release date: Oct. 2007
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Derek von Krogh, Philipp Palm, Nena; Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen
label: Warner Strategic Marketing - nationality: Germany
9th solo album by Nena is a 2 cd and 31 tracks covers album.
Disc 1 are all songs of German origin, which is produced by von Krogh, Palm and Nena, whereas Disc 2 are of foreign (meaning primarily English) origin, all produced by Fahrenkrogh-Petersen, and these generally count the least favourable compositions as they are also the most familiar songs, e.g. The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love", Bowie's "Heroes" (here: "Helden") and "Starman", Rolling Stones' "The Last Time" and "She's Like a Rainbow", Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and "Blowin' in the Wind", Neil Young's "After the Goldrush", and Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi".
Initially, I found it superfluous, but it's actually quite fine once you dig into the material. It's really a huge blend of sources, representing songs from all eras and various original styles, but Nena has handpicked the songs, claiming them as personal favourites, and she mostly manages to make them her own with her own personal interpretations. Now, Nena doesn't possess the strongest vocal instrument and you would perhaps believe her hardest parts would be to cover Joni Mitchell or Mazzy Star, but these are actually fine personal songs that add new dimensions to the original versions. Generally, the more difficult covers here are the ones where the arrangements come too close to the originals, e.g. the songs originally performed by Rolling Stones, Moby, Air, and T. Rex.
All in all, it's a fine collection, which both include fine interpretations as well as mildly unneccessary inclussions, but Disc 1 definitely saves the whole album.
