Rap it to the beat Hansi!
Lefteris Lalos | Athens, Attica, Hellas | 05/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Johann 'Falco' Hoelzl was undoubtedly the most successful
white male rapper of the 20th century. Not bad for an Austrian
singing in a strange Anglo-German mixture, in a time when rap
was considered to be more or less ghetto music and only
a few white pop stars dared to approach this new music idiom
(BLONDIE-Rapture, CLASH-The Magnificent 7, ADAM ANT-Ant rap,
WHAM-Wham rap and CAPTAIN SENSIBLE, MODERN ROMANCE,
NINA HAGEN & others). But Falco made a big mistake:
with songs like Ganz Wien or even European smash hit
Der Kommissar he made a lot of enemies in his hometown
Vienna, people who didn't like a native son of theirs
giving worldwide the impression their city was a drug antre.
Since then Falco was never welcome at home, which I
believe was a burden to heavy for him to handle, leading
him to his tragic death back in 1998 in a mysterious car accident in the Dominican Republic where he lived
auto exiled the last years of his life.
Though non of this LP's songs were US or UK hits,
English cover version of Der Kommissar, by British
band AFTER THE FIRE, hit US #5 (& UK #47) in 1983.
Falco enjoyed the success he was seeking in 1986 when his
all time classic hit Rock Me Amadeus topped both UK & US
charts and ballad Jeanny was a smash hit all over Europe.
Falco's songs are exceptional, his interpretation unique
and beyond comparison. Rap music may owe a lot of things
to German myth KRAFTWERK for helping them in creating their
music forms, but they owe equally to this descendant of Mozart
for opening their way to the top of the charts and the Land of
Loadsamoney. Beware though: the rating refers only to
German speaking Amazon friends, though you never really know
what language that crazy son of a gun is rapping in!"
Classic Debut LP
DJ Jimmy M | Arizona, United States | 10/07/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Although I dont own this import CD I do own the original vinyl so I will give a better review than the only one here on this. This is Falco's very first album. It had the timeless original German dance version of "Der Kommissar" which in america, was only known from underground disco play and the video was later shown on MTV in its early days when After The Fire made a big hit with an english rock version. All around this LP is a great combo of rock, german pop and yes..late eurodisco! There are a few tracks which copy the sound of other rock tracks, such as "Auf Der Flucht" which is purely musicaly identical to "Abacab" by Genesis. Then we have a close to true rip off of Bowie's "Heroes" on "Helden Von Heute", which in English means.."Today's Heroes". Very well done though I will say. This is a solid LP and a must have in any good collection of early 80s music! For the hardcore disco fans out there, the title track of this LP is a nice Giorgio Moroder/Simon Soussan combo style track."
...when you're slapped, you'll take it and like it!
olofpalme63 | auf der flucht! | 03/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"
"Einzelhaft" (what the LP cover indicates) or Solitary Confinment, is the end result in Falco's classic observation of anti-establishment and social disorder. From the opening track "Zuviel Hitze" (Too Much Heat) we're placed in Falco's world of deception and reckless abandonment, and it only gets worse for him in his constant attempts to snub his nose at authority. The mega-smash "Der Kommissar" (or The Commisioner, which was also covered by After The Fire) is another example of his refusing to bend to the rules and regulations of society (the classic video confirms it as well). In "Siebzehn Jahr" (Seventeen Years) Falco becomes consumed with the charms of a beautiful blonde minor which would explain the sequel of Der Kommissar on the following track. That being "Auf Der Flucht" or On The Run, is another poke at the police atmosphere that excist around his every movement. Not to be mistaken as a concept LP, but it sure would have made an interesting one as every song leads to his altimate demise, hence; Einzelhaft.
Whatever your opinions are of Falco's reckless approach concerning law and order and living on the edge. You can't deny the power and intensity of this 1982 (his first) release. Produced by long time cohort Robert Ponger, Einzelhaft is an "in your face" look at the social disorder and graphic decay of society, and the anti-establishment attitudes that excisted during the post-punk era. The David Bowie-esque "Helden Von Heute" (Heroes Of Today) is mere confirmation of this testament. If you're just discovering Falco because of the ever popular Rock Me Amadeus (which is still in rotation on VH1), his first release is a poignant place to start. With the exception of "Junge Roemer" (Young Romans) Falco would never again make such a relevant and definitive statement as he does here. As popular as "Falco 3" was, it was quite a departure from what he was really capable of. Because of the "high fashion" oriented success of his third release Falco would go on to become bogged down by the dance/hall daze assembly line of the disco-tronic 80's.
olofpalme63"
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1