Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Yikes. I can see why this is one of the lowest rated albums here. I think personally its the second worst I've heard so far (after Kid Rock of course). One of the most unpleasant album listening experiences I've had in a while.
If you told me that I would rate the English dub of Post war German Les Mis, I would totally believe you but I'm still surprised it exists. This kind of weird nonsense is absolutely my jam. The fact that both the performance and the songwriting are steller really just solidifys my rating.
Pleasant enough voice to build Ikea furniture to but not worth how long I kept it saved on my Youtube/nor worth the effort to find it. 2.5 Stars
What a surprise to hear a cabaret style album with a great voice. I really enjoyed listening to this.
I found this on youtube, but possibly it was an amalgamation of the English and German versions. Can't say I really enjoyed it but it was incredibly different to anything else on this list which I think warrants its inclusion.
Im happy to entertain these cabaret albums for a few tracks. Certainly not my bag. I did find some of the theatrical rise and fall to be fun, but the novelty wears off in 5 tracks.
This was unexpected, but kind of interesting. Reminds me a lot of the Cabaret film. I really enjoyed some of the songs and arrangements, but after a while the clunky lyrics and musical theatre style started to grate on me. Wouldn't listen again.
I wouldn’t put this on again but I didn’t hate it. Felt like I was listening to a musical. Not sure what it was about though, definitely war?
Oh hell no. Fuck this shit and whichever ass hat thought I needed to hear some weird cabaret style show tunes. I bailed after a song and a half. 🖕🏻🖕🏻0⭐️
1.5....there's something about it that's not letting me give it 1. Perhaps my German heritage. I don't really want or need to hear it again, but there was never a time where I thought "what's the point of all this?" - I'm looking your direction Roni Size and The Triffids.
Очень затянуто. Из-за числа песен, которые к тому же трудно различить, в какой-то момент альбом просто надоедает. У нее интересный голос, и немецкие вещи действительно звучат. Атмосфера такого старого, скрипящее дерево и всё вот это вот. Лучшая песня - Berlin 1919.
This had me in The Trenches.
It's so good that it isn't on streaming...mmmm...strange...
im not sure if i know how to appreciate this
First album I had to listen to on YouTube because it wasn't on Spotify...so it's also not included on the "favorite" playlist as of now. I think this was an interesting listen. Not my speed, kind of cabaret with a larger orchestra? Not sure. Seems very German pop oriented (which is also interesting but a bit odd to my American pop preferring ears), but I won't be seeking it out.
I feel like I am listening to a woman have a breakdown in German. Also these horns and percussion sections just feel so out of place. Its jarring, and not just from a language perspective. It seems arthouse as hell, not for me.
I mean… weird and German. Interesting but overall not something I dig
Ikke tilgængeligt
What a nice surprise! Was wondering why her voice sounded so familiar, turns out she was in Slapp Happy. I used to listen to their record "Slapp Happy or Slapp Happy" a ton many years ago so this was a nice way to revisit a record that I had forgotten about. I can see a lot of people absolutely hating this, but I personally love it. Music itself is quite different than what is present in her other projects. What I understand is that this is Dagmar performing a bunch of standards by Hanns Eisler. Entertaining album but very dark, and just like everything else associated with the cantterbury scene, outspokenly leftist. Reminded me a lot of the Jun Togawa and Koji Ueno project Guernica. Need to revisit that sometime.
Another album ruined by the singer. Takes herself too serious, German accent unbearable. The fact that it’s only on YouTube and I can’t read up on the backstory kills the last possibility to give it another chance. First album I stopped 10 minutes in because of my lack masochistic energy.
Passada a estranheza inicial de se estar diante de algo não convencional, comparado a música que estamos habituados a consumir, nos deparamos com belas canções magistralmente arranjadas e com interpretações poéticas (e até teatrais) de reconhecido mérito. Vale sim, conhecer, mesmo que não seja um daqueles discos que ouviríamos voluntariamente.
Certainly unique, won’t be coming back to it. Liked the song about the German mom regretting sending her son to the SS.
2.5 Very interesting listen, I somewhat liked the musicality of this but that might change with sustained and repeated listens. Hanns Eisler seemed to have a tough go at life.
I have no idea what I just listened to but I know this, it was amazing. I have a sneaking suspicion that most of the low rated albums for being 'interesting' or 'weird' or 'experimental' will be 5s in my book and that is what this one is earning.
this is not music that i would choose to listen to in my own time but i can appreciate it for achieving what it clearly set out to do. kind of exhausting to listen to the way a lot of musical theatre is exhausting to listen to.
ok so that was kind of nuts...it wasn't bad but it was a bit too theatrical for me initially. once i let go of the expectation of it being a regular album and treated it like i was listening to a musical theater soundtrack, i was less irritated than at the start. certainly she is a talented vocalist and conveys a lot of emotion, but the only time i really registered the lyrics was when she was singing about germany and hitler in "song of a german mother". i'm sure most of this went over my head in terms of its cold war / german nationalist references besides the aforementioned explicit one. i think i just don't have the cultural knowledge to understand the significance of this album. betellied had bassoon in it and i liked that though.
This is a tough one. Not sure why it's on the list over some others, but that's going to be a common refrain from me over the next 400+ (fml) albums. I could only find 24 minutes of it on Youtube. I didn't hate it, and I thought it was kind of interesting. I could tell it was telling a pretty emotional story, but half of it was in German, so I couldn't follow. The song she sings to her son, who becomes the one kind of good Nazi (a dead Nazi) is pretty sad when putting yourself in her shoes. Overall, I thought it was fine and interesting. I'll never listen to it again, but it makes more sense as an "adventure" than yet another Frank fucking Sinatra album, or a tenth David Bowie.
It's avant garde, I can appreciate it for what it is, but it sadly doesn't resonate
Is this the soundtrack to a West end show? If so then I'm on board. If not.. what are tracks like Mother Beimleim doing in there. Either way this is not a musical I would enjoy.
Not on Spotify but from the couple songs I listened to on YouTube I’m okay with that
german queen
SO much fun. SO camp. Loved the wistfulness of Failure in Loving and Und Endlich Stibt.
2 - Maybe the songs in context would be better
Music of it's time... next.
Drôle d'album, je vais lui donner ça. Je suis pas fan des pièces «Music Hall», mais j'apprécie le storytelling derrière
it almost sounds like a modern day opera. most of the songs are very short. the version i listened to had several songs in german. this was just not for me, honestly.
Couldn’t find this so I listened to something else by this guy and meh.
Not found.
Unusual and beautiful.
Interesting.
Kind of a chore to get through this.
I did not like this one
Got halfway through but I really need this on streaming or on local download so I’ll edit this if I feel different, but I like the lyrics and subject matter a lot, the presentation got me excited cus it looks all Metal Gear, but it’s a tad bit too theatre for me.
Cover 6 Songs like an off Broadway musical. It's interesting and I don't necessarily here it but I Soyny see myself listening to it again.
Honestly it was fine but it was just SO LONG
This collection of socialist songs was released and within a year the Berlin Wall was torn down. Coincidence? I'm not sure. It has modern opera vibes. I don't like modern opera at all. It's dissonant to make it more dramatic. But it's hard to listen to. Favorite song: Bankenlied.
Such an impressive vocalist backed by expert instrumentation. So strong and smooth and inspiring. Unlike anything I’ve heard.
I tended to like the songs that are left in German over the ones they translated to English. The English ones I found the lyrics sound disconnected from the music. It was meant to be listened to in German, leave it the fuck alone. Favorite songs: Bankenlied, Song of a German Mother, Lied von der Belebeden Wirkung des Geldes (The Song of the Invigorating Impact of Cash), The Trenches Least favorite songs: Mother Beimleim 2/5
It's funny that this is even in the book. Not available on most streaming platforms and doesn't come with loads of critical acclaim based on the Wiki article. I listened on YouTube with the odd toothpaste ad, and I'm not sure it's the right version because Wiki says this was recorded all in English, and there is some German singing. It was enough to get an idea however So anyway on the actual music, it's not my kind of thing at all and I really wanted to hate it, but do you know what? I didn't. The singing is good and there's a jolly bounce along to some of these songs, musical-theatre style. I didn't really follow what was going on but I'm guessing these songs were composed longer ago than 1988 as she's singing about Hitler and brownshirts at times. It's better than I thought though, in summary
Took me a while to listen to this on YouTube. Was expecting weirdness and I guess it wasn’t really that. Just pretty old fashioned and about a really long time ago. So weird in that way I guess but not the music so much.
Pretentious. Not for me.
this was cool!! exactly what this project is for: finding weird albums that i never would have heard of/listened to without it. i’m playing drums in the upcoming production of Urinetown at my college and a lot of this was very reminiscent of the score. wouldn’t be surprised if this inspired the composers a good bit
A good album, I liked the songs The Song OF The Whitewash, I Read About Tank Battles and The Trenches.
Bueno, comenzamos este viaje visitando estos 1001 discos. Voy a hacer, si tengo paciencia y consistencia, una pequeña crítica de cada uno, solo para dejar mis pensamientos asociados a ellos. Creo que ya debo haber escuchado la mayoría, pero comenzamos con uno que no conozco. Siempre es injusto juzgar un disco desconocido, el trabajo de un artista, a partir de un par de escuchas, especialmente cuando uno no está familiarizado con el género que hace. Si conozco el trabajo de Dagmar Krause en el proyecto inglés alemán Slapp Happy. Esperaba encontrar algo similar a eso, pero nada que ver. Todo el disco parece haber sido compuesto por Hans Eisler con música de Bertold Brecht y tiene ese sonido cabaretero que mucho no conozco. Otro problema (mío) es que el disco tiene MUCHAS canciones (más de 20) y al no estar familiarizado termina sonándome todo muy parecido, con una producción similar en las canciones y la voz de Krause que tal vez no sea la indicada para el género (me suena muy aparatosa una alemana cantando en inglés para este tipo de música, como cuando escucho discos de la gran Nico, pero que parece aprovecharse de esto). Las últimas canciones del disco parecen ser más interesantes, en mi humilde opinión, que la primera parte. Algo que le puede interesar a alguien (si le muestro estas pequeñas revisiones a alguien más) es que este disco tiene músicos que participaron en Frank's Wild Years del enorme Tom Waits.
Very difficult to listen to. Couldn't do it.
Oof. I don't get it at all. Not my thing!
This album made me feel like a hypocrite because here i've been, banging my fist to the desk for more diversity! Less rock/pop! And then this shows up and it just doesnt land. So happy it's something that isn't American or British, and she certainly has a STELLAR voice - but it's a bit too showtunesy and theatrical for me. A lot of the instrumentation, while diverse and impressive, sometimes sounds a bit thin? Maybe part of that is that it's an album from 1988 compressed into a youtube upload, but yeah. My pick is "The Ballad of the Sackslingers" for it's constant tempo changes and vivd storytelling. Just not my jam at all. It's not at all bad! Just not for me
This is the first thing you hear when you descend into HELL
This reeks of Germanic classical music influence. It didn't wholly appeal to me but can see how it took the world by blitzkrieg.
This was a passion project, not intended to be a commercial success, and the love for the art really shines.
Why is this album so hated here? Seriously, what's wrong with it exactly? I had a good time listening to this.
WTF? I had never heard of the artist or album and always get excited when this is the case. This album was...interesting? Confusing? I honestly didn't vibe with the avant-cabaret (is this a thing?) on my first listen, but on my second listen it started to grow in me. You can definitely hear the influence on people who I love like Tom Waits and Nick Cave. Dagmar Krause, who I now know best know for her avant-rock work with bands like Slapp Happy and Henry Cow, was obsessed 1920's cabaret. This album was her rethinking such work composed by Hans Eisler. Krause has an undeniably beautiful voice. Eisler was among the great composers of his era, so the songs were well structured, albeit run through an experimental rock sieve. The result was something genuinely unique, especially for its era and I can absolutely appreciate it as a work of art. Sometimes art is great precisely because it is unique, even if it isn't entirely comfortable. For me, this album was a reminder that sometimes I need to give unique music time to breathe, approaching them later with a fresh and open mind. My initial notes were pretty damn harsh, yet during my second and third listens the next day I started to get it. This is a tough one for me to rate. I reserve 4* for albums that I definitely want to revisit and I'm not sure I will in this case, but it did already cause me to explore her avant-rock work, which I enjoyed a little more. For me, it is a 3.5* record. I guess I'll wait a couple of hours to see which way I go with my final rating. Overall, an interesting listening experience.
Found this one on Youtube. Felt like a musical so I think I would appreciate it more if I could sit down and try and pay attention to everything it's saying. Musically, it was a little boring.
Well there is most certainly an audience for this music. I'm not sure who it is, but some people really dig this stuff. Its weird, creative and avant-garde. Which.. is.. great? For Dagmar. Its really great for Dagmar. I'm glad she did this.. I guess. And now I know about it. And its basically broadway tunes, but not really.
etwas düster finde ich .. absolut nicht meins.
I may not have found the full version of this album, but I heard enough on YouTube Music to get a pretty good impression. I was expecting the soundtrack from the Atari 2600 tank battles. But what I heard instead was more like a cartoonish version of Cabaret. More because of the German than the subject matter, although there were Hitler and brown shirt references near the end of what I listened to. Aside from that, the vocals were good and, because overall better than expected, rounding up from 1.5*.
German opera/folk ballads. Singing them in English does nothing to improve them.
Good singer. Probably good music, but I can't say that I enjoy it, particularly.
Not my cup of tea
For the most part, I enjoyed this. The random YouTube playlist I found had songs in both English and German und die Lieder auf deutsch sind natürlich viel besser. Super interesting Wikipedia reads on both Dagmar Krause and Hanns Eisler as well.
I’m dismayed by how much this site seems to hate this album. It’s clear, interesting music, well-performed and well-produced. It was intended for popular consumption. I don’t think it’s objectionable. I believe everyone has an obligation to understand and engage with the past. This is good art, it's clearly better than Kid Rock, it's clearly not a one, and I'm sorry if you need everything spoon-fed to you by the algorithmic hand of the Culture-Industrial Complex. Spotify is an exploitative business with no regard for art. Its owner is a war profiteer. You can find this album on YouTube, or elsewhere with just a bit of effort.
How interesting is this!! I like the music and I like its confrontational presence on this list. I was hovering between a 3 and 4 (it's certainly not an everyday album, but it was a delight today). It's bonkers that this has such a low average rating on this site, so 4 it is. (And for all y'all griping about this album not being on Spotify: 1, cancel Spotify, 2, it's on the Internet Archive for free.)
77/1001. Used the YouTuble playlist. I'm a fan of weill/brech and this clearly falls in to the same category. I've xome across Krause in Willners superb Lost in the Stars album (also check out the September Songs movie!) compilation. To file this under agit pop or protest songs is a major mistake. The voice and the production is amazing, and the songwriting is great. 26 songs is a lot, but over all this collection of 1001 great album needs more divergence like this one.
Wow, this is... A lot. It's not bad songwriting, it's just very abrasive and experimental. Not my favourite.
Big nope.
Theatrical cabaret.
No thanks
Sounds like the soundtrack to a musical set in early 1900’s Germany. No thanks.
Did not like this one bit…was looking for some redeeming quality and there was none
I am not sophisticated enough to judge this beyond my personal level of enjoyment. But it's different... campy... theatrical? Apparently these are translated lyrics from a Weimar-era composer. As I listened more, I leaned into the theatrical vibe and rolled with it. Not bad but not one for regular rotation.
Obligé de l’écouter sur un podcast c’est quoi cette merde ?
This was unexpected and interesting. I loved the theatricality of it, and some of the quieter songs were beautiful. I can see how it would not be to everyone's taste, however. I listened to this on YouTube.
This album was almost fascinatingly bad, it really does sound like rejected songs that Lily von Schtupp was supposed to sing in Blazing Saddles, as another 1001 Albums Generator user pointed out. Maybe I just don't get it, but all I know is I listened to the first 10 minutes with what must've been a hell of a "What in god's name am I listening to?" look on my face before having to change it over to something else.
Honestly, I don't know what to think about this album. It was cool, it had almost a theatrical feel. I liked the songs and her voice, but I was not the biggest fan of them.
While listening to this album, I wish I wasn't. Truthfully it's not that bad, but a shocking pick for one of the 1001 best albums of all time.
I feel like I am watching a cold war era musical in the worst way possible. I am unsure of why this is the way it is.
Interesting concept... I'm not sure I enjoyed my visit to 1920's Germany, but I am not sure I was supposed to.
Awkward English lyrics combined with borderline atonal music is not a pleasant listen, though it certainly stands out.
Mostly a waste of time and a waste of a spot on this list -- just too obscure, too theatrical and Brechtian or Zweigian (one's guessing here) to really suit this list. "The Perhaps Songs" is a plus title. At any rate, maybe some people need to hear this before they die (the composer's family most likely); one certainly does not. Listening just once, whilst still happily alive is more than enough.
Those Germans
.Extremely esoteric!
No thanks.
The fuck! This album, it says, is not on any streaming service and if you find it, let "them" know. The app has finally eaten itself and offered an album that potentially doesn't exist. Well done! Wankers. 1 star just to register my frustration at this app.
Given the poor rating and reviews I thought I'd hate this. I actually quite enjoyed it. I think a few people need to learn that decent music can be produced by people who are a) not men; and b) don't play rock.
This sucks. 1/5
Something about this album is putting me in a worse mood, and I don't know what it is. It's just uncomfortable. And I gave it two listens. I think this is the first album I'm giving a one and can't tell you why I hate it.
The Pink Panzer.
so you're enjoying a beer and a bratwurst but you've done that every day so far this holiday and it feels like you should do some culture, right? but the only thing you can a ticket for is ... this? something something Brecht? yeah all right then ... and now that sausage is but a fond memory
Its showtunes. I just can't. Good voice, but an hour of German tinged songs about tanks. No.
3.5
At first I was, I am not in the mood for this crap. But after a few songs I realized I was actually enjoying this. It's masterfully done. I feel like the original German flowed better (as it should). Translation always changes the feel.
Very creepy and strange.
As with so many other albums on this list, you can ask whether this should be on the list. At least it's not another average pop/rock album from USA or UK. So that is a good reason for including it rather than those. But it does not change anything about how I like this album and I do not really like it (some few parts are quite good). Of course I know Hans Eisler but are there no other singers out there which master these songs better? Or generally songs of this aera? And for gods sake, why does she sing so many songs in english? These sound terrible.
Sure, politically astute and she’s quite the performer. But little attempt to make the heady and heavily Brechtian influenced music and presentation more accessible to a general listening public. So it’s like being told that castor oil is good for you and then being forced to drink it.
i think you can break down the 1001 albums like this - obvious classics that would be weird if they weren't on the list - influential but not big albums - significant artists' entire discographies - small samplings of significant genres/subgenres - genuine oddball/left field shit that you would never possibly stumble across no matter how hard you tried this album is obviously in the final category, and one of only three or four on this list that falls into that category. through reading other people's reviews, i find a lot of people who really thought this list was only going to be things that fell into the first category and turn their nose up whenever they get outside of that comfort zone. i think it kind of defeats the whole purpose of this exercise, why bother committing yourself to listen to 1001+ albums if you're just expecting to find more of things you already know and like all this to say that this music is like a 7/10 for me. not my bag, not the best thing i ever heard, but not bad at all. however i would take it over the inexplicable 300 byrds or neil young albums on this list
What a strange little Brechtian album. Not one of these songs has a normal time signature
Insufferable rubbish. Absolutely zero redeeming qualities.
Not for me. All I could think was this is a KMFDM demo tape without distortion. So +1 for that.
Meh
Unfortunately I am going to join the many haters of this album. Not that it is entirely bad or pointless, but that I don't enjoy it. I would much rather listen to classical German music which this is based on. I understand that genre is influential but is this album? Maybe to Ute Lemper Punishing Kiss, but I also don't like that album. Pretty sure Nick Cave and Tom Waits and others were making music like this before, so I just don't get it. I did go down an interesting rabbit hole of classical German from this though. I'm interested, but not in this. Sorry but some albums have to get a 1 to make the 2s count for something. At least you made the book.
I swear some of the inclusions on this list are a social experiment, add some shite to the list and by the fact that it's listed here people will like it.
I can't really tell if I actually like this or not. Its's certainly different, I can't imagine there's anything remotely close to this one the rest of the generator. It does appeal to me in a way though, Weimar Germany is fascinating to me and was the focus of my dissertation. It captures the uneasiness of the Weimar period. Song of a German Mother portrays the extreme division and tragedy of the period really well There are some quite jarring and odd moments though, for example Mother Beimleim is very strange I think saying I like or enjoy this album isn't right, but I do appreciate it. I think I would enjoy the German version more, I the German vocals were a bit more fitting and worked for me better I listened to the English version since that seems to be the version in the book. It's not a fault of the album but because of the short track lengths, I was constantly getting ads on YouTube ruining the flow and atmosphere Highlights: Lied von der Belebeden Wirkung des Geldes (The Song of the Invigorating Impact of Cash), The Ballad of the Slacksingers, Chanson Allemande
I appreciate that a lot of the songs are pretty short, so, in a way, it’s kind of like a Guided by Voices record…except that I have absolutely no interest in listening to it and it’s actually nothing like a Guided by Voices record at all.
Moondog meets Siouxsie and the Banshees. Insane.
Та самая сложная эстрада, бытовавшая в Европе. Альбом нашел с трудом и в плохом качестве.
2 cuz I couldn’t find anything about it
Das Albom geds basicly nome of YouTube ond hed dete es paar tuusig Ufrüef, die meischte wahrschiindlech vo dere Websiite. Das erklärt scho mol veles. Es esch halt eifach ergend e random mix us velne genres met e chli random tön zwöschetenne. So chammers de au jazz nenne. Au t sproch änderet au emmer weder e chli, meischtens dütsch oder änglisch. Es ged aber au no geinigermasse okay lieder. Mängisch, wenn sie nome öppe eis Genre produziert, wie de einti 50er song, esches tatsächlech ned so scheisse. Allgemein chammmers lose, es ged aber halt e million anderi besseri songs.
Good album if a little odd, nothing awful, just not quite my speed
Hard pass.
Great voice!
As an American in 2025, I am living through Weimar Germany, I don’t need to listen to it. 🙃 truly this reminds mostly of the Original Broadway Cast recording of a Cameron Macintosh produced mega-musical like Les Miz or Cats. I think it’s the instrumentation and the production. And I half expect the to hear Colm Wilkinson singing about redemption. I feel like this is a hackier version of Cabaret or Oh! what a lovely war. It’s a stage musical without a stage.
Cabaret, German, not really for me... Kind of enjoyed "The Perhaps Song" DNF
1/2
Admirable for trying something new, but it's an odd mishmash of cabaret and rock. Not great 2*
Heard a song and thought “Oh wow, this is pretty good!” and looked over and realized it was an ad break in the album 😐
Incessantly, melodramatically mediocre
Could. Not. Listen. This was terrible.
why the fuck is this shi on here
Scared the wife, scared the kid, scared the dog.
< the Beatles
ne postoji...?
This is not the kind of jazz that woke muisc heads (including myslef) will beg you to listen to and will tell you is "life-changing". That designation goes to the greats like Davis, Coltrane, Mingus, and others. This is the type that you imagine would play in a tourture chamber on repeat for someone that commited war crimes against humanity as punishment. 1/10
To start with, for anyone having trouble find this album, try these links: Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbYmWrfNJpQ&t=1s Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwEqjE4D4iE "Tank Battles" sees Dagmar Krause bringing the music of composer Hanns Eisler into a modern context. This is going to take some researching... Krause is an avant garde German singer, who has played with a collection of bands you probably haven't heard of. The biggest claims to fame that I can identify are that Faust acted as the backing band for one of her projects called Slap Happy, and that she's done some work with and tributes to Robert Wyatt. She seems to have a strong interest in "Weimar-era cabaret". It is fair to say that Dagmar Krause is a niche act. What about Hanns Eisler? A socialist composer who was first exiled from Nazi Germany and then later kicked out of the United States by the House Unamerican Activities Committee who called him "the Karl Marx of music". Upon leaving the US, he said "I leave this country not without bitterness and infuriation. I could well understand it when in 1933 the Hitler bandits put a price on my head and drove me out. They were the evil of the period; I was proud at being driven out. But I feel heartbroken over being driven out of this beautiful country in this ridiculous way." He wrote the national anthem of East Germany and lots of lefty songs, and then fell into depression and alcoholism. It makes for a good story, albeit a sad one. So what to say about "Tank Music" as an album then? It's maybe a slightly interesting novelty record. If you like the musical Cabaret but wish it had less sex and more socialism, you'll probably enjoy it. Of all of the amazing German artists on this list, Dagmar Krause is one that I don't think really needed a spot on this list. But I'll give it a few points for being different.
Sounded bad in German. Sounded worse in English
A very peculiar album this, but not the first to have this effect on me. Half in German, half in English. But then why not, she is German. No problem there, but all the way through, I kept having the feeling that I should be enjoying this more than I am. Interesting rather than enjoyable, I'm glad I listened to it. But that's not anything I believe I'll do again. 2
Dreadful. Cant stand musicals. Or anything operatic.
WTF? I was expecting an Eastenders Pub singalong album, then I realised I had read the artists name wrong. What I actually got was even more surprising, an German bird goose stepping through the Teutonic version of Gilbert and Sullivan. I just don't know what to think. Was it good or was it something that should never have happened? 1 star for the surprise, and 1 star for not having Kathy and Wilmott-Braaahn on singing duties.
hullut sakemannit! Kansallissosialistinen Saksa eli natsi-Saksa, joskus myös Kolmas valtakunta (saks. Drittes Reich) ja vanhemmissa lähteissä Hitler-Saksa, tarkoittaa vuosien 1933–1945 aikaista Saksan diktatuuria, jota hallitsi Saksan kansallissosialistinen työväenpuolue NSDAP johtajanaan Adolf Hitler. Valtion virallinen nimi oli Saksan valtakunta (saks. Deutsches Reich) vuoteen 1943, jolloin siitä tuli Suur-Saksan valtakunta (saks. Großdeutsches Reich). SAKSA SAKSA SAKSA SAKSA!!!!!!!! VITUN NATSI PASKAT!!!!!!!!!! en koskaan anna anteeksi, joojoo unohtakaa kaikki muut.. meikä kulmassa pitää yllä MUISTOA! muistaa... ballad of the sackslingers
Tanks but no tanks.
Full album on YouTube
Does it sound good? No, but at least it is interesting... It sounds like quirky theatre kid music, or a Simpsons song with out the jokes or decent singing. She sounds like she is adlibbing. High 2.
Wow, this seems like a pet album. No idea what makes this so essential to put on this list. Dagmar Krause reminds me of Kate Bush in an art collective, singing songs by a composer who can't be mentioned without Kurt Weill's name as a reference point. Why is this on this list? Dagmar Krause maybe--MAYBE--deserves to be a list of artists to be familiar with, but I'd argue only as a member of Slapp Happy or Henry Cow, and then only because of synergies made with her bandmates (Fred Frith, Peter Blegvad, Chris Cutler). It's not a bad album, per se, but it's so niche, I can only scratch my head as to why it's on this list. 1 star for being on the list, plus two or three for the quality of the music, averaging to 2 stars.
I was really surprised that this album is actually from the 80's! An interesting change from the recent albums with a serious topic. But musically not my cup of tea.
Brecht-Eisler rather than Brecht-Weill. The dramatic agit-prop lyrics are obviously very similar. Eisler's music definitely comes across as less pop-oriented and easy to listen to than Weill's. I like that this is on the list because it's such an unexpected entry that actually broadens one's perspective (whether or not one actually enjoys it) rather than just being the 20th British New Wave album, or the 5th Simon & Garfunkel album. It's adds to the mystique that this album is pretty unavailable these days. In conclusion, though... I prefer somewhat more modern adaptions of Brecht/Weill/Eisler's works. This sounds fairly true to the original and it kind of gives me nervous heart jumps.
It feels like going to a college senior showcase for a (v talented but of course a little annoying) theater kid friend who is hyperfixated on Weimar Germany. The vocals are good, the compositions are energetic and interesting. Not what I'm into but glad to have given it a try.
Not for me
I don't even know where to begin. On the one hand I want more unique, non-english stuff like this. On the other hand I don't really want this.
ok, this is different. kind of bizarre and scary, but I respect it. I don't think I know of what cabaret music is outside of the Broadway musical, so this definitely helps give a sense of wtf it is from someone who composed this generations before.
Who doesn't enjoy some Cabaret every once in a while? They give you their charity with pious Christian prayers. They look after the unwed young mother, for they need every prole they can get. They'll also provide the coffin.... (when he dies). Proletarians! Don't fall for this swindle! They owe you more than you give. They owe you everything: The land, the mountains and the factories ..... They owe you happiness and life. Take what you fight for. Don't take their lies. Think about your class! And be tough!
Wow, credit to 1001 albums for picking an album I never would have picked out in a million years. A revival of 20s communist cabaret music from Weimar Germany was not expected. But did I like it? It's certainly the type of music I'm prone to convince myself I like when I don't, so I'm trying to be careful here. But yeah, this was cool. My Germanophile tendencies make this (I expect) a hot take. The vocals are a unique blend of intentionally grating and pretty. I found this stuff pretty interesting. Reading about it, it's got some intriguing aspects. Hans Eisler is a contemporary of Bertolt Brecht, who was notable as a poet (I find most of his work to be heavy-handed, but his writing on exile is quite good). Also 1920s Germany is an absolutely fascinating era to me (though the refusal of communists--like these writers--to collaborate with social democrats to prevent totalitarianism rankles). Anyway, I'm glad to have listened. 3 stars
I'm not really sure what to say about this album. It isn't for me, but I guess I understand its historical significance of trying to extend the reach of 1920s Wiemar music and can appreciate why it is on the list. But again, it's not bad - just not for me.
If I could give this 10 stars, I would. This sort of live recording is not easy at all--the constant tempo changes alone are a nightmare--and hitting the notes pattern she's hitting is also really freaking hard! What an alive recording. Very German. Love it.
Grandma from SS
Very intriguing. Without the feeling of deep connection to the source material, I'm left with mostly appreciating the songs on an intellectual level. Dagmar's singing and the arrangement of these songs is amazing. I will listen to this again.
It's fine, don't know how I must hear this before I die but there's some cool stuff here
Oh my god! There's another album on here with a tiny album cover! I thought Coldcut would be the only one, but here we are! This also fits in another category of albums I've heard previously only occupied by 1 album, that being the niche category of German cabaret albums. I got Ute Lemper's Punishing Kiss about a month and a half ago. I hated it. It sucks. It's so bad. My expectations for Tank Battles weren't very high especially seeing as Tank Battles is also the fifth lowest rated album on this website. I thought for sure I would hate this album too. But you know what? I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a fan of this album. I've actually been keeping track of a ranking of every album I've listened to for the project in 2025 so far and this album is the fourth-worst so far. Punishing Kiss is at the bottom. If you want to know the best one, it's currently Master of Puppets by Metallica. I'm probably the only person to ever mention Metallica in a review of this album. Let's actually talk about Tank Battles. It's weird and it doesn't have much info about it. I couldn't even find the lyrics, so I have no idea what they said. However, from what I can tell, this album appears to be an anti-war album of sorts, so I can at least respect that about this album. The writing saves this album from being total garbage like Punishing Kiss. The sound is interesting. It's definitely got a theater vibe to it. I think some songs are kind of annoying, but others are alright. I wouldn't put any of them on my Best of the Albums playlist, but it's not like I could if I wanted to. Like the Coldcut album that also has a tiny icon on this website, Tank Battles isn't on streaming, so I had to listen to it on YouTube. I'm fine with that though. I'm not missing out on much. The singing is kind of odd. I don't hate it but I'm not personally huge on it. That's kind of how I feel about the album. I don't hate this album for existing (though I do question its inclusion on this list), but I myself am not really a fan. It's just not my thing. 2/5.
Not sure what this was, but it wasn’t for me.
I don't even know where to start with this thing, partly because halfway thru this (shitty youtube upload of the) album I realized that I really don't have much of an idea where or why the songs are the way they are or something that can contextualize the album more. I mean, it's a sonic Cabaret based on WWII era songs from a composer that was opposing the nazis and generally having socialist (marxist? Idk for sure) ideas in his music at the same time, it's interesting as a piece of history and the ways these songs came out by Eisler, I recommend reading the backcover of the album where it gives more about Eisler's history, it makes things click more with this album. I mean... as a whole this album in concept seems great and the music doesn't sound bad, but I can't help but feel like I'm missing a lot of what this album could be with more visuals to accompany the music, or an ease of access to the music, not in a "why is it not on streaming" way but like actually having this album in my hands and being able to follow along with the lyrics and how it criticizes the things it does. It becomes hard to feel much for this album when all the conceptual things only half works, even more why is this album in this book? Lack of ease of access aside, I feel like it needs more context than what the book or most things can provide to probably enjoy these songs way more (and even then, the fact that they are so short makes it difficult). I don't know, I appreciate this album for what it is and what it's trying to do but I just feel sort of disconnected from properly enjoying and understanding what it aims for.
I feel like I'm sat in a WW2 theatre in Berlin and I'm about to ask for 3 drinks using the wrong fingers...
J - 1/5 Best Track - None F - DNL
weird show tunes? no thanks
Don’t bother trying to locate this album. Listened to a few bits of the songs on YouTube. It's among the worst music I’ve ever heard.
Why??? I never heard about Dagmar Krause before and I would prefer remain in this ignorance. There are many much better singers of the genre... For example, the same year, Patricia Kaas issued her debute album "Mademoiselle chante...". Why isn´t she on the list? Or someone else?
Zaskakująco dobre. 4/5.
Very interesting record, quite inaccessible for some - probably. Still worth listening.
Maybe I could rate this higher but how does a recording that is not available end up on a list of recordings I must listen to before I die? This "project" is nearly over for me I think...
I got no enjoyment out of this. All I could really get was the WW2 theme. Maybe if they were playing this in musical theater as part of a larger performance, but this with no context, songs ending abruptly, going from hard to understand English to another language, and it's too long. No thank you.
Här är det dramatik på hög nivå.
This is absolutely horrendous. Probably the worst album I've encountered on here so far (at ~#40). I would not watch this musical. 1/5 (0/5 if I could)
No thanks
I've never heard of Dagmar Krause before, and that's a shame, considering I took three years of German in high school, and two years in college. Reading about this album, it sounds interesting, but I think I still don't know completely what to expect out of it. I'm excited to experience something new and out of my comfort zone today! I appreciate the experience of listening to something different, but Tank Battles wasn't really my jam. I didn't really enjoying the singing, and while the arrangements were interesting, it wasn't something that I really wanted to listen to for close to an hour. However, I did like the lyrics, and it was really interesting to read about Hanns Eisler's political beliefs, and his family's communist party affiliations. These songs felt like old-school lounge singing brought into the modern age, and it was an interesting melding of two different eras. While I can appreciate some of the uniqueness of this album, it's not something I'll be coming back to.
5vstars. Couldn't find an official version on YouTube music though :< Also love theatrical women
Not available to stream. not going looking
I won’t be listening to it again, but I admire it for what it is and at the very least it is offering something interesting even if it’s not really for me.
It may be expressing 40 year old sentiments, but they're good sentiments expressed evocatively and masterfully. More Midcentury Theatrical please.
This is very different to the vast majority of the list. Things I like: - The drum intro on You Have to Pay. - The Bjorkian Mother Beimlein - The discordant horns on a track that I think is called Legende von der Entstehung des Buches Taoteking based off someone's comment on Youtube. - That sexy sax on The Homecoming Things I don't like: - Dagmar's voice (not because its bad, its good, but I just don't vibe with that musical theatre style of singing) - The fact that this isn't on any streaming service. I tried to like this ok. But I cannot. Just not a genre I can listen to 60 mins of music of and enjoy. Fave Tracks: Mother Beimlein 2.3/5
Ok, this is from left field, and that should be a good thing, but I have a limited tolerance for German theatre, even though I know it's an influence on guys like Zorn and Waits, whom I love. This however, can't get into the vocals, and have no mood to hear her plow through 26 very theatrical war time drama songs. three tunes was enough to render the verdict. I'm starting to think that the author of the 1001 albums book has taken his desire to be ecumenical to a sinful extreme
you know it's a bad album when you had enough after a couple of minutes... seems like most albums that aren't on spotify have one thing in common. they are all pretty bad. This is another one of those albums that sounds like some amateur scraped together money to make an album. Like an over acting aunt who think she is a misunderstood star of Broadway I really felt I get nothing more out of listening through the whole album. She got her point across pretty fast what the rest would sound like.
theatral boring deutsch
I was unfamiliar with Dagmar Krause, and as soon as this album began I thought "wow, holy Kurt Weill influence!" And then I learned that Krause was a known interpreter of Weill's music. This was an enjoyable discovery and a good listen.
I might have been prepped more for this since my father played piano as part of a cabaret duet that toured Germany in the 90s. I grew up on a lot of Marlene Dietrich and related acts, and I could understand the influence for the music. With that in mind, I actually found this oddly intriguing.
Mmm, yes, yes, yes! An art album of songs by the composer of the East German national anthem, translated into English and sung by a close collaborator of Berthold Brecht!? Yes please, THIS is the kind of album I signed up to listen to, not some forgotten English 70s prog rockers or Coldplay. Anyway, how's the album? Very much like the experience of a Brecht play, something you sit down and observe more than enjoy, portentously sung and darkly scored, with echoing bass and clanking percussion. It feels like edifying fare, for young Communists or Free German Youths to be taken to see as a special treat on Republic Day or May Day. Or like I heard once, German literature is like German bread: it's heavy and difficult to digest but good for you. Absolutely mental, left-field choice and I love it for that even though I didn't love the music itself.
Ha, unusual, interesting, I guess. Great voice
The German edition is WAY better... the songs lose all their oomph when translated, they sound like a bad Dietrich impression instead of legit Weimar cabaret
Not for me
Not terrible, but didnt enjoy it.
An interesting storyline and the singing/production are good, just not for me.
vsf trem ruim do caralho
pior que eu curto alguns projetos da dagmar krause. mas, com todo respeito, eu PRECISO ouvir ISSO antes de morrer? eu creio que não. portanto 1 estrela.
Not really my style of music, but her voice is very impressive.
As soon as it started I thought, “noooooo.” Then I grinded through it as I have so many times through this process.
This sounds like something Hitler might get off to. And while there are some nice brass-y arrangements, I could not get through it. NEXT.
Interesting, singing to songs composed more for a symphony? She's got a decent voice and the instrumentals are pretty strong. It's a completely different genre for me (for most people?) and I assume that's why it's on this list. I'm okay with that. I don't think I'm really coming back to it but thanks for the education and a not awful listening experience.
What insane person decided this should be in the 1001???? Wow, just wow. Sounded like a parody of a bad one-woman musical. I saw the brilliant review that referenced Lily Von Schtuppe and couldn't unhear it (this is one of the rare cases where I read the reviews before posting my own - some of them had me in tears laughing). There were a few ok tracks, or maybe ok moments - Song of a German Mother, Mother's Hands, Und Endlich Stirbt, and The Trenches were ok. I also enjoyed hearing "To a Little Radio" since I know that tune from Sting's The Secret Marriage (which is credited to Hanns Eisler, so this is apparently the original tune). But overall there were too many moments where my reaction was pure bafflement (especially Mother Beimleim - wtaf??). Giving it a 2 rather than a 1 mainly because it wasn't unlistenable, it just doesn't remotely belong on this list.
Weirdly interesting
It was not worth listening to this.
This is just too weird. But I heard it before I died, so there’s that.
Rubbish
Definitely not one of the worst albums in this list. There have been other albums with low ratings that I thought weren't bad, but at least I understood why they were rated so low. This album is fine.
Ugh. What? No. Ugh
There is a new leader for worst album I've gotten in this challenge... and possibly worst album I've ever listened to from start to finish. It was difficult to stop myself from puncturing my own ear drums.
Had to find it on YouTube. Probably better had it stayed hidden
I found this quite enjoyable. Her voice is just great and feels like a wonderful story teller. Standouts for me: song of a german mother, balad of (bourgoise) welfare, the wise woman and the soldier
This, my final album of the project, is currently the 5th* lowest ranked album on the site, which seems unfair. I guess being Weimar cabaret-esque AND apparently quite difficult to stream combine to make folks want to give a punishment rating. 🤷 Maybe some misogyny in the mix, too - Like, if Tom Waits did something like this, I don't think it would cop nearly as much flak? Anyway, yeah - an engaging listen. Storytelling and drama. I didn't mind giving it a second spin at all! Fave tracks - "Mother Beimlein", "Ballad of (Bourgoise) Welfare", "The Rat Men – Nightmare" * Real shame it wasn't the third lowest rated, 'cause then I coulda used "Antepenultimate" again! 😆
This one's difficult to rate, as the whole album isn't available... best I found was 24 mins of it on YouTube music. And it was difficult to get through even that much of the album.
Kate Bush if I didn’t understand the subject
Hear me out: This was a banger. I wish this were streamable so I could listen to these socialist anthems more.
cabaret about the Cold War vibes
I prefer Slapp Happy!
Well good to know that this album is nowhere near as depressing as the cover will have you believe, it's just more annoying that anything. Although almost fun in a weird way.
Interesting mix of more classical/folk compositions with some contemporary instrumentation included.
no está en spotify. lo he escuchado un poco, durillo
Weird and interesting and sad.
I'm not gonna listen to it again but it does NOT deserve all the hate it gets
Very good though probably not going into my daily rotation. Songs translated to English, but sounding very 1920s Berlin cabaret. Like an influence on Tom Waits if time wasn’t linear.
But entirely bad, but there was just nothing there for me
This is what I imagine people who don't like musicals think musicals sound like. Granted I didn't have a chance to listen to the lyrics very closely, but what I gathered from the instrumentation wasn't my cup of tea.
Not for me
Some things don’t need to be remade or adapted to another language. This is one of them. It’s the same reason I watch subs instead of dubs
????? This is a really odd selection and i couldnt even find it on apple music, we'll see how it is though. it feels like the lyrics and the rest of the instrumentals are slightly off from each other which makes it sound not so great but that may be a function of the translation yeah it definitely sounds better when she sings in german but unfortunately in the english version she sings mostly in english so low rating.
I can appreciate the artistry involved in making something like today’s album, but it doesn’t make it any more pleasing to the ears. Unfortunately, this didn’t do much for me today. It certainly sounded complex in parts, but I couldn’t get past it sounding bizarrely musical-theatre, and it ended up with me losing attention and placing it elsewhere. It is well written, in the same way that quantum mechanics can be expressed in nicer ways than others - it still doesn’t really make me want to read it though.
Odd album, not bad. I dug the orchestra and the singer was interesting, but nothing really wowed me. Solid 3
It was strange
Interesting orchestral German language album. It was fine, but im not gonna revisit this one. Ich bin ein Berliner
Uhhh fair enough
Fiebertraum
Talent is obvious. Not interested in music at all.
Pretty bad listening experience from having to track this down on Youtube (with ads!) and then trying to figure out what was going on in general. I think I made it halfway through before I called it quits. Sorry, but this is a 1.
Well I wasn't sad to see that one hit the end of the youtube queue. TBH this really wasn't bad. But at the same time it really wasn't enjoyable either. This felt more like a musical than anything else. Kind of all over the place and highly dynamic all the way through making for a pretty demanding listen. Background music this is not. Nor is it foreground music for me. But hey if you're into strong German women, this might just be your jam. It's a low 2 for me.
Not bad, but not really sure what it was. Musical? Not my jam.
That was really weird
Once again hitting up the ol UTUBE for this one. Sick. I don't have a good feeling about this. Oh this is GERMAN german. Not my jam. That was tough to get through.
I appreciate some of the lyrical content, but it ultimately becomes a chore to sit through. 2/5
Had a tough time finding (which was noted), I eventually found a Youtube upload, so I think I listened to the album. It was fine.
I liked it more than I thought I would. There are a few songs I would've added on streaming but don't like them enough to seek them out on Youtube. Rating: 2.4
interesting, glad i heard it but not my thing
Zak is cancelled for telling me to do this 1001 album challenge with him
Could not listen
I've really tried to enjoy this album, but it has become grating for my ears. The versions of the songs aren't even decent, and I'm not a big fan of the songs to begin with. While I don't mind the style, the execution feels borderline kitschy for me. I listened to both the English and German versions, but it still didn't work. Overall, this album just isn't for me, and I’m glad I won't have to listen to it again.
no clue
Weird little album. Not on Spotify. Feels like a mix of old German/Soviet propaganda music and a haunted carnival soundtrack. Krause's voice is cutting, precise, but also kind of eerie? It’s striking, but not exactly enjoyable (maybe because it's in German?). Still, it’s interesting in a way that had me listening, even if I'm not sure why. I won’t seek it out but wouldn’t complain if it showed up in a film about war propaganda and factory workers. Spins: 1, after piecing it together on YouTube. No Spotify, No Playlist Additions.
I don't know what else I expected after choosing to listen to over an hour of German war folk.
I'm conflicted. It's a weird album, but I can tell it's really clever. Does it make it enjoyable? Not really.
Not for me.
A stunning rendition of something I have absolutely no interest in whatsoever.
Found on YouTube but not sure this is an essential album or worthy of a second listen
Interesting, made for decent background music. Not for casual listening, though.
No jaa. Kabaretti musiikkia eli aika musikaalimaista. Levyllä on hienojakin hetkiä, kuten muutama instrumentaalinen torvisoitto, mutta enimmäkseen aika puuduttava. Kappaleiden nimistä ei ole hajua koska youtube, mutta aika samalta kaikki kuulostaa. Mukana oli samoja kappaleita eri kielellä enkä edes tajunnut. Arvostan kyllä tyylikkyyttä, mutta ei jatkoon.
Its not on streaming and its not good. Sure its "in the book" but perhaps we could burn that page and pretend it never happened.
Thia is absolutely not my thing, but unlike yesterday's garbage offering, I respect it, so I can't give it one star. I wish I'd been able to find the German version.
‘And now you all know how things can become, don’t you ever forget how it all began.’ Still so apt for today. If only it were translated to a modern sound. If only people still listened.
Interesting but not accessible
3/10
I didn’t pay much attention while driving..but I could still get the world war ii theme, so it appeared not too bad for me? I like their simple yet dramatic arrangement. But there’re really nothing outstanding or memorable..2.5/5
It’s been 75 years since this was released and as true as it was then, it remains true to this day that Nazis can go fuck themselves. Artistically it’s always interesting to hear one artist perform the works of another. Hanns Eisler apparently didn’t even care for the modern music of his day so the bones of this album are rooted even deeper in history. It sounded distinctly German to me, and while I would describe the style as haunting and creepy, I wonder how much of my predilection to do so is influenced by post-war analysis of that era. The influences of classical music, the brass and strings and percussion of marching bands, the sullen silences and crescendos. Music and movies and media since WW2 have purposefully mimicked a lot of these motifs to invoke the rise of fascism, so even when Eisler is condemning it, my brain is flooded with a montage of imagery from Nazi rallies. I suppose if the takeaway is to learn from it all then it is effective.
i actually enjoyed this one a bit more than I thought I would. when I first queued it up, I thought "oh boy we got a slog to get through today", but Krause's unique vocal style actually stuck with me. She sounded really beautiful, and it was enjoyable to listen to. I do try to listen to music in other languages sometimes. My usual go to's are Spanish and Japanese, German usually doesn't make the cut. I thought it was really cool to hear some German songs mixed in with these English versions. I probably wouldn't seek this album out again to listen to... but I am very glad that it came our way.
I appreciate the album, but can’t say I really enjoyed listening to it. Wouldn’t return except in some very unique circumstances.
Kinda fun but odd to be on the list. 2 stars.
One of my favorite parts of history is studying about what it was like to live through different eras for the common person, instead of what it was like for leaders and the decision-makers. This album is an excellent look into the lasting effects of all-out warfare on the home front and recovering from that, physically and psychologically. Keeps an ominous tone throughout, with some tracks being some of the most haunting songs we’ve had on the list. Probably won’t come back to this album, but I am glad I listened to it.
Huh, a lot of these lyrics seem a little too relevant living in 2025 America. "When I saw your arm raised high son, in a Hitler salute, I didn't know all those arms son would wither at the root." "When you told me our country was about to come into it's own, I didn't know all it would come to was ashes and blood". "The [money's] gone 10,000 times into foreign pockets. The board of management has fixed the return and is ready to give you yours. You get the soup and they get the [money]. The authoritarians, don't accept their lies my friends. They owe you more than they give you. Take what is yours, but don't take their lies". "They care for the pregnant women when they need a class to work". 2/5 for the music. 4/5 for the lyrics and subject matter.
Since the album on the list wasn't available from my streaming provider, I listened to another album of hers. Unfortunately, this says very little about the album listed, but I didn't like her voice. Therefore and out of ignorance 3/5
Unavailable in Spotify
+1 star for some of the longer tracks and native tongue ones, which transported me to some wartime musical, and they aren't out of place there!
NO!
Bjork meets… Cabaret? Still better than yesterday’s Rolling Stones album.
J'espère avoir eu accès à la bonne version, j'ai écouté une vidéo de 58 minutes sur YouTube. Ça m'a paru un exercice de vulnérabilité, loin de la prouesse d'exécution, tout dans l'interprétation et la nuance. Arrangements très cinématographiques : on se sent transporté dans un film de Marlene Dietrich.
This sounds like a musical OST gone rogue, escaping its physical performance and escaped into another universe. With all that said, I didn’t like it.
You can tell Dagmar Krause put some serious effort into this. It just didn't pan out. I recently came across an interview Francis Ford Coppola gave while filming "Apocalypse Now". To paraphrase: art that tries for something terrific and doesn't pull it off is ... well ... "scum". The greatest horror for an artist is to be pretentious. Often enough, even when they know that they have gone much too far, some artists refuse to rein it in and adopt the attitude of "I'm doing it my way and I'm doing it for me". That explains Tank Battles.
Call me crazy, but I actually enjoyed this one. Quite different from almost all the albums on this list. I was entertained the entire time. (Aber vielleicht mag ich diese Musik nur wegen meiner Liebe zur deutschen Sprache und Kultur)
This is a brutal listen. Challenging in the best way. Haunting, abstract, shrieking. Intense avant garde jazz
WTF
★★★⅙
Dramatic to the point of being confrontational, and unique among the list. "Bombastic" would be an appropriate description. I don't think I'll revisit, but I appreciate it as a kind of document. These songs are clearly difficult to sing and I think Krause has the chops for it. I don't necessarily enjoy most of the melodies, but I'm impressed by her performance. Not cacophonous or anything, but not an easy listen. I'll round up my score for at least being interesting. (I certainly couldn't pay attention to anything else while this was on.)
Best Song: The Rat Men. I would have liked a longer version of this one. Worst Song: Mother Beimleim. I sense this song was intending to be unnerving, and I think it worked too well. Overall: A weird album to rate. It feels like the soundtrack to a musical, but all of the songs are just these short little snippets that never come from nor go anywhere.
A truly strange inclusion on this list. It was fine, but so specific and not terribly dynamic. I only really know the cabaret style from Cabaret the musical, and this seemed like a good approximation of that, I guess?
Weird choice for this list
Honestly, putting an album like this on a list of 1,000 albums you must hear, is it joke. I don't know what the author of the book was thinking when he put some of his picks in this book, but this is not it. It's not good, and it's not noteworthy. It's fine if you like it, but why should it be included on a list like this? I mean, hell, you can't even find it on streaming services. What does that tell you? It's forgotten for a reason. Good riddance.
Interesting
Someone has put a pretty good playlist on youtube for this one, so it's twenty-odd snatches of Eisler German cabaret songs from the twenties and thirties. Pretty good. Her voice is amazing, completely authoritative.
had to listen on YouTube, with commercials popping in between every third song...also had not enough time this Saturday to read original lyrics and practice my German, so it's a 1/5.
damn this is some hot garbage jk i appreciate what it is but I'm definitely not understanding it fully, just not for me i think. I would prefer to hear the original compositions. I think because I enjoyed it much less than the only album I've given 2 stars so far, I gotta put it at 1 star. I definitely dont feel like this was an albim I needed to hear before I die. Points for being something I never would have listened to otherwise though.
Anstrengend - die Texte von Eisler sind eher schwere Kost. Als Kunstwerk ok, aber zum mehrfach hören nicht geeignet. 2/5
Glad I found this on YouTube because it is so unlike almost anything I’ve heard before. It reminded me at times of the Sparks musical Annette, of Eurovision, of circus/carnival adjacent films like Dr Parnassus and Nightmare Alley, and even a little of Kate Bush and Marianne Faithful. Obviously deeply political, with heavy hitting lines like “now you know how things can become, don’t you ever forget how it began” that sadly feel as relevant now as ever, I was captivated throughout. I don’t think I’d ever listen to it again but I’m really glad I did today because it was surprising and confusing in a thought-provoking way, like pondering a complicated painting or watching a multifaceted documentary.
Very interesting. It felt like I was listening to a musical, but with far more dissonance.
Different sound and unique vocals.
Dagmar Krause - Tank Battles Album Review Tank Battles is an interesting, if slightly niche, listen—dramatic, theatrical, and steeped in a wartime cabaret aesthetic that makes it feel like it’s being broadcast from a crackling old radio in a bomb shelter. Krause’s voice is sharp and commanding, perfectly suited for the Brechtian, politically charged material, but the album’s intensity can be a bit much over a full listen. It’s well-executed and certainly unique, but unless you have a taste for Weimar-era torch songs repurposed for modern times, it might not be something you revisit often. It’s okay, just very much an acquired taste.
I’m sure that this type of music has its place among aficionados of the obscure. However, this obscure album probably never should have been included in the 1001 Albums book. I feel like I’ve just spent time in an East German prison.
I didn't listen to all of it, because listening to it on YouTube is a pain in the arse. I don't think it deserves to be one of the lowest rated albums of the website. I like her voice and the music behind it, but it got repetitive and is probably too long
Available on YouTube. Satirical musical theatre. Some amusing lyrics sung in a stereotypical deep German female voice which adds to the comedy. Not the kind of thing I'd choose to listen to.
wasnt available :(
Not for me
The amount of reviews here that just say "weird" and call it a day is a testament to the normie-ness of the userbase. It's 1920s German Cabaret songs composed by a Marxist and with new lyrics translated into English. What's so weird about that?
**Dagmar Krause’s *Tank Battles: The Songs of Hanns Eisler*** is a bold reimagining of Weimar-era political cabaret, blending avant-garde experimentation with the biting socio-political commentary of composer Hanns Eisler. Released in 1988, the album revives Eisler’s collaborations with Bertolt Brecht and other writers, offering a haunting bridge between interwar Germany and Cold War anxieties. Krause’s gravelly, theatrical delivery and Greg Cohen’s meticulous production create a soundscape that is as challenging as it is historically significant. Below, we dissect the album’s lyrical depth, musical innovation, production choices, thematic weight, and enduring influence, alongside its strengths and limitations. --- ## **Lyrics: Political Satire and Human Tragedy** Eisler’s lyrics, often written with Brecht, are steeped in socialist critique, dark humor, and stark depictions of human suffering. Krause’s bilingual performances (English and German) amplify their urgency: - **War and Capitalism**: Tracks like *“(I Read About) Tank Battles”* [1][2] juxtapose militaristic imagery with grim irony, while *“Bankenlied”* (Bank Song) [1] lampoons financial institutions with Brechtian wit. - **Personal Anguish**: *“Song of a German Mother”* [1][2] captures a mother’s despair as her son enlists, reflecting the cyclical trauma of war. - **Surrealism and Absurdity**: *“The Rat Men-Nightmare”* [1] uses grotesque metaphors to critique societal decay, echoing Kafkaesque paranoia. The English translations, though faithful, occasionally dilute the visceral punch of the original German. Listeners note that Krause’s German renditions, such as *“Ich werde nicht mehr sehen”* [1], carry a raw emotionality lost in translation [1]. --- ## **Music: Cabaret, Jazz, and Avant-Garde** The album’s instrumentation mirrors Weimar-era cabaret while injecting modernist dissonance: - **Jazz and Chamber Music**: Piano, brass, and strings dominate, evoking 1920s Berlin nightclubs. *“The Song of the Whitewash”* [1][2] opens with a prancing piano motif reminiscent of Kurt Weill. - **Avant-Garde Textures**: Greg Cohen’s arrangements incorporate discordant guitars and anxious rhythms in *“The Trenches”* [1], mirroring the chaos of war. - **Theatricality**: Krause’s vocal delivery—alternately snarling, mournful, and sardonic—elevates the material. Her performance in *“Mother Beimlein”* [1] channels Brechtian alienation, distancing the listener to emphasize political messaging. However, the album’s 26 tracks (many under two minutes) create a fragmented listening experience. While this mirrors Eisler’s episodic style, critics argue it disrupts momentum, making the album feel “more like a playlist of vignettes” [1]. --- ## **Production: Nostalgia and Modernity** Cohen’s production balances period authenticity with 1980s studio techniques: - **Acoustic Warmth**: Live instrumentation (accordion, clarinet, upright bass) evokes pre-war cabaret. *“Ballade von der belebenden Wirkung des Geldes”* [1] benefits from lush, jazzy arrangements. - **80s Stylings**: Subtle chorused guitars in *“Berlin 1919”* [1] nod to post-punk, creating a bridge between eras. - **Vocal Clarity**: Krause’s voice—described as “a cross between Nico and a Weimar-era siren” [1]—is foregrounded, emphasizing lyrical potency. The 1994 reissue added 10 German-language tracks from *Panzerschlacht* [2], enriching the album’s cultural context but exacerbating its already daunting length. --- ## **Themes: Echoes of Weimar and Cold War Tensions** Eisler’s work, written amid rising fascism, resonates with 1980s anxieties: - **Anti-Fascism**: Tracks like *“To a Little Radio”* [1] mourn the loss of intellectual freedom, mirroring East German censorship. - **Class Struggle**: *“You Have to Pay”* [1] critiques economic inequality, its message amplified by Krause’s snarling delivery. - **Existential Dread**: The album’s pervasive bleakness—e.g., *“And I Shall Never See Again”* [1]—reflects Eisler’s exile and disillusionment. Krause’s decision to record these songs in 1988, as the Berlin Wall crumbled, adds meta-commentary on Germany’s divided identity [1][2]. --- ## **Influence: Reviving Eisler’s Legacy** *Tank Battles* reintroduced Eisler to a new generation: - **Artistic Impact**: Sting repurposed *“The Secret Marriage”* for his 1987 album *...Nothing Like the Sun* [1], highlighting Eisler’s cross-genre appeal. - **Cabaret Revival**: Krause’s work influenced artists like Ute Lemper and post-punk acts embracing theatricality (e.g., Dead Can Dance [1]). - **Academic Interest**: The album spurred renewed scholarly attention to Eisler-Brecht collaborations, particularly their socialist critiques [2]. Yet, the album’s obscurity—largely absent from streaming platforms—limits its reach [1][2]. --- ## **Pros and Cons** | **Strengths** | **Weaknesses** | |---------------|----------------| | Krause’s virtuosic, genre-defying vocals [1][2] | Overwhelming tracklist disrupts cohesion [1] | | Historical significance of Eisler’s rediscovery [1][2] | Inaccessibility (limited streaming availability) [1][2] | | Cohen’s evocative, era-blending production [1][2] | English translations lack German’s emotional heft [1] | | Lyrical relevance to both Weimar and Cold War eras [1][2] | Niche appeal; alienating to mainstream listeners [1] | --- ## **Conclusion** *Tank Battles* is a demanding yet rewarding listen, marrying avant-garde audacity with historical preservation. Krause’s performances breathe new life into Eisler’s work, offering a visceral reminder of art’s power to confront oppression. While its fragmented structure and limited accessibility hinder broader appeal, the album remains essential for those interested in political music, Weimar culture, or vocal innovation. As one reviewer noted, it’s “a time capsule that refuses to stay buried” [1]—a testament to the enduring relevance of dissent.
Not sure about this one.
Man, this was hard to get through, and I tried hard to give it a fair shake.
It's very dramatic. And it's definitely an 'interesting' listen. It's like a soundtrack to a theatrical wartime production rather than a standalone album. I'm definitely not revisiting, but I kind of like that this is in the list. 2.5 rounded up.
An intriguingly theatrical and Germanic release from Dagmar Krause vocalist, formerly of British Avant-Rock group Art Bears and the German band, Slapp Happy. A modern attempt to present German-Austrian composer Hanns Eisler's anthemic, pro-communist works to a contemporary, English-language audience more familiar with Bertolt Brecht than someone exiled by the Nazis and the blacklisted by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. It has become almost impossible to find this release, I had to stream it on YouTube. Fairly short songs that all sound bleak and sophisticated, but mostly for an audience idealizing the Weimar Republic as an era of bohemian smoke-filled cabarets, otherwise this is a chore. 26 songs is a lot.
What did I just listen to? I'm down with German opera but would need to listen more closely to really follow what was going on.
Available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkPvS85L998
For this review, I listened to the mostly English version of this album referred to as Tank Battles, as opposed to the full German version called Panzerschlacht. Alright, we have another difficult album to unpack on your hands. Strap yourselves in. Dagmar Krause is a German singer best known for her work in various art-rock groups like Slapp Happy, Henry Cow, and Art Bears. Alongside that venture, she had a fascination for cabaret music that came out of the Weimar era, a period of post-World War I Germany where the country suffered economic hardship and the rise of political extremism up to the point where fascism took over. In particular, Dagmar admired the works of playwright Bertolt Brecht and his musical collaborators Kurt Weill and Hanns Eisler. This interest was piqued to the point where she recorded two solo albums covering the compositions of Weill and Eisler. Tank Battles is the latter of those solo efforts, focused primarily on the works of Eisler. I will admit, cabaret music is not my forte here, where I can appreciate the elegance on display even if this is not what I normally seek out. It's apparent from the translated lyrics when this music was written, likely done in response to the political turmoil that Germany went through at the time. I can appreciate this perspective brought into the limelight when Germany was going through another tumultuous time with the separation of East and West by the Berlin Wall, and updated with newer instruments such as electric guitar. Also, I can tell this comes from a place of passion as Dagmar did her best to sell the emotion in her husky alto range that suits this music. Even if I can't fully connect to this music, and if I feel that Tank Battles is rather long, I don't regret listening to it. Instead, I can appreciate the historical significance preserved for the next generation from such a potent voice.