Michael Falch "Håbets Hotel" (1989)

Håbets Hotel

release date: 1989

format: cd (MdCD 6343)

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,64]

producer: Michael Falch

label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Dage" - 4. "Min stjerne" - 9. "Himlen er næsten blå"

4th studio album by Michael Falch following De vildeste fugle (1988) is like that produced by Falch himself. The credit list is much like on the predecessor with recurring performances by guitarists Christian Arendt and Nils Henriksen, bassist Jens Rugsted, keyboardist Pete Repete, and drummer Jacob Sæther.

Stylistically, it may first appear as a close follow-up but it basically contains stylistic variations found on his other three solo albums, and it's generally an album recycling much of his older material.

I purchased this upon its release but soon found that I didn't like the album much, and I had tired of his mainstream-seeking pop / rock-style. It was to be my final vinyl purchase with new albums by Falch. I ended up reselling this a year or two later alongside the final album by Malurt, Falch's solo debut and his '88 album. Following this, Falch released Tossede verden (1990), after which he took part in the reformation of Malurt, which led to several releases with the band before he once again returned to his solo career with Stævnemøder (1996), Nye rejsende (1998), Lykkelig undervejs (2001), Falder du nu (2006), Sang til undren (2007), Fodspor i havet (Jan. 2010), and Sommeren kom ny tilbage (Oct. 2013).

Not recommended.

Michael Falch "De vildeste fugle" (1988)

De vildeste fugle

release date: 1988

format: cd (1994 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]

producer: Michael Falch

label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Nu brænder sommeren af" - 2. "Piger - piger" - 3. "Venter på vind" - 4. "De vildeste fugle" - 10. "Det bedste jeg har"

3rd studio album by Michael Falch following Det andet land (1986) sees a return to the familiar sound and style of Malurt. The debut album had been something entirely different, an attempt with contemporary synthesizer pop, which had been harshly rejected by music critics, and with his '86-follow-up, he tried a different approach on which he commented on his own status as a songwriter and with subdued folk rock and singer / songwriter attitude - an album I have always found even of lesser value than his mediocre solo debut.

De vildeste fugle sees Falch back with what had previously worked best for him: his safe-place with songs built on a Danish-versioned Springsteen-formula, and to ensure that, he has engaged some of his former band mates, including guitarist Christian Arendt, keyboardist Pete Repete, and guitarist Peter Viskinde. On "Kinddans (Altid parat til en)" you also find ex-Malurt bassist Dia Nielsen and drummer Peter Mors. To help finding the genuine Springsteen sound, the album is cut in New York and Little Steven is thanked for his assistance. The end result is mostly American pop / rock songs transformed with Danish lyrics, which only works because of the large language gap since it would have been too close to his biggest source of inspiration, had the song been in English.

I had completely neglected his sophomore solo after having heard some its songs on national radio, but I purchased this one when it was released mostly because the promotion single "Venter på vind" signaled a musical U-turn that I found much more in sync with what I had previously enjoyed about Malurt. In retrospect, it's far from original but on the other hand, no other Danish artists made attempts with this type of music and it felt more like a better version than the final studio album by his former band.

Despite coming really close to the style of his American idol, De vildeste fugle is imo one of Falch's best solo albums.

Michael Falch "Det andet land" (1986)

Det andet land

release date: 1986

format: cd (reissue)

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]

producer: Jens G. Nielsen, Thomas Brekling, Per Chr. Frost & Michael Falch

label: Medley - nationality: Denmark

2nd solo album by Michael Falch following Michael Falch (Mar. 1985) is a return to a strong American influence from especially Springsteen. The album was seen as the artist's response to much of the critique of rejecting his stylistic foundation with his pop-fueled debut. Especially the song "I et land uden høje bjerge" ('In country with no high mountains') came to define this album on which he narrates of Denmark as a country with no room for high aspirations. Pete Repete of Malurt contribute together with Jens G. Nielsen and Per Chr. Frost of Gnags, as well as several other contemporary Danish artists, which also include musicians of C.V. Jørgensen backing band..

The album hasn't aged too well, and even back then, I found it a dificult listen. In my ears, it sounds too strained and with too much will to show that he's still the rock front figure from Malurt - just with nothing much left but shear appearance. Back in '86 I would probably have handed this 1 out of 5 stars. In restrospect, it's still an attempt to tell his audience that his still around, but it's also an album with no memorable tracks, although, I like it better than his debut.

Michael Falch "Michael Falch" (1985)

Michael Falch [debut]

release date: Mar. 1985

format: cd (reissue - MDCD 6230)

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,58]

producer: Jesper Ranum

label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 3. "Navn og nummer" - 4. "Nye tider" - 10. "Sommer på vej"

Studio solo debut by Michael Falch following the disbandment of Malurt and the band's (so far) final album Tour de Force (Oct. 1983). The album is co-produced by Thomas Brekling and Falch.

With this, the former front figure of Malurt makes an effort to distance himself from the band releases with an album characterised by other primary instrumentation than classic guitar rock-set-up with synths (Fairlight) and a distinct melodic pop style. Keyboardist Pete Repete of Malurt is the only former band member, who plays on this but also Per Chr. Frost (of Gnags), the producer of Tour de Force is a recurring figure, now credited on bass. The front cover displays Falch with a guitar over his shoulder but it appears that all guitar performances are credited Søren Wolff (of SW80). All songs and music is credited Falch except two songs (tracks #1 and #9) with music co-composed by producer and keyboardist Jesper Ranum.

I purhased the album as it was released but I never became accustomed with the open pop-style and ended up reselling the album less than a decade later. However, Falch and the album was fairly well-received by the public, although, critics didn't exactly see it as neither innovative nor as a major work, and in retrospect, the album stands very much on its own.

Imo, the album falls pretty much on the same grade as Tour de Force and is not a recommended album.

Malurt "Tour de Force" (1983)

Tour de Force

release date: Oct. 1983

format: cd (1998 reissue)

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]

producer: Per Chr. Frost, Malurt

label: CMC Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "På boulevarden" - 2. "Under uret" - 4. "Luxusliner" - 8. "Flugten til Amerika"

4th and initially final album by Malurt before the band's disbandment in '84, originally released on Medley Records, following 1½ years after Black-out (Apr. 1982).

The line-up remains the same and Michael Falch and Malurt are as usual credited all songs and music respectively. Producer Per Chr. Frost (guitarist in Gnags) is credited additional guitar, just as Nils Henriksen contributed in that role on the predecessor.

Stylistically, the album presents the band with a mainstream-seeking sound that resembles that found on the '82 album only with a new slight softer tone, which in a way puts the band closer to the sound of national acts like Gnags and C.V. Jørgensen with loans and inspiration from Springsteen but also from Dire Straits.

I purchased the vinyl album when it was released, but only found it a clear further step down compared to their previous release and I ended up reselling my copy less than a decade later together with three solo albums by Michael Falch. On this, the band seems to have lost more than just vitality, as they come out as a band, who doesn't know how to add new inputs to their music and without much will to stand out. Falch appears stuck as a songwriter repeating the same stories over and over again, and Malurt clings on to its status as a Danish version of Springsteen & The E-Street Band only without the inspiration to take it any further than just that, and some songs on this most evidently reveal a natural recycling of some of their older songs.

Tour de Force had been delayed as members of the band were preoccupied playing in other projects and lead vocalist Falch had been engaged as actor in his first feature film "Isfugle" (1983) by Søren Kragh-Jakobsen. Initially, the album came out as Malurt's final studio album after which they released the 1984 live album Kys mig før jeg bliver Cool. Falch then released his self-titled solo debut in Mar. '85 while the other band members turned to other acts. However, the band had a reputation as a great live band and this led to a reformation for Roskilde Festival in 1990 with Peter Viskinde replacing Christian Arendt as lead guitarist, and with that near original line-up they followed up with a fifth studio album Spøgelser in Mar. 1992. They continued as a much asked for live act and released their second live album Uden filter (1992) and then released their so far final and sixth studio album Ghetto in 1993. From '94 and onwards the band has been 'parked' on an indefinite hiatus while Falch has continued as a solo artist.

Of the band's original four studio albums, Tour de Force stands as their least favourable release.

Not recommended.

Malurt "Black-out" (1982)

Black-out
release date: Apr. 1982
format: vinyl (MdLP 6105) / cd (1994 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Nils Henriksen
label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Mød mig i mørket" - 2. "Lev stærkt" - 3. "Missing Link" - 4. "Tæt på" - 9. "Midnatsmanden" - 10. "Vi ses igen"

3rd studio album by Malurt following Vindueskigger (Mar. 1981) is like the predecessor with Henriksen as producer, however, the line-up has markedly changed. The band was initially a quintet and that set-up seems just right for Falch and Co. As the band was preparing the upcoming recording sessions tensions between lead-guitarist Peter Viskinde and keyboardist Henrik Littauer on one side and undisputed songwriter Michael Falch on the other side culminated in Viskinde and Littauer's abrupt farewell. A dispute that alledgedly had its origin in one about royalties. Anyway, Viskinde and Littauer left the band to form the band Doraz, and new members meant a return of guitarist Christian Arendt - he had been a founding member until of the band but left before they got around to record the debut - and keyboardist Pete Repete (aka Peter Sørensen) (of Repeat Repeat).
A first listen may seem like an unchanged style from the predecessor but there's a prevalent tone towards more mainstream-appealing tunes, i.e. full arrangements with piano / keyboards and less guitar-fused melodies. I recall purchasing this when it was released, as my first vinyl copy with the band, although, I perfectly knew and was pretty fond of both Kold krig and Vindueskigger - the latter being an immediate favourite - and I also remember how I quickly settled with a feeling that it wasn't quite up there with their first two albums. In retrospect, I find it betting the debut, though, but it's also clear that the band's second album is in a league of its own. Still, the band's popularity only grew on a national scale. Beforehand, they fought with Warm Guns in being the second-best new Danish rock act as competitors to more settled names like C.V. Jørgensen and Gnags - with Sort Sol still being an upcoming cult punk rock band - but at this point Malurt surely had a growing public on their side, and with Falch's gift as a Danish Springsteen clone, he understood to enter the stage with a rock & roll revivalist attitude.
Imo, the album may stand as their overall second-best but with songs that are more or less arranged and written with an American idol as an ever-present part of their music, it doesn't really settle as something with a strong original character. The best part is without doubt that they stick to songs with Danish lyrics, which in the end still distances their songs from their biggest inspiration.

Malurt "Vindueskigger" (1981)

L-R: Viskinde (555), Dia (777),
Mors (666), Falch (000), Littauer (333)

Vindueskigger

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.

Malurt "Kold krig" (1980)

Kold krig [debut]

release date: Sep. 15, 1980

format: cd (1994 reissue, MdCD 6102)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]

producer: Flemming Ostermann

label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Kanonføde" - 3. "Stormsoldater" - 4. "Friheden Station" - 5. "Lort nok" - 8. "Sidespring" - 9. "Ocean Island"

Studio album debut by Danish quintet Malurt consisting of lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Michael Ehlert Falch, lead guitarist Peter Viskinde, bassist Dia Nielsen (aka Hans Andrias Hans Mariuarson Nielsen), keyboardist Henrik Littauer, and drummer Peter Mors. The album is co-produced by Flemming Rasmussen.

Stylewise, the band plays a simple uptempo rock with many stylistic influences going from other contemporary Danish acts like Gnags, Gasolin, C.V. Jørgensen, and American artists like John Mellencamp, The Knack, and especially Bruce Springsteen, but also melodic parts from the British punk rock and new wave scene and most obviously from The Clash.

Thematically, the songs are about anti-war, generation cleft issues, and free love, which all appear as somewhat dated issues pointing back to early 70s subjects, and that is partly resonated in the music, where you also find an influence from boogie and AOR-styles with traits from J.J. Cale, Doobie Brothers and Little Feat. So, yes, it's a huge mix of styles, which both comes out as a refreshing energetic boost and at the same time a simplistic and narrow form.

I recall being very fond of this very album and had it among my favourite Danish releases from that year, but in retrospect I find that it has dated more than other fine releases from this period.

org. vinyl cover