Marian Gold
United

Unfortunately, they didn't survive the '80s; they would have deserved it much more than many others, but there was just no way. Even "The Breathtaking Blue," although rich in noteworthy ideas, went largely unnoticed, then came "Prostitute," their masterpiece, and unfortunately, also their artistic testament. I'm talking about Alphaville, for those who didn't realize; they wanted to remain forever young, but unfortunately, at least in the collective imagination, they will remain forever crystallized. They certainly deserved more, but perhaps they weren't entirely able to manage themselves: the eclectic and refined "Prostitute" in 1994 could not possibly have worked as a high-selling album, yet it became a small cult for fans and enthusiasts. Accepting a reduction and continuing down this path, possibly signing with an independent label, would have been the most appropriate and commendable choice, but instead, no. In 1997, they came out with "Salvation," which adds nothing and takes nothing away from the group's history; needless to say, the attempt to regain international charts failed miserably and, in fact, Alphaville's story ends here, in total silence. But there's a very interesting piece missing: just a year before the aforementioned "Salvation," frontman Marian Gold attempted a solo adventure with this "United," on which I would gladly spend a few words.

Marian Gold: a bit of a charmer, a bit of a diva, but certainly an excellent singer. "United" wasn't his first time outside of Alphaville; he had already tried in 1992 with a bad and hastily put together album, "So Long Celeste," which I would advise you to avoid if necessary. Since you already seem "good" at dodging this kind of stuff, there's no need to delve further into the subject. "United," however, is truly of a different kind, compared to "So Long Celeste" but also to "Salvation" and "Catching Rays On Giant", equally mediocre albums resulting from a temporary reunion dated 2010; Alphaville and/or Marian Gold could have easily built a career continuation worthy of such a history, this album is proof. We are faced with something significantly different from previous releases, including "Prostitute": an album entirely focused on electronic sounds, with obvious soul influences. The sound is modern, enveloping, and well-polished, though from time to time, that theatrical and set way of singing that screams '80s still emerges; evidently, old habits die hard.

This album has a very solid underlying idea and many excellent cues, let's take, for example, "Feathers & Tar", a languid ballad in which Marian delivers one of the most remarkable vocal performances of his entire career, showcasing an unseen and particularly effective and expressive falsetto, or "Caroline" with its melancholic and introverted sweetness, but also "For The Sake Of Love", a brilliant electronic/techno ride that winks at Falco in search of new sounds from that same period, even in the singing; Marian Gold does not have the charisma and genius of the Viennese artist, but this episode remains remarkable. Also, "Danger In Your Paradise" ultimately takes its rightful place among the most successful and distinctive episodes of the album: a mid-tempo with a stealthy and alluring step that especially in the singing brings us back to Alphaville, but polished and revamped; an episode far less ambitious than others, but one that provides an effective and impactful opening. There is also a cover, and no less of an iconic masterpiece than "Five Years" by David Bowie: the approach is respectful but not timid, completely faithful to the original melody but full of great personality; the song is reinterpreted electronically with minimal sounds that blend well with the rest of the album and slightly elongated so that the crescendo appears even more nuanced and gradual; an intelligent and evocative reinterpretation, thanks also to a Marian Gold who doesn’t attempt to imitate Bowie but expresses himself in a manner that is sober and elegant, full of good taste and a sense of measure.

There are a couple of stumbles, like the syrupy and forgettable soul-flavored ballad "Change The World" and a "Say It Ain't So Joe" that is tired, monotonous, and still too anchored to now-dated sophisti-pop tropes, but Mr. Gold (always Marian, not Rumplestiltskin from Once Upon A Time) more than makes up for it by concluding the album with two spectacular pieces, among the absolute peaks of the entire "Alphaville world": first "Cosmopolitician" with its majestic and visionary, almost symphonic electronics and a very charismatic singing style, which skillfully readapts some of the R'n'B and neo-soul styles that were in vogue at the time and finally "Soulman", the top of the top. The nearly nine minutes of this stunning performance start with Marian Gold reciting, not singing; he recites a self-referential monologue centered around the pressures and anxieties of star life, "Smiling faces when you're number 1, it's on, can you relate the people that you meet are the people that you love to hate, walk this way, talk this way, suckers on my tip, no I don't need no bodyguards". A rap practically, but slowed down, supported by a minimal electronic base, making for an eerie, almost psychedelic atmosphere; the finale is a mantra accompanied by female choirs, "Ain't no sell out, I'm the shit, there is no substitute, you get yours and I get mine, call me a prostitute". It's really a shame that everything started and ended here, it could have been a great starting/restarting point, the ideas were there, the ability to renew was there too, perhaps a bit of courage was missing. Unlike his namesake, this Mr. Gold turned gold into straw and not vice versa; he should have taken a cue from his colleague Nena, also disappeared from international radar but who continues to produce high-quality records, he got tangled up in himself and preferred to live off his laurels, his choice, but still a great waste of talent.