Once hearing Vielleicht bist du ein Clown?, you'll realize this is where Novalis has been heading for some time. They were never the most complex and densest of writers, and most of their compositions were rather straightforward. But they had a tendency to drench it heavily in dressing, giving it more of a superficial progressive rock feel. Where Novalis shines is their ability to write beautiful melodies, along with very pleasant instrumentals. So it was only logical the group would eventually trim the tree so to speak, and get down to their core competencies. I'd even argue this is stronger than their last recognized progressive rock album Brandung. Of course, Novalis are now on the slippery slope to commercialism, and have started to become more irrelevant to the average progressive rock fan. But this one is a nice transitional album. Better than most that tried during this era.
Personal collection
CD: 1998 Repertoire
I first found this album in a dusty old used record store in west Dallas in the 1980s, a no-go ghetto area back then. A surprising find for the area, but unfortunately I was quite disappointed with the initial impression and sold it. So it's nice to obtain the CD again, and appreciate the album on its own terms, rather than the ones I dictated it must have.
For a long time I thought this was their last decent album before they went commercial. But when I heard the next one, Flossenengel, I was pleasantly surprised: it's not all that commercial and there is still enough of that progressive dressing to make it a very enjoyable album. In fact I prefer it to Vielleicht bist du ein Clown?
ReplyDeleteHello, I agree with you Bas, Novalis was worth listening to through Flossenengel; but after that run, fast: the guitar is all but gone, and those glorious keys have devolved to a newagey turn. (I swear by their first three studios, and enjoy the next three. The drums always kept them in a rock and roll ambit, alas.)
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