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| L-R: Viskinde (555), Dia (777), Mors (666), Falch (000), Littauer (333) |
release date: Mar. 24, 1981
format: cd (1989 reissue) / *cd (2011 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Nils Henriksen
label: Medley / *EMI Music - nationality: Denmark
Track highlights: 1. "CPR" (org. video) - 2. "Alting ka' ske" - 3. "Superlove" (org. video) - 4. "Neonsolen" - 5. "Panik" - 6. "Tilbage til byen" - 7. "Den tid det tar" - 8. "Ligeglad" - 10. "Sidste station"
2nd studio album by Malurt following only six months after Kold krig (Sep. 1980), originally released on Medley Records is produced by Nils Henriksen from C.V. Jørgensen's band, and it's quite evident that the band has evolved considerably since the simpler debut. Michael Falch is remains the band's undisputed leader as vocalist and songwriter of all songs - with the music credited the band.
The music is still an uptempo blend of styles and it has become more evident that the Springsteen influence has a bigger part in more varied arrangements but also in the songs, where (broken) love and relationships are at the centre of attention.
Vindueskigger was perhaps my first acquaintance with the band - I listened to the debut and this around the same time - and I quickly got myself a copy of their first two albums on cassette, and Vindueskigger was and still is my all-time favourite Malurt album - and by a large margin. When comparing to Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978), it's clear where the inspiration lies, but it's done with respect, love and a good deal of energetic drive.
Speaking of the 2011 remaster, I must say it's far from an improvement of the original - and frankly, quite the opposite. The album contains the bonus track "Vindueskigger", which didn't figure on the original nor is part of the '89 reissue, but other than that it's not a recommended puchase. Unfortunately, it follows a trend of making 'remasters' of practically any album regardless the quality of the original sound pressing, and this one hasn't been made with an ear for compression. Jørgen Bo Behrensdorff is responsible of the remastering and that's simply a poor job done. The dynamic range is off the spectre, and it's just hard compression and loudness up with full focus on bass, which makes it sound more like a poor 1980s production in the way music was made in the mid-1980s when all releases were made with high dynamic range. In this case the original, or the 1994 reissue, with it's thinner sound, is just much better anyday.
Recommended.
