What actually makes a good torture song? Of course, you immediately have associations – speed, pitch of the voices, complexity of the arrangement, origin from Germany – and you definitely make a point with it. Anyone who looks at the pros, however, gets the feeling that basically any kind of music can be torture if it is only played loudly and repeatedly enough. The CIA used to torment alleged terrorists in the prison camp at Guantanamo, at least dope Industrial metal song “Die MF Die” as well as Eminem’s “White America”, like the theme song of “Barney & Friends”, like “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. James Hetfield, frontman of the American metal band, was rather proud of it, at least for a while. Which shows that not only music can destabilize the brain – a lot of beer can do it too.
Which, not quite directly, leads to New Zealand. There they use music for street fighting. Because opponents of the corona measures are camping in front of the parliament in the capital Wellington, they are now irradiated non-stop with a 15-minute loop of songs and vaccination spots. First of all the central work of Barry Manilow – “Mandy” and “Could It Be Magic”. The older ones will remember. Those who are now also a bit old will be because of each other Take That remember. Already heavy artillery, especially since “Macarena” was also playing between the violin-crying lard, the summer hit by Manilow, which contrasted sharply with Manilow Los del Rio. Also the “Titanic” theme song “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion should have been used. Not a hand’s breadth of peace to the enemy!
However, the tenacity of the self-proclaimed “Freedom Convoy” was not expected. So the demonstrators first sang along and then set up boxes for their part, from which they Twisted sister-Rumpler countered “We’re Not Gonna Take It”. Difficult situation, in which soon even the – no, probably not the best, but possibly the most gifted in irony – British singers James Blunt turned on: “Give me a shout if this doesn’t work. @NZPolice,” he wrote on Twitter. The New Zealand Police should contact him if Manilow et al. weren’t enough. The outcome of the battle is still uncertain, but we’re more likely to put our money on the government. Blunt’s song “You’re Beautiful” is finally running in heavy rotation.
Therefore, at the end of this complex Barry White: According to unconfirmed rumours, the soul singer is said to have reacted with irritation when he was told that the National Sea Life Center in Birmingham had used his music to encourage different species of sharks to mate. According to completely unconfirmed rumors, however, the irritation should have subsided when it turned out that the plan worked. The local zebra shark, Zoro his name, in any case, is said to have taken off very soon, inspired by the music of the “Walrus of Love” (White’s nickname).
How do you get new music from here? Oh yes: The singer also has GV Yaenniver. “I fuck everyone” is the name of a song on her solo debut, which in turn is called “Nackt” (Sony Music), and you’re a little annoyed that you got into it like that. As an author, you immediately tap into this comical field of tension between dripping gawk and ironically detached nod: Wow, sex. Oh well. Anyway: what the former frontwoman of Jennifer Rostock soloing is pretty smart rap, which perhaps even more appropriately goes by the almost archaic term “singing”. There are some really good beats – to “Kifferin” for example, to “Intro” or to “Girl Girl”. Luci van Org, better known as Lucilectric, is allowed to adapt her former big hit again, but the whole thing becomes a very effective commentary on abuse, harassment and all the alleged gray areas underneath, next to it and in between. And possibly also to torture old white men.
And finally something without sex and violence. “Invincible” (Solitary Man Records/BMG), the new album by Sonda school. Still a bit stupid name, but actually quite mannerly music. In any case, it’s a muscular record full of steroids, with a higher proportion of German rock than Ska. Very direct with it – few nuances. Complicated work but then too. A mourning album. Naturally. Guitarist Daniel “Blubbi” Junker died last summer. The song “If I ever go (it’s OK)” got a very unexpected meaning. A Corona album probably too. But one that deals with the whole standstill in a very positive way – with beer, for example. Very snappy line: “I’m sorry, it really doesn’t make sense today / Call me when I’m sober again.” Bottom up!