WELLE:ERDBALL DIE WUNDERWELT DER TECHNIK ALBUM SYNTHETIC SYMPHONY, ENERGY RELEASE: MARCH 25, 2002 (GAS), APRIL 8, 2002 (SCANDINAVIA) REVIEW: APRIL 3, 2002

I always wondered what kept pushing back the release date for "Die Wunderwelt der Technik". Today I may have my answer. A most unwelcomed one, unfortunately. I wouldn't be surprised if these German lads simply weren't satisfied with what they accomplished in the studio and that some form of writer's block may have prevented the album from an earlier release. Mere speculation on my part, however, but it's justified when the end product doesn't live up to expectation.
"Die Wunderwelt der Technik", minus the tracks from the three singles "Starfighter F-104G", "VW Käfer" and, partially, "Super 8", suffers heavily from a severe recycling problem. It seems they've run out of catchy melodies, and the re-using of old ones on this album doesn't help up the grade. Typically, the album hosts a lot of tracks, 18 to be exact, but when the fillers have been weeded out, there is a surprisingly low amount of typical Welle tracks left, not counting the aforementioned singles. I really like "Volksempfänger" and "Computer Rendez-Vous", but they would have been standard tracks on, say, their last album "Der Sinn des Lebens", which, in my opinion, is a several classes better album.
The release of "Die Wunderwelt der Technik" also makes me, reluctantly, ask myself, and all you other Welle fans, a critical question: How many more releases like this one can Welle:Erdball put out before the interest shrivels up and dies? Their image of being amusing and clever is starting to fade and I'm beginning to feel facial convulsions caused by some strange liquid being expelled from my eyes. Please, Welle, do something to make it stop!

NIKLAS FORSBERG