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Rating: "Spot" is the third album by And One and it wasn't received with great praise by critics who considered that the band had taken a somewhat too commercial turn.
After all, the first track, "Wild Pain", certainly doesn't prove them wrong! The rhythm and sounds are nice - especially that orchestral contribution towards the end - but the lyrics that recount the different days of the week are quite irritating. However, after this first taste, the other tracks are really enjoyable and have something to say.
It's the case of "Life Isn't Easy In Germany" which offers us a glimpse into the problems Germany faced following the country's reunification. The tones are not pathetic, but rather sarcastic. It's one among the several other tracks in the band's production that are quite critical of politics. With "Consequence Of Time" we enter the direction to which other songs in the album converge: the journey towards Death. Framed by rather acidic electronic atmospheres and keyboards, sad words stand out that refer to solitude. The situation is quite different with "Spontanverkehr": it begins with a rather sensual female voice and the beats are more decisive and numerous. It might seem, if you don't listen to the lyrics, like a light track meant just to get the dance floor going... But you soon realize that And One wants to show us the consequences of a casual relationship that can turn out to be really very disastrous as confirmed by the screams at the end.
Another transition based on contrasts is played upon to reach the next song, where the atmospheres brighten and move to something more melodious. Naghavy proposes an escape route from problems, he doesn't want disturbances in his life: "Don't ask me things, don't ask me things, about reality, love and pain." What will this way out be?? There are multiple interpretations and it could also be a figure serving as a guide towards death. At least that would be what the following track, which opens with a rather unsettling choir, might suggest. It is a very intense song (don't be fooled by the electronic sounds!) and the child's voice gives it something that harkens back to the countless horror films where ethereal little girls terrify the viewer. Undoubtedly it's not easy listening (also because three languages are used!), and unfortunately, it loses points due to a rather flat rhyme between "sad" and "bad". It changes again with "Recover You", a kind of serenade based on sinuous sounds. Also in this third album, And One has fun promoting themselves: after the song "And One" from Anguish, after the cd mention in "Flop!", here comes the verse: "I was the boy from the band "And One"", accompanied by a very brief piece from their first hit "Metallhammer".
"Der erste Stein" opens the way to the instrumental tracks of the album and to "Tanz der Arroganz": this is the pure EBM track of the album, truth be told a fairly mediocre piece. "The And", another instrumental track, is instead fantastic... in every sense! In fact, the atmosphere is quite unsettling and could very well become the soundtrack of a thriller! The progressively arriving percussions give it something solemn and majestic. Wonderful. It closes with the eponymous track, not bad, but it pales after the previous song.
In short, it's certainly not such a bad album: some tracks are a bit less successful but the darker songs are a real pleasure. However, it's clear that this doesn't constitute the band's masterpiece as they would soon tackle the excellent songs that make up "I.S.T".
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Life Isn't Easy in Germany (03:41)
The way it was
It used to be
Well it had to change
As we all could see
We're twice as big
And Yet so small
Now we have to share
Here in Germany
When skins broke up
As Lenin broke down
Driving fast
Through united towns
Clubs being closed
And fights ahead
Now we have to share
So the Chancellor said
Life isn't easy in Germany
Life isn't easy in Germany
Such boring days
For kids in the East
Where should they stay
How to be pleased
The freedom of speech
Playing democracy
Boy, Life isn't easy in Germany
Life isn't easy in Germany
Can't you see?
Life isn't easy in Germany
Das also waren Deutsche
Die noch nichts zu sagen hatten
Aber reden durften
04 Spontanverkehr (04:34)
(Du weisst doch,
dass Du mit allen Problemen
zu mir kommen kannst)
Spontanverkehr im Fahrstuhl
Hoch und runter kreuz und quer
Spontanverkehr im Dachstuhl
Spinnenweben auf nackter haut
(Stöhn!)
Spontanverkehr im Rollstuhl
Verchromter Stahl extase auf Rädern
Spontanverkehr im Schlachthaus
Toter Körper, kalter Schweiss
(Stöhn!)
Spontanverkehr im Stacheldraht
Schmerzerfüllte Erektion
Spontanverkehr im Altersheim
Beengende Traume verbotenes Speil
Spontanverkehr im Bundestag
Peitschenhiebe statt Wahlbetrug
Spontanverkehr mit H.I.V. - mit H.I.V.
(Ich war erst 21, als Ich starb)
Hey Du! Ja Du!
Mach Dich bereit für spontanes zur zweit
(stöhn!) Dein Duft, Dein Haar
Sweety, Du smeckst so wunderbar
(schmatz!) Hartgefreut, steck' ich in
Der Schlucht der Lust
Delforierte Blicke, Du weisst
Dass Du es tun musst
Lass es raus, lass es raus
Lass es raus, lass es raus
Ja so, ja genau so (stöhn!)
Spontanverkehr bei dir zu Haus Bei dir zu Haus...
07 Recover You (04:45)
Come on sweetie do you remember me
I was the boy from the band And One
Come to me let's have some dirty fun
A nasty piece of work
Follow me I'm the only one
I am up cause I am down
Come to me don't listen to the clown
You nasty piece of work
I will recover you
I will recover you
Be here, be mine, give me a sign
I will recover you
Trust in me I'll give you what you need
Smash you up and crash you down
Come to me watch out for innocence
You nasty piece of work
09 Tanz der Arroganz (04:17)
Bestimmend die richtung
bewegen wir uns fort
begleitet von kritiken
zerfetzen jedes wort
zeitlos gefangen im stolze entfacht
der tanz der arroganz
hat das aus uns gemacht
erwartung und hoffnung
in getäuschtem licht
schleier vor dem spiegel
ängste siehst du nicht
stillgeglaubtes
im ruhme erwacht
der tanz det arroganz
hat das aus uns gemacht
wir sind uns nicht zu fein
auch mal arrogant zu sein
wir werden arroganter
die frage ist nur wann
ihr solltet doch schon wissen
dass man uns nicht stoppen kann
wärd ihr an unserer stelle
dann hätten wir gelacht denn
der tanz der arroganz
hätte das aus euch gemacht
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