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So what’s been happening in the world of BLACKMAIL since the release of their last album “Friend Or Foe”? Well, to keep it brief: the world has been conquered (at least the Japanese part – yes really, BLACKMAIL are now officially Big in Japan – there’s a lot to tell) There’s been a change of record company (see above). New albums for both KEN as well as SCUMBUCKET have been recorded, released and there was some brief but hardcore touring. Kurt has advanced to being one of the most sought-after producers for guitar music in the German-speaking world. In the meantime the band’s own studio has become ‘hard to get’….. And yet, for the very first time in the history of the band, BACKMAIL have pulled in a producer from ‘outside’. Someone to throw a different perspective and a different ear on the whole thing. In the spring of 2005, BLACKMAIL and Lee Buddah contributed to the soundtrack of the award-winning feature film “Kammerflimmern” (“Off Beat”, German film in German and Turkish, directed by Hendrik Hölzemann, literal English title: Ventricular Fibrilation). In early summer the four drove to Galicia to write songs. The whole summer was spent working on the songs in the band’s studio together with Berlin producer Andi Jung,. Recorded. Discarded. Recorded some more. In August, Aydo sang himself in on a house boat. Kurt and Andi got down to mixing in September and October – and now at last we have the album. Once again, BLACKMAIL blow apart their own value system, deploying completely new sounds, writing their anthems on an even higher level. From these dizzying heights they take a distant look at things and call the epos AERIAL VIEW. An album which strikes the listener with the (now) familiar massivity, yet which, as soon as the disturbing intro is over, idulges in chords, the like of which we have never been allowed to hear from BLACMAIL before. And already in the first song (”Moonpigs”) BLACKMAIL and their producer bring forth male choirs unannounced which herald total loss of control in a devastatingly laconic way. Throughout the further course of the album BLACKMAIL kick in at some points with unusual garageness (that word had to be invented just now), and burn off at other points with ELO reminiscent moments (“Splinter”). They celebrate Moog-orgies (“Meddlesome”), build the most beautiful musical moment into the middle of “Couldn’t Care Less”, to which they add a crash of trombones, before a break, after which begins the glow of the most euphoria-inducing piece of rock-meets-wind since the late Saints. In “Soulblind” they present the most full-bellied Led Zeppelin groove that the rock club on the corner is going to hear this season, and, and, and.. They pile up guitar riffs like firewood – and this is new – they tower up Aydo’s voices into harmonies and previously unheard vocal arrangements, so that it’s a real delight. They also deliver a number (“Away with the Fairies”) based on a metal-drumbreak from the radio and TV advert which is 100% guaranteed to make an air-drummer of every listener. And besides all that, we’re celebrating The Return of the Power BalladTM (but it’s really unbelievably good!!) and a hell of a lot more. To sum up, it’s such a euphoristic and simultaneously euphoria-inducing RRRock record, presented so opulently, that it even makes us here dizzy. At the same time, and this is especially important to us: in’s rock, which utterly dismisses, any suspicion of bollocksness.. With AERIAL VIEW, BLACKMAIL place themselves among the rank of bands who, as soon as they land at our door, have been able to surge to their most inspired and mighty deeds (see also Notwist, Nada Surf etc. pp.) That can’t really be due to us, as we deliberately keep ourselves out of the studios. Yet it is a behavioural pattern that stands out for us... And it’s not the worst thing. We suspect that it was the unique chemistry between the band and the producer which really made this album possible in the first place. They’ll report back to us when we see them next time. Until then, let’s turn the volume up a bit and just revel in this record with them! Yeah! BLACKMAIL » Aerial View « BLACKMAIL » Tempo Tempo « |
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