Alles In Allem

2020 marks the 40th anniversary of Einsturzende Neubautens formation in Berlin, and the German avant-industrial visionaries spend Alles in Allem, their first studio album in 13 years, acknowledging the past while continually venturing forward. Several tracks are named after specific locations within the groups home city, and they recall personal memories and historical events with a bold, heavy heart. On Grazer Damm, Blixa Bargeld recalls growing up on the Schoneberg district street of the same name, constantly witnessing riots and air raid attacks, while Am Landwehrkanal references the execution of revolutionary socialist Rosa Luxemburg, whose body was thrown into the Landwehr Canal by militarists in 1919. Given the subject matter, the music itself isnt as imposing as one might expect, and the latter song is a leisurely waltz with a chorus that partially seems to celebrate the bands history, with a key line translating to We had a thousand ideas, and all of them were good. Other tracks are more playful while maintaining a revolutionary spirit. Opener Ten Grand Goldie has a driving, Bela Lugosis Dead-style bass line and the groups signature clattering percussion, frequently interrupted by brief organ breaks and a chirpy, phone-sourced sample, while Bargelds lyrics are playful and Dadaist. Just as striking is Seven Screws, a sweet subversion of gender roles, which finds Bargeld reconfiguring the possibilities and assuming a non-binary identity. Like much of Neubautens work since the 1990s, the arrangements are restrained and orderly compared to their cacophonous early work, but they break out the power tools for a few hair-raising moments during Zivilisatorisches Missgeschick. Elsewhere, Taschen and Alles in Allem are grand, dramatic ballads closer to the work of Bargelds former bandmate, Nick Cave. Continuing the groups latter-day run of more mature, considered works, Alles in Allem proves that Neubauten are still interested in challenging conventions and exploring new perspectives, even while carrying the weight of history. ~ Paul Simpson