Stagnation means regression! And so the seven guys from SONDASCHULE present their fifth album "Lass es uns tun", featuring 12 new songs that feel well-crafted. Even more refined, as one is already accustomed to from the band from the Ruhr area.
While the first album "Klasse 1A" was dominated by punk rock with witty lyrics, the ska rhythm that was already present there became increasingly prominent in the following albums. By the time of the third album "Volle Kanne", the brass instruments were established and are now indispensable in a SONDASCHULE song, as noted in my review in VERBOTENE FRÜCHTE (VF) No. 15. The 11 out of 10 possible points back then were and still are completely justified! Just like the 110% for the "Klasse 1A" album, which I discussed in VF No. 7 ten years ago, and BEXX received a very good rating for the first EP "Lieber einen Pfaffen" in VF No. 6.
Even sunnier and more fun than the lyrics of the 2008 album "Volle Kanne", things took a turn two years later with the "Von A bis B" album. Nevertheless, the album could not establish itself as expected, at least for me, and for the first time a SONDASCHULE album did not receive the full score L, see VF No. 17.
Another two years later, for the first time, consciously critical lyrics appear on a SONDASCHULE album. Right in the first song "Neue Welt", the internet is rightly put on blast. But don't worry, the witty lyrics about girls, sex, alcohol, and the lack of money, as one is used to from SONDASCHULE, still prevail. For example, Costa Cannabis lists so many girls' names in the song "Sieh mich nicht so an" that I haven't even met that many girls in a girls' boarding school! *lol*
Or in "Irgendwie Andersrum", everything moves – so beautifully, my whole head is spinning... a lyric taken straight from (alcohol) life, everything just fits. This also applies to the song "Für immer nie nüchtern". By the time we reach track No. 7, it becomes clear that Costa has put more thought into the lyrics. They no longer just come from the gut, but are researched and explicitly brought to the point. Yet still in an ironic manner.
But not only have the lyrics evolved, SONDASCHULE has also introduced new tones in the melodies. For instance, "Es ist wie es ist (was kostet der Fisch?)" features a striking ragga-punk groove (the video for it can be seen on their homepage!) and the song "Aber sicher" is set to a minimal electro beat, with the lyrics spoken rather than sung, which comes across quite cool. "Stagnation is indeed regression!"
The song with the greatest hit potential is probably the penultimate song "Wenn Sie tanzt (ist das alles vergessen)", where Farin Urlaub gives a huge shout-out ;-)
The album ends on a rather gloomy note with the slow, melancholic song "Lass es uns tun" after 39 minutes. However, this is also the only thing I dislike about the album; such a heavy-hearted conclusion does not do this first-class album justice.
Nevertheless, it receives the full score; the SONDASCHÜLER deserve it...
10 Promille
P.S. In addition to the "normal" CD, a digipack CD/DVD version is also available, which includes a game similar to Guitar Hero. There, the new songs can be sung along or played. A preview of this can be seen on their homepage.
