Rosenstolz
Alles Gute
Polydor

Usually the musical scenes here in Germany are very well separated, probably more than in most other countries. We have a national brand for easy listening pop called "Schlager" which has strictly German lyrics, often very bad and simplistic, and the most conservative music imaginable. We have singers and songwriters who write better lyrics but whose music is just more or less boring decoration for the words. Then we have a rock and pop scene that often enough copies the Anglo-American originals.

Very few bands can cross the borders that separate these scenes and find wider acceptance in a mixed audience. Rosenstolz is one of them. Rosenstolz is a duo from Berlin, singer AnNa R. and musician Peter Plate. Their unique style is a mixture of pop with "Schlager" and chanson. The music is smooth to please the easy-listening crowd, at the same time rhythmic enough to enjoy the more dance oriented pop fan. The melodies and arrangements are well thought out, so that even the demanding listener can be satisfied. After all, this is what perfect pop music should sound like. Last but not least, AnNa R. is a talented singer with a good voice.

The lyrics of Rosenstolz fit the music very well. Rosenstolz avoid all the cliches that most of our popular music is filled with. They are funny, romantic, interesting and intelligent at the same time. Their themes include love and obsession but also everyday banalities and observations of life in general.

Rosenstolz have gathered a cult following in Germany, even though they never compromized to fit the latest trends. The album Alles Gute is a compilation of the whole six years long Rosenstolz career so it might provide a good starting point. For the devoted Rosenstolz collector some new songs have been added.

Copyright © 1998 Lonely Locke