VORSPRUNG DURCH TECHNIK BRITPOP ALBUM MOTOR RELEASE: NOVEMBER, 2001 REVIEW: JANUARY 11, 2002

I've been struggling with this review. What should one focus more on: genuine gut feeling or dissecting analysis? Appreciation of the parts or the whole? Vorsprung durch Technik, with Olaf Wollschläger, a gentleman many of us have seen more than once in the producer's role, is a peculiar sounding combo. As the intro of the first track, "Das Labor", begins to build, references to such opposite elements as Dire Straits-sounding guitars and hovering ambient not only surprise, but also amuse me. What follows, after a minute or two, is a rather traditional techno beat, but still with unbelievably strange outer influences.
"Britpop", I'll admit, is a hilarious title, but I want an album to emotionally punch me, so that the album name won't be the best thing about a release. I'll be frank with you, this bored me after two listenings. I don't care how clever it is, even though I know it is cleverly built, and perfectly produced. Techno in combination with country or blues should sound even more interesting than this, at least I hope so.
The only time I was overwhelmed and thoroughly impressed was when vocalist Paul Dudley made his entrance in a few tracks, one of which, "Cirrus", is what I expected the whole album to be. Superb! Be that as it may, as a unit "Britpop" didn't make a lasting impression. Now, all that remains is to have all other music critics put me in my place. Or could it be that I am right?

NIKLAS FORSBERG