Search - Einsturzende Neubauten :: The Jewels

New methods

David M. Madden | salt lake, utah United States | 08/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For this release, Einstürzende Neubauten created a deck of 600 cards, each with an idea or motive the band members have previously covered in their music; each would then draw before the beginning of each recording session (kind of like John Cage with the I Ching) and try to musically interpret the queues on each card. Barring the slicker production and more elaborate ensemble, The Jewels comes pretty damned close to the excitement of EN's pre-1982 work (aka their best stuff). From the thumping metal sheets over dark ether of "26 Riesen" to the 1950's tape collage of "I Kissed Glenn Gould" to the trickling waterfall field recordings on "Mei Ro" to energy spikes and spacious low rumblings on "Die Libellen" to danceable Kraftwerk blips and broken clay pots on "Ansonsten Dostojewsky", this working method proves a breath of spontaneous fresh air for a band whose heavy-handed concepts often overshadow the results."

Surprised to see this release listed, but it certainly does

Piers Moktan | Khorsor Elephant Stable, Nepal | 08/22/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's quite a surprise seeing this album listed as commercially available since the 'Jewels' were supposedly the exclusive reward for supporters whose subscriptions financed the latest EN album-tracks we received periodically throughout the 'Alles Wieder Offen' sessions. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel aggrieved or betrayed- I was happy to support the innovative business model EN have instituted over the last few years. Their subsequent realease makes no difference to me, and if it helps subsidise further EN activity then that's all to the good. As supporters we got more than 'The Jewels' anyway, we got to see the band at work and to discuss their creative process, vicariously participating in and facilitating production of the album that became 'Alles Wieder Offen'(an expanded version of which supporters received). I would perhaps rather the excellent supporter-only album from phase 2 ('Grundstueck') were made commercially available, but for the dedicated fan who has not participated in their label-less approach to music making and distribution, then 'The Jewels' is worth acquiring.



For a collection of tracks that EN were willing to dispense as subsidiary to the final work, the tracks are better realised than might be expected- all good material, just a little more modest than the album tracks they expect to be critically judged by. Mind you, there are definitely a few here which I consider on a par with tracks from 'Alles Wieder Offen', especially 'Epharisto','Magyar Energia' and 'Ansonsten Dostoyevsky'. Many of the tracks represent experiments with a singular musical and lyrical idea- there are no epic pieces with multiple passages or complex arrangements.



'The Jewels' makes for a great companion piece full of intriguing curios (like 'Am I Only Jesus' or 'Hawcubite'). Blixa Bargeld's enigmatic poetics on 'The Jewels', in both English and German, are particularly compelling. I just feel sorry for the fans who are missing the opportunity to purchase 'Grundstueck' from the previous creative phase."