love the beginning of Little Water Song. A big performance all around.

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.

She has a wonderful voice

A truly punishing listen. It's essentially a generic version of a Disney Movie soundtrack. Favorite Track: "Couldn't You Keep That To Yourself".

Good god!

How did this make the list? There is barely any plays for it on spotify. Sadly I added one to that list.

its ok, i enjoyed it but dont know how often id return to it

-wow this is the ultimate crossover episode of 90s alternative rock musicians i don’t particularly care about -this really feels like it should be a soundtrack to something -it’s not BAD. don’t get me wrong. this Ute Lemper lady has a really nice voice and that was probably the best part of the album. so points for that but it wasn’t thrilling… generous 3 stars -Favorites are Streets of Berlin and Punishing Kiss

Second day in a row I say "why is this here?"

Wtf was this?

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.

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

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 know Ute Lemper but had come across The Devine Comedy on here before and really liked them. This album seems to be very controversial here, lots of people hating it. I don't, rather enjoyed it. Have added Ute Lemper to favorites for future listening.

I wish I hadn't listened to this literally right after The Dark Side of the Moon, because nothing will ever be a 5 if you listen to it right after that. But it's a 4. "avant-pop cabaret" is not a genre I was familiar with (though I should have known "written in part by Elvis Costello" would be part of that), but it worked for me.

Legitimately terrible album. Somewhere between the outro music for a bad kids movie and the musical number from an original high-school stage production about vampire hairdressers

Oh, ha ha! The album generator trolled me, giving me an album that wasn't actually on the list just to make me suffer! There's no way this was actually on the 1001 album list. Right?...Right? Oh, I see. Standout track: I was going to say "The Case Continues" because I liked its 5/4 time signature, but then I got to this disqualifying lyric: If sex were an Olympic sport, we'd've won the gold Oh well, on to the next!

The Case Continues single handedly brought it from a 4 to a 5

Très bon album, mais me fait trop penser à un musical par moment. Le début et la fin est très bonne.

Lounge opéra c’est vraiment fun, bien aimé !

I see what she's going for, I'm just not sure I want it.

Cabaret should stay in cabaret.

Who is this for? I can’t think of anyone I’ve ever met who would enjoy this.

Very gothic. Interesting lyrics. Her voice is unique.

Didn't do anything for me

No

I love this album so much. 10000/10

creepy

Definitely going against the grain on this one. I thought it was a really good listen.

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

C-tier musical garbage. Too artsy to bother with basic shit like rhyme schemes. If there's any sense of structure to the track, it was written - and almost certainly performed better - by someone else.

Classic album - when putting together a super group works as it should.

this was very boring in all honesty, not got much else to say about it

Really good.

Not for me

Are you fucking shitting me? I genuinely have no idea what criteria was used for this list. Some of these entries seem pulled from a hat.

The final two songs lean into an eerie and more ...authentic? ... vibe. Kept this from being a 1 star from me.

Ute Lemper obviously knows someone who made this list. She has a good voice, but there is no need for me to go back and listen to this ever again.

Wow. Great vocals and arrangements, beautifully curated songs too.

I'm struggling to put into words how much I disliked this album so I think I'll just say a polite "No thank you" and move on.

This was so bizarre! I felt like I was listening to the soundtrack to an avant garde musical.

I was suffering while listening to that one

I don’t understand the negative reviews for this one at all. This is a really cool album. Ute Lemper has a powerful voice that elevates these covers and makes them something unique and epic. The haters are pushing this rating up for me. People are so needlessly dramatic. Fuck that noise.

This sounds like the score to a musical I went to, but not by choice.

Absolute crap.

So far most albums in the list were either brilliant, or at least enjoyable and the few that were not had some idea behind them that made them stand out. But this was just none of that. It was annoying, terrible songs with poor singing and nothing unique about it. The first time I regretted the decision I will listen 100% to each album. One star.

1,4/5

I was confused. I thought this album was from a musical based on the lyrics and tone of the music. Nope. It's a style they went for. lol I don't hate it. It's an interesting 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.

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.

Get a life dude.

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.

I did not anticipate a single one of these songs.

I don’t understand why this is on the list.

This wasn't very good. 2*

2.3

I was given one of Lemper's earlier albums to listen to and really liked it. I was a bit disappointed she didn't break through to the mainstream. There's some wonderful singing on here but I could do without the last track.

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!

Beautiful voice and fun instrumentals. Little slow for me and repetitive but nice!

Oof. This strange cabaret lounge overly theatrical crooner style is really not for me.

Underligt men utan att vara intressant

Mysigt

Började riktigt lovande men slutade i oljud.

Det var lite för svårt att ge mer, men väldigt fin musik bitvis.

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

This album is just so much better than the average rating suggests. Yes, it’s a bit musical theatre / operatic, but that’s not surprising when you consider who is involved. What it also is is brilliantly performed, and musically strong. Just give it a fair crack of the whip.

Fantastic

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.

I feel like I've already listened to this once, but decided it was worthy of a closer listen. And yet here I am again, distracted as before, and feeling like this album is more compelling than my attention has served it due. Oh well. An interesting cast of characters have been employed here: Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Philip Glass (to name a few). And the songs themselves are uniquely composed and on the whole quite nice. I feel like this album, while not something I would go all in for, was a pleasant enough listen that was quite varied. Certainly a bit theatrical sounding at points (e.g. Purple Avenue), but as I was discussing with Kev, I feel like it maintains a certain genuine air that prevents that from distracting. I'm a 4 / 5 on this one. Worth coming back for another tour at some point.

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.

Some pretty great singing with all very unique songs. This was loaded with guest appearances for singers on each song also. Probably the best I have ever heard Elvis Costello sing (had to get a dig in on him) The last song gave me the goosebumps with how creepy the piano and that alarm sound were. This was an incredibly unique album which ad me engaged the entire time with its variety. Pretty high 4 for this one

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.

I didn’t know Ute Lemper before, but this was an excellent surprise. It’s a very intriguing and audacious album, with a dizzying array of influences, and yet a very distinct personality. Ute Lemper blends sultry cabaret music, baroque pop, neo-classic and film noir soundtracks in a unique way, magnified by her incredible voice. It gets even weirder with the lyrics – a strange mix of grotesque sex jokes and dark narratives. It’s reflected in the production, which oscillates between cheesy and disquieting. It’s like the soundtrack of a lost Bond movie no one dares to release because it ends with a BDSM orgy in Venetian masks. The list of talented people who have worked on this album is also super impressive – Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and even... Philip Glass ?? The whole album felt like a guilty pleasure, and I suspect it’s exactly the way it was intended to be appreciated. I also understand how some people would hate it ; I actually even surprised myself by liking it. A hard album to rate. In the end I’ll go with a 4* because fuck it, so many albums on this list are generic 60s rock or 90s Britpop bands, it makes me super happy to hear something different for once.

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.

I think she was trying to make this album boring, because there's absolutely no way anyone would make this thinking there is anything of merit. In which case, 10/10 for execution.

dødkedelig!

I was wondering what Elvis Costello and Divine comedy baroque pop/avant pop songs would sound like with a “traditionally good” singer. Turns out, less enjoyable. Very cabaret and not something I would want to listen to a second time. Second star given as the first song was slightly interesting - turns out that is the Nick Cave song.

Horrible

I entered this album quite biased. An artist I don't known is performing titles from artists I have more or less mixed emotions. And furthermore in a variety-show/musical-style?! But surprisingly it works here and then for me - basically because of the good production. Nonetheless not my preferred style of music. favourite: "Split", "You Were Meant For Me" 2,5

The first album I had to turn off. The first two songs were alright but it went downhill extremely quickly.

Very stale

Of course she's the original Sally Bowles. Tremendous belters and some fantastic instrumentation front to back. A bit to be desired with the duets but that's only a small misgiving.

Fabulous music known to very few outside Europe.

Of its time. A bit OTT maybe.

I feel like this something I would like but her voice just isn’t for me- I could see other people loving this tho

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.

Good find! Great vocals.

I found it to be pretty hit-or-miss. A handful of pretty interesting songs with lush, orchestral instrumentation mixed with some snoozers. 4/10

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

Brb gonna go jump off a bridge

This isn't a good record. It starts pretty decent, but goes down in quality very quickly. It's overlong, way too dramatic, the lyrics are occasionally awful and cringey, and her overly dramatic singing gets old very fast. The production is decent, there are some good songs but others are a mess. "Punishing Kiss" sounds cartoonish around the middle, and "Scope J" was absolutely awful, an attempt at a 10-minute grandiose anthem that falls flat in its face. A note apart for Ute Lemper's singings, which is so exaggerated and overly dramatic it ends up being annoying. She can definitely sing, but she should've definitely toned it down a bit. The lyrics can be awful too, the whole "sex olympics" line from "The Case Continues" is so bad it's funny. Overall, I'd only keep "Little Water Song", which is delicate and has a beautiful string section. I wish the album had been more like this. "Tango Ballad" is absolutely awful, the singing is unbearable. The singing on "Split" is also pretty bad too, particularly Lemper towards the end. And again, "Scope J" was awful. Overall, this feels like it'd be the soundtrack to a bad musical. When I started listening to it I was pretty surprised by the low rating it had here, since the opener was pretty decent. But I was wrong. I'd give it 2 stars for the effort, but honestly I disliked it strongly and don't feel like Lemper's singing deserves an extra star, so 1 it is.

Didn't love it.

I am being generous here because the album really tries to be serious enough to be viewed as a real attempt to make good music.

reminds me of Patricia Kaas

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

Not really my cup of tea. Sounds like a rock opera... very Meatloaf-ish. I did enjoy the VERY last song

Dramatic.

No va

This was another album with really cool and unique singing. Really enjoyed it. Worth a return as well

I can’t not vote. But I have no context for giving any sort of appreciation of this.

Ugh, this was bad. It was made in 2000? It sounds dated in the worst way - not nostalgic or retro in any good way, just try-hard and overly emotive. Will not ever listen to again. 1/5

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

This dark cabaret stuff was a favourite of several annoyingly pretentious people I used to know so I'm predisposed not to like it, but this was genuinely difficult to get through regardless. Ute Lemper seems to be a very talented performer and I usually really like The Divine Comedy, Nick Cave and several of the others involved with this album, but the music itself just feels rambling and self indulgent.

Surprised that I quite enjoyed this. Quite a bit of variety on there. The last song really dragged though.

Was all punishing and certainly no kiss. Weird kind of shit ballads but not even power ballads. Poor mans Whitney. I thought the song ‘split’ was going to change it with the first 20 seconds but alas it turned into drivel. Past its sell by

Weird theatrical existentialism. Just too arty and weird for me. It felt more like someone shouting at me than singing and I think it opened up emotional wounds that Steve MacManaman first inflicted. Also googled her and she's not even fit, looks like a stereotypical grunty Wimbledon finalist.

Basically, your mum sings the soundtrack to an imaginary Bond movie, but the music is produced by Disney and the lyrics written by Ken Russell. It's a marriage made in hell. The undoubtedly talented Neil Hannon indulges in all of the worst of his nudge-nudge wink-wink traits, while Costello's sophisticated melodic pop sense is the collection's only redeeming feature - if you can bear the treatment. The production just sounds messy... theatrical arrangements often seem to be occupying a totally different sonic space to Lemper's (not particularly brilliant) vocals, rather than complimenting them. Sample lyric: "If sex were an Olympic sport, we would have won the gold." Jesus.

That's an oxymoron.

This album was shockingly awful, like there's so many talented names on this thing but then Ute Lemper's singing just sounds like she's badly improvising the lyrics, and the way she belts them out makes me wonder if she's tone deaf and has no sense of rhythm.

Did not finish

Haha calice Écouter ça pour le plaisir, c'est comme s'exfolier le scrotum avec une sableuse électrique montée avec du p60. Figure dans le livre "1001 Albums They Play On Repeat at Guantanamo". La dernière toune, du haut de ses 11 minutes, pourrait tuer un sourd.

I can’t believe this is my first album wtf even is this

Teatral, dramático y orquestal, este álbum parece la banda sonora de un musical de Broadway, y me ha sorprendido que fuera publicado en los 2000. Los temas son historias inconclusas con un toque de misterio, un poco decadentes y sensuales, rollo film noir. La voz de Ute Lemper es potente y apasionada, encajando perfectamente en la atmósfera del álbum, más aún con ese acento alemán que le da un toque adicional de sofisticación a lo cabaret de la República de Weimar. Otro aspecto interesante del álbum es la cantidad de compositores conocidos que se pueden leer en la portada: Elvis Costello, Tom Waits y Nick Cave, entre otros, y cómo se nota la marca personal de cada uno de ellos en sus respectivos temas. Y, a pesar de todo esto, el álbum no cumple con las expectativas. Se hace repetitivo, largo, aburrido, y suena bastante anticuado. Además, si eliges un álbum de este estilo, ¿por qué no incluir uno de los 60? La única explicación es la fijación obsesiva de Robert Dimery con la mayoría de estos compositores. Un álbum teóricamente interesante, pero muy alejado de mis gustos personales y que, de todas maneras, no debería estar en esta lista.

Malisimo le puedo dar 0?

Started off interesting ended up grating

que bosta meu deus

é bem chato meio cabaret demais. vou dar 2 estrelas pq nao foi INESCUTÁVEL mas foi paia

4/10 - it was kind of strange but it had a wide variety of artists which was surprising

Not good. At least I get to listen to the smiths now

Another album and artist that is completely new to me. I was intrigued by the listed songwriters, so was cautiously optimistic going in. During the first song I thought that she had a good voice and the song was interesting, sort of like something from a musical. Not really my thing usually but I was ready to give it a go. Unfortunately it got a bit tiresome for me quickly after that. I didn't really care for the male voice (not sure who it was) that was on some of the songs, and by the end I was skipping past them. The Phillip Glass song was ok at first but even that just got annoying and I couldn't finish it either. Disappointed overall in this. She seems really talented but not for my ears I guess.

Not my favourite genre/vocal style but cracking songs. The Costello and Waits songs are easy to spot. Listened twice and will go back to it. I liked it when she rocked out a bit!

Kinda one note all the way through. I agree with others: it sounds like a musical you don’t want to watch/listen to.

With the number of star guest vocalists appearing, this should be at least a 4 star album. It's lucky its getting 2 stars.

Wasn't expecting a German musical in the morning. Would give it a 2.5 for the inclusion of Tom waits if possible. It wasn't bad and there were spots where it was really quite good but...then others where it felt a bit saccharine.

Listen to this a few years ago, don't intend to again. Terrible

I enjoyed that so much that I listened to it twice in a row.

Not a very fun first album to listen to... Very over dramatic, I really dont like her singing voice, dont like the lyrics, really just not enjoyable at all. This is my first album of this challenge so its only up from here I guess... Split was okay, but the rest was just boring, annoying and bothersome to listen to

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).

Yawn. This was boring af. Couple not bad moments but just not my thing at all. Felt like I was watching a kids movie. Definitely musical talent here, but just wasted in my opinion. Weak 2

Sounds like a sung-through musical, but not in a good way. How can so many talented musicians poop out such an album as this? Full of cringey lyrics too. Favorite bad lyric: I got the brain, she supplied the breast. Split was alright. Light 2/5

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.

There's something off-putting about this album and I can't quite place it....the instrumentals are fine....I guess it's the singer? Idk, something isn't meshing well. It doesn't necessarily sound BAD, but I could not just sit there and listen to this.

Shitty Disney music? That's an album I must listen to? Miss me with this crap.

Legendär

ou s git de type album. songs vom nick cave und em costello und so mit no fahlerer instrumentierig? wött etz nöd vo afang ah hate aber scho au bitzli. okay s arrangement uf the case continues isch reeecht geil. glaub elvis costello songs mached afoch nöd eso viel mit mir. tango ballad isch brecht/weill, schad singt sies nöd uf dütsch. oke schono cool. couldn't you keep that to yourself schöni akkörd und no cool wenn en costello song guet gsunge isch. aber scho sehr pathetisch. uuuh philipp glass aha. het mi etz nöd sooo brauscht. the part you throw away chli viel vibrato und sache für mich. sie singt suuuper aber isch afoch gad nöd de richtig mood für mich. sehr so cabaret musig. isch dad album afoch sochli de musical pick für die liste? checks nöd so würklich. hey sie singt huuere schön aber chas nöd soo gnüsse isch chli es potpourri vo sache und de letst etz ischmer würkli zu pathetisch. es zwo

UTE OF SOZARCH FAME?? wnl die credits gsehnd nachere musigkritik-orgie uus dass bi little water song de nick cave sini finger im spiel gha het, isch so klar gsi wie euse sieg nächst wuchenend geg aurora uiuiuiui dreigroschenoper findi het sehr schlecht galteret mitem corny ass gitarre solo bin wahrsch chli vorihgno aber finds leider echt langwilig und für das isch ihri stimm jz au nöd insane? de schluss vo you were meant for me findi actually no cool, das epische passt seeehr guet! ich loses nomal will ich de rest sehr langeilig gfunde han, aber vlt mussi chli besser zuelose ahh okay sehr chanson aber sehr cool!! NEIII 11 MINUTEEEE ok de ahfang isch aber sehr cool und dissonant hä eisch iwie 11 min eifh zwei teil wo sich abwechslet? die letschte 2 lieder hani jz rig no cool gfunde aber joa also eig wär das für mich es 2, will ichs ganze zwar sehr langwilig gfunde han, aber glaub sochli d überlegig/kunst dehinder chan schätze ABER ich wett nöd akzeptiere, dass nick cave und elvis costello druff staht und mier weg dem de gaggi münd lose, fy (sorry ute du chasch nüt defür)

Great voice, but weird album. I'll have to find some more of her stuff though.

Wow; this is exactly the kind of discovery this list was made for. Ute’s voice is stunning - instantly evocative of Patricia Kaas, and at times even Kate Bush. The production and orchestral arrangements are just gorgeous, and I was surprised to find that it includes heavy involvement from The Divine Comedy. Favourite tracks: everything.

Voice is fine but can't for the life of me understand why this album made this list. If this was a list of "1001 albums to listen to sitting outside a French bistro while smoking a cigarette" then yes.

It was pleasant to listen to, but nothing made me go wow. It is a pretty average album. 3 stars

I respect the artistry, but I wanted to enjoy it more

"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

cringe

Fine

Canzoni carine, album noioso

I always said of Nick Cave songs that I'd like them more if someone else was singing them, but that's not true in this case. This is too theatrical for me; I don't like Lemper's delivery. Split was the least objectionable.

Found it to be kind of boring. I feel like it was trying to be edgy and didn’t really accomplish that. 2/5 Won’t listen again

Probably good but but I can’t get past her vibrato

That’s a no.

Nice stuff. Soundtrack?

Oof. Ute's voice was fine, she's clearly talented. But chamber pop and the Divine Comedy are both not my thing, so this gets dragged down by their involvement. Some of the songs are really bad.

This album sounded more like a soundtrack to a Broadway musical. He voice was smooth and strong but just couldn’t digest the actual songs themselves. Definitely not for me.

This album was really weird. It was tough to get through. Felt like I was in a lounge.

Pretentious and annoying. I couldn't finish it. Did anyone let her know you can name yourself literally anything as an artist?

Did not care for this, it couldn't figure out a genre, so just did a bunch of things poorly.

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.

Whispery

Experimental rock opera vibe with nick cave in the mix

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

The Good: We get a kiss! The Bad: Not the kind of kiss we expected… The Ugly: Realizing that the punishment isn’t limited to the kiss… Tit for tat… that’s all that comes to mind. As in, somewhere out there, there is a person, or persons, who actually enjoyed listening to this album. We should not judge… right? Myself, I am conflicted as the experience did not leave me with inner-ear damage, as I did not jab myself with a pencil to make the sound go away… however, neither did I find myself in a state of euphoria… Chalk it up to an experience which I won’t repeat… 2*

It has some high points.

Rating: 1 Notable songs: n/a Can assure you this wasnt in the top 1001 most influential albums.

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.

Yeah don’t get this one either…..

Dad- 7 Mom- 6 Mike- 3 Lori- 3 Michael- 5 Miles- NA Cole- 3.5 Avg- 3.42

Kind of all over the place... But I like it

Woof. Not COMPLETELY awful but pretty terrible.

2/3

Surprisingly good

The singer is a bit like when you're at a family gathering and someone sings. They have a good reputation and for a bit they're quite impressive. But, you don't really like it and at the end of the song you politely clap along with everyone else. But ultimately you're glad it's over. Until, the crowd asks for an encore so you head to the kitchen for a drink and close the door behind you

Spotify wouldn't let me listen but what i heard on ubtibe was fine.

If you can call upon the likes of Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Elvis Costello to write for you, and their input is evident, how can the resulting album be so poor?

Posh bollocks. Went down well at Glyndebourne, no doubt. This album is absolutely terrible. The singing sounds unrelated to the music in places and insists on being grammatically correct, as if dull story were being told. It is overly orchestrated and sounds starchy and contrived.

Well that was dramatic! (and somewhat depressing) Despite the talent involved I had to stop listening as felt like continuously being nagged.

Not a fan. Hard to get through an hour of it. Standout song: Tango Ballad

First album I haven’t listened to all the way through - not for me.

Boring and incredibly melodramatic. Uninteresting songs insisting upon themselves makes this an album that feels stuffy and hollow. No real substance, and entirely skippable

Gorgeous music and vocal interpretation. I feel like I went wrong somewhere in life for not having known Lemper up until now.

Fantastic voice, just could not enjoy the music.

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.

This album felt like listening to the cast recording for a musical theater production, but lacked any of the context of such a production that would give the songs their emotional force.

This is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to find more on this list. So far, there has not been much that surprised and pleased me like this album (Ágætis byrjun is really the only other one I can think of). An album that isn't perfect, but that is interesting and unique. One that has something to say in a way no one else would. An album I otherwise never would have encountered. I don't need to like everything on the album (I don't in this case, though I did enjoy most of it), I just want to learn and listen. The Threepenny Opera "Tango Ballad" arrangement is so cool--I liked it even better than the original. I love the reimagined instrumental accompaniment, with all those ethereal synth sounds. I was hoping to enjoy the Philip Glass track more. I hate to say it, but it really does sound like stereotypical Glass--just throw in a couple arpeggiated sextuplet lines and call it a day. It was good, but I'm disappointed it wasn't more interesting. I don't like Neil Hannon's voice. He sounds straight out of Volbeat or another heavy metal band, and I don't think it meshes with Ute Lemper's cabaret style. I think I would've rated this album a 4 anyway, but his part definitely would keep me from bringing this up to 5. The delicate instrumentation on "Purple Avenue" is beautiful. Honestly, Ute could be singing almost anything over it and I would enjoy it. "You Were Meant For Me" is lovely, dramatic, spectacular. The heavily orchestrated instrumentals and Ute's semi-operatic flair on this track go together wonderfully. It reminds me of a film score. "Scope J." probably isn't something I would go out of my way to listen to again, but I did enjoy listening to it. The dissonances were disturbing in a way that perfectly encapsulated the haunting lyrics. Music like this is proof that good music doesn't have to be enjoyable: it can be disturbing, harsh, throught-provoking. Overall, a pretty cool album that borrows heavily from its cabaret roots. That means it is kind of absurd and melodramatic at times, but I can appreciate it for what it is.

Pretty unpleasant but not the worst I've heard so far.

Weird cabaret style music. The voices were also quite irritating at times.

Quite enjoyed this. Bit "dramatic" in places but might revisit.

A failed attempt at Bond: The Musical

This one really surprised me. The features are incredible, like Nick Cave and Elvis Costello AND Tom Waits on one album??? And the songs were incredible. The melodrama, the lyrics, the instruments. Wow I loved this one