By Joseph Sebastian
CSMR Correspondent
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - USA -- Helene Fischer's, 8th album release, simply (if unimaginatively) entitled Helene Fischer, contains a total of 24 songs. The album cover has a charming photo of Helene evoking a hint of quiet shyness - one of Helene’s qualities I have missed in recent years. It also contains a little photo booklet, which given Fischer's stunning good looks have a tendency to make ones heart beat a little faster.
The music by far is of the pop genre and is quite different from her previous releases. It has little trace of the Schlager style compositions which became her hallmark hits in those formative earlier years.
Many artists come to a point in their careers where they decide to release a reflective contemplative album and that may summarize what this release may be. As with most albums the track arrangements are a combination of some art and science in moving the listener through the music in a flow. Helene’s new album accomplishes just that in transitioning the listener through the different compositions quite well.
Among the songs, there are warm calming ballads and up tempo tracks that have shades of a retro disco and a techno hybrid sound. Just a sampling of the songs that I rounded up from this deluxe 24 song album to mention are…The lead in track: Nur mit Dir (Only With You), is an upbeat mood lifting song that launches the listener into the new release and gives you a flavor and feel of music the listener will experience.
Some of the composititions include background choral singing and/or back-up singers that I found a bit detracting from the music as anyone whom has heard Helene sing live or her live recordings will agree that she has a pure mellifluent voice that can stand alone (unlike many artists today) and does not need vocal enhancement technology or additional singers to “make” the album sound good.
Wir Zwei (We Too,) is another lively track that will make an excellent “road trip” selection in which I liked immediately. The first of only three Jean Frankfurter compositions to appear on the album is Schon Lang Nicht Mehr Getanzt (Sadly, It Is No Longer Danced). After a challenging day, this peaceful soothing song will put you in a chill mode warp factor 9.
I was glad to see work from composer Jean Frankfurter (the traditional schlager music provender, whose work launched Helene Fischer's career) on this album and only wished there were more.
I thought it interesting that of the songs that appealed to me included all three of Frankfurter’s compositions. Although somewhat short in length, they were quite enjoyable nonetheless. His calming ballads on the album, navigate well between the more fast moving titles when listening to the album in its entirety.
Schmetterling (Butterfly), is one such warm, lighter-than-air ballad where I do believe Helene could melt a long frozen heart on an arctic winter night.
Das Volle Program (The Full Program), has the signature sound of composer Jean Frankfurter and this lively song seems to hearken back a bit to music somewhat reminiscent of ABBA.
Of course there were some titles that did not appeal to me very much.
Dein blick (Your Look,) seems to have a bit of a country western sound to it. Although I do like some country western music, I passed on this one and found other selections more appealing and since there are 24 songs in all, you have much to choose from.
Viva La Vida (Live Life) was reminiscent of the racy song Te Quiero from a few years back -- and it was sufficiently annoying that I did not elect to crank up the volume up it. However, Genau Mein Ding (Exactly My Thing), the last of the three Jean Frankfurter compositions that appear on the album is a fast upbeat song that will brighten ones day in no time.
The final cut on the CD, Adieu, has a nostalgic quality that is reminiscent of a 1930’s era song and conjures up images of Paris on a fall day. The track begins with the simulated scratchy sound of an old 78 RPM Bakelite record playing on an old crank Victrola. I found it quite creative and imaginative with the song quite pleasing.
If you have any of Helene Fischer's previous albums, this is one that you will want to add to your collection as I am sure you will find its offerings to be enjoyable, if considerably different from her previous releases.
Helene Fischer could probably sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and make it a gold single. But I hearken to the not so distant past of her rousing, infectious on your feet titles like, Die Holle Morgen Fruh, Ich Will Immer Wieder, and Wunder Dich Nicht (just to name a few)
The rousing, Und Morgen Fruh was probably the Helene Fischer tune that initially attracted most of her English-speaking fans. That was the music that drew me to Helene Fischer and the Schalger genre. It was refreshingly distinct from our American Pop music.
Helene Fischer's early purely schlager sound, under the creative genius of Jean Frankfurter, along with her demure "girl next door" persona are what prompted this Californian to get most of her albums.
It would be nice if she were to move back in that direction.
Here's Helene Fischer, in a live on-stage performance of the upbeat Nur Mit Dir, (Only with you) from her latest album:
Here, from a live 2017 performance in Munich is Helene Fischer performing Herzbeben (Heart Quake), from her most recent CD:
Here is a performance of Achterbahn (Roller Coaster) at the November 2017 Bambi awards ceremony. It's from the recent Helene Fischer album:
You can get more on Helene Fischer at any of the innumerable articles on her in the CSMR archive, by typing her name into the research field on the upper right of this page.
CSMR Correspondent
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - USA -- Helene Fischer's, 8th album release, simply (if unimaginatively) entitled Helene Fischer, contains a total of 24 songs. The album cover has a charming photo of Helene evoking a hint of quiet shyness - one of Helene’s qualities I have missed in recent years. It also contains a little photo booklet, which given Fischer's stunning good looks have a tendency to make ones heart beat a little faster.
 |
| Helene Fischer's Demure Album Cover Pose |
The music by far is of the pop genre and is quite different from her previous releases. It has little trace of the Schlager style compositions which became her hallmark hits in those formative earlier years.
Many artists come to a point in their careers where they decide to release a reflective contemplative album and that may summarize what this release may be. As with most albums the track arrangements are a combination of some art and science in moving the listener through the music in a flow. Helene’s new album accomplishes just that in transitioning the listener through the different compositions quite well.
Among the songs, there are warm calming ballads and up tempo tracks that have shades of a retro disco and a techno hybrid sound. Just a sampling of the songs that I rounded up from this deluxe 24 song album to mention are…The lead in track: Nur mit Dir (Only With You), is an upbeat mood lifting song that launches the listener into the new release and gives you a flavor and feel of music the listener will experience.
Some of the composititions include background choral singing and/or back-up singers that I found a bit detracting from the music as anyone whom has heard Helene sing live or her live recordings will agree that she has a pure mellifluent voice that can stand alone (unlike many artists today) and does not need vocal enhancement technology or additional singers to “make” the album sound good.
Wir Zwei (We Too,) is another lively track that will make an excellent “road trip” selection in which I liked immediately. The first of only three Jean Frankfurter compositions to appear on the album is Schon Lang Nicht Mehr Getanzt (Sadly, It Is No Longer Danced). After a challenging day, this peaceful soothing song will put you in a chill mode warp factor 9.
 |
| Helene Fischer on Tour 2017 - Attempting Las Vegas Glitz |
I was glad to see work from composer Jean Frankfurter (the traditional schlager music provender, whose work launched Helene Fischer's career) on this album and only wished there were more.
I thought it interesting that of the songs that appealed to me included all three of Frankfurter’s compositions. Although somewhat short in length, they were quite enjoyable nonetheless. His calming ballads on the album, navigate well between the more fast moving titles when listening to the album in its entirety.
Schmetterling (Butterfly), is one such warm, lighter-than-air ballad where I do believe Helene could melt a long frozen heart on an arctic winter night.
Das Volle Program (The Full Program), has the signature sound of composer Jean Frankfurter and this lively song seems to hearken back a bit to music somewhat reminiscent of ABBA.
Of course there were some titles that did not appeal to me very much.
Dein blick (Your Look,) seems to have a bit of a country western sound to it. Although I do like some country western music, I passed on this one and found other selections more appealing and since there are 24 songs in all, you have much to choose from.
Viva La Vida (Live Life) was reminiscent of the racy song Te Quiero from a few years back -- and it was sufficiently annoying that I did not elect to crank up the volume up it. However, Genau Mein Ding (Exactly My Thing), the last of the three Jean Frankfurter compositions that appear on the album is a fast upbeat song that will brighten ones day in no time.
The final cut on the CD, Adieu, has a nostalgic quality that is reminiscent of a 1930’s era song and conjures up images of Paris on a fall day. The track begins with the simulated scratchy sound of an old 78 RPM Bakelite record playing on an old crank Victrola. I found it quite creative and imaginative with the song quite pleasing.
 |
| The "Girl Next Door" Helene Fischer - Long Gone |
If you have any of Helene Fischer's previous albums, this is one that you will want to add to your collection as I am sure you will find its offerings to be enjoyable, if considerably different from her previous releases.
Helene Fischer could probably sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and make it a gold single. But I hearken to the not so distant past of her rousing, infectious on your feet titles like, Die Holle Morgen Fruh, Ich Will Immer Wieder, and Wunder Dich Nicht (just to name a few)
The rousing, Und Morgen Fruh was probably the Helene Fischer tune that initially attracted most of her English-speaking fans. That was the music that drew me to Helene Fischer and the Schalger genre. It was refreshingly distinct from our American Pop music.
Helene Fischer's early purely schlager sound, under the creative genius of Jean Frankfurter, along with her demure "girl next door" persona are what prompted this Californian to get most of her albums.
It would be nice if she were to move back in that direction.
Here's Helene Fischer, in a live on-stage performance of the upbeat Nur Mit Dir, (Only with you) from her latest album:
Here, from a live 2017 performance in Munich is Helene Fischer performing Herzbeben (Heart Quake), from her most recent CD:
Here is a performance of Achterbahn (Roller Coaster) at the November 2017 Bambi awards ceremony. It's from the recent Helene Fischer album:
You can get more on Helene Fischer at any of the innumerable articles on her in the CSMR archive, by typing her name into the research field on the upper right of this page.