Die Goldenen Zitronen - Who's Bad

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 7 / 10 / 2013

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Hamburg's jesters Die Goldenen Zitronen (Golden Lemons) return to the real world after a four year absence, with their pastiche pop ranging from agit-punk to popping avant garde, like on 'The Investor', which is the first sign of the band's renewed deadpan criticism. There are few words in English in the lyrics, apart from 'United We Stand, Devided We Fall' - which is followed by "Man schiebt nach Geld" (money makes the world turn) which means a lot if one bears in mind that Hamburg is one of the world's wealthiest cities. Die Goldenen Zitronen refuse to celebrate such abundance though. As slick observationists proving their point on 'Europa' - and its endless consumerism along pedestrian areas for example - the Golden Lemons invite French MC Gadoukoula Star to shut up 'Ma Place'. Pounding through a desolate landscape with great musical wit, "Bei allen geilen Möglichkeiten" - given all these smashing opportunities, the anarcho-sarcastic criticism gets in need of better explanation. Best described as jolly Tom Waits doing 10CC in under 120 seconds a song, Die Goldenen Zitronen build on the grand tradition of cabaret, whilst lyrically reasoning to a point of no return. Even though, when you understand not a single iota, the drift of the lyrics ought to be obvious. Abrasive punk music, of the utmost analog kind helps you out by saving money on doing your shopping. It's that seamlessly fluent combination of political and lyrical sarcasm merging with music - not just every now and then, but which permanently fails me in current British and American music - which seems omnipresent and omniscient on 'Who's Bad'. Side 3 starts to deal with the Duisburg Love Parade disaster and side 4 ultimately leads to the inevitable clash of entrepreneur darlings tresspassing unaccordingly to plan, all in good and merry musicianship. Though Die Goldenen Zitronen have kept under the radar, they take the piss out of the self-proclaimed creative blahblah poseurs who hand-in-hand with investors roam the blocks planning even more latte cafes. Ultimately though, a much darker side to Die Goldenen Zitronen appears next, dubstepping on wishful thinking about Sankt Pauli. On 'Wer Hier' - who's here, the combined efforts of Mense Reents cum sui conclude a greater Goldenenen Zitronen ideal. 'Ihr seid die schräge Musikanten' - you're the obligue musicians, does little justice. Like a lemon squash, this band brings out the bitter truth.

Track Listing:-

1 Scheinwerfer und Lautsprecher
2 Der falsche Kuss
3 Der Investor
4 Typ, Lederjacke, in der Ecke stehend
5 Europa
6 Echohäuser
7 Ma Place
8 Ich verblühe
9 Unter der Fuchtel des Unterbewußten
10 Ich habe das alles nur für dich getan
11 Duisburg
12 Nachhall
13 Rittergefühle
14 Kaufleute 2.0.1
15 Wer hier

Band Links:-

http://www.die-goldenen-zitronen.de/

Label Links:-

http://www.buback.de/
https://www.facebook.com/bubacktontraeger
https://www.youtube.com/user/dom7777

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