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Überfall - Nr. 3
Fazzul Music, LP, fm 0815, 1989
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| UEBERFALL, hated, beloved and fascinating: the record which perfectly mirrors the mood of the then staged performances. | LIEDERTAFEL
1. Überfall
2. So froh
3. Nah und Fern
4. Positives Lied *)
SPRACHLOS
1. Treibsand
2. Sprachlos **)
3. Eiszeit **)
4. 24
| Pit Kayser: synthesizer, vocals
Andi Muckenhirn: drums
Markus Stauss: saxophones, synthesizer, voice, extras
Jean Chaine: electric bass
Caroline Fahrni: violin
André Müller: alto, bariton sax | |
Compositions & lyrics
P. Kayser & M. Stauss except *) P. Kayser and **) M. Stauss
Recordings
M. Lachmann in Morschach, Switzerland, July 25 - 28, 1989 |
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Reviews
After releasing two outstanding records that shined out of the 80s
like a beacon of musical hope, Uberfall returned with their third album,
simply called Nr. 3. It was hard to imagine that Markus Stauss and Pit
Kayser could come up with something even better than previously, but
that's exactly what they did. This album marks the peak of Uberfall's
creative process, which is the case probably in no small degree due to
the fact that the two previous albums laid the groundworks.
The
album is made up of two sides (LP), which create quite a different
impression. The first side is lyrical and exhibits their talents for
sarcasm and great melody. In particular popular music takes a pounding
here, as Uberfall carefully take it apart, bit by bit, so that they
essentially end up with far better "dancing tunes" than pop performers.
They also tackle the lyrical aspect. The words are overly optimistic and
naturally full of sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek. The second side is
purely instrumental and shows Uberfall as great melodic players,
improvizers and composers. In terms of musical ecstasy this second side
offers a bit more, but the album is at its most effective as a unity,
when the contrast between both sides can be felt.
So what makes
Nr. 3 so special? Perhaps it's simply the fact that everything came
together and clicked on this one, when there still seemed to be some
room for improvement earlier. Maybe both Stauss and Kayser matured as
composers and the entire ensemble matured in their arranging and playing
abilities, often denying themselves the pleasure of improvisational
bliss for the good of the composition. That's exactly what shines here -
the "engineered" compositions, expertly crafted into flawless wholes,
where the music flows effortlessly, but still follows a consistent train
of thought. Therefore you basically have a very structured piece of
work, which still retains a sense of fun and general craziness, so often
exhibited by Stauss and whatever teammates he chooses. In a sense, you
often get improvisations which seem composed and composed parts which
seem improvised. Composition and improvisation have become inseparable
partners,which fill the veins of one another, so that we can't tell them
apart. This is due to the fact that the music seems to come
effortlessly from these men, oozing from their veins onto their musical
canvas, without any preconceptions about the sound of the finished work.
Uberfall
are best when their music is filled with a sense of sarcasm. This isn't
only due to the lyrics, which often convey a feeling of "taking a piss"
out of the mainstream scene (not only musical), but their music
displays this ambiguity just as convincingly, often through the use of
over-the-top happy tunes, combined with really dark avantgarde passages
and bursts of jazz-rock. Their music gives you everything on this effort
- it makes you laugh, think and consider which universe these guys came
from, apparently finding a totally fresh approach and sound.
It
was as if Uberfall had known what kind of record they were making. Not
only did they grace us with their skills, but some exceptional guest
musicians made their presence felt as well. Stauss got a fellow
saxophone player, the violine sometimes chimes in with its gentle caress
and another feature attraction is Stauss's friend Jean Chaine, who
shows off his virtuosic bass skills. These addition give the album added
weight and thus an unbeatable album in their discography was created.
For
anyone who thought the 80s and early 90s were a dead zone for trully
forward-thinking music, look no further than Uberfall and their
one-of-a-kind album Nr. 3. Sure, they paved the way with their two
previous albums, but this is the one where everything really comes
together in a string of brilliant, yet lighthearted compositions. If I
were to look for a place where the genius of Markus Stauss starts (with
help from mostly Kayser), then it should be with this record.
Der Überfallsound steht nicht in Reih und Glied
mit dem Unterhaltungsblödsinn dieser Branche. Der
Sound ist eigenständig, nicht ohne weiteres etikettierbar
und das ist heute, da so vieles kopiert und die Imitation
geradezu als Kunstform gefeiert wird, sicherlich ein
entscheidender Pluspunkt der Band.
If you enjoy European progressiv rock / jazz, this is
right up your alley.
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