Andreas Dorau - Das Wesentliche
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 4 / 7 / 2019

Label:
Tapete Records
Format: CD
intro
Mesmerizing latest album from German pop singer Andreas Dorau, who leaves out on this record choruses
Once every four or five years, Andreas Dorau unleashes a mesmerizing collection of songs which makes one wonder how on Earth Rammstein could ever serve as the worldwide protagonists for the German Language. A preacher’s son, Herr Dorau, a stubborn Zodiac Capricorn Sign Artist like Captain Beefheart, tests a new format in songwriting on ‘Das Wesentliche’. Dorau leaves out choruses. Useless, superfluous and of use only serving drivers stuck in a traffic jam to sing along to, Dorau thought it was about time to get down to essentials. The end result is one of strikingly snappy songs, most under 90 seconds. This refreshing approach doesn’t even require a fluent command of the language of Dorau, Goethe or Kafka to fully understand. Dorau’s lyrics sooner resemble the universal Dada of, for example, Zürich’s original Cabaret Voltaire verbal acrobats from about a century ago. “Die Welt ist meistens ungerecht. Laßt es bitte sein.” The way of the world is unjust but let it be. Sein, and nein words to coin, though bear in mind in German there’s this terrific eponym ‘Jein’ – contaminating ‘Ja’ with ‘Nein’. Yes and No in plain non-convergent English. A virtuous wordsmith, Dorau shows exactly how refreshing songwriting without choruses can be. ‘Das Wesentliche’ is a particularly striking album since the abstinence of choruses appears in such subtle fashion. Bearing in mind how extravagantly awful the German entry in the Eurovision Songfestival was – zero points from the audience – any track culled off ‘Das Wesentliche’ could have figured strongly. You’d need to learn German to understand how close Andreas Dorau stands to, for example, Jarvis Cocker. And even if you don’t, his corny take on typical German Schlager Musik is something to treasure.
Track Listing:-
1 Nein2 Unsichtbare Tänzer
3 Identität
4 Menschen tragen graue Hüte
5 Wieso
6 Dinge können sich ändern
7 Gebrauchtes Herz
8 Du bist eine Insel
9 Naiv
10 Vielleicht
11 Hey Tonight
12 Fallen
13 Instant Magic
14 Schwierigkeiten
15 Was immer Du auch vor hast
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/andreasdorauLabel Links:-
http://www.tapeterecords.de/https://www.facebook.com/tapeterecords
https://twitter.com/tapete
https://www.youtube.com/user/tapeterecords/videos
Have a Listen:-
favourite album |
Ich Bin Der Eine Von Uns Beiden (2022) |
![]() |
Andreas Dorau's re-released 2005 LP finally makes sense to Maarten Schiethart |
bandcamp
soundcloud
reviews |
Im Gebüsch (2024) |
![]() |
Middle of the road charmer philosopher Andreas Dorau ticks all the wrong boxes on this masterpiece, which is like a long book that you read in one go |
Aus Der Bibliotheque (2014) |
Todesmelodien (2012) |
most viewed articles
current edition
Spear Of Destiny - InterviewRobert Forster - Interview
Fiona Hutchings - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Pistol Daisys - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Nils Petter Molvaer - El Molino, Barcelona, 24/4/2025
Credits - ARC, Liverpool, 17/5.2025
Gary Numan - Berserker
most viewed reviews
current edition
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a CircleGarbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Little Simz - Lotus
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
Vinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
HAIM - I Quit
Eddie Chacon - Lay Low
Only Child - Holy Ghosts
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart