I haven't heard anything from Olli Schulz in a long time, and since the "Beige Album" I haven't really followed his work, so it was all the more delightful to find a new record in my mailbox and hear what he has been up to. To get straight to the point, I like it.
Three years after his first solo album "Es brennt so schön", Olli Schulz is back with a new studio album: "S.O.S. - Save Olli Schulz".
For this album, he has invited a multitude of artists who have been working with him for years, most of whom also contributed to "Es brennt so schön" three years ago.
A detailed list of the project participants would exceed the scope here, but I would like to mention Marten Ebsen (guitar, Turbostaat) and Ben Lauber (drums) as examples.
The album was recorded at the Transporterraum studio in Berlin, where bands like Tomte, Klee, and Kettcar have also recorded. All of this was under the direction of Moses Schneider, who is primarily known for his collaborations with Beatsteaks, Kreator, and Tocotronic.
The latest record includes 17 tracks, of which 14 are "real" songs, interspersed with short interludes that create a certain live atmosphere, although the anecdotes about the songs, the actual origin stories that are often shared during live concerts, are missing. If you want to get a closer impression of this without having to leave your home, just visit tvnoir.de.
The live atmosphere is further enhanced by the fact that the album was not recorded on multiple tracks and thus could not be edited in various ways afterward.
Olli Schulz, who has been living in Berlin for seven years now, is well-known for his storytelling qualities and easily understandable lyrics, which become evident right from the first track, and I find myself drifting off while listening to "Wenn es gut ist" for the first time.
The album is filled with wonderful lines, such as in "Ich kenn da ein", where Olli sings with a distorted voice, "I know the DJ, who is as happy as a schnitzel"
Or in "Schrecklich schöne Welt", which discusses what is possible in this world: "You can become a porn star, shave yourself completely, you can try all the drugs on this earth"
And my favorite chorus: "Shut your mouth, have a kid!" I can't help but break into a wide grin every time I hear this song, no matter how many times I've already listened to it; my mouth corners always automatically go up.
In "Old dirty man", it gets melancholic again. The title says a lot about the piece. It’s about aging (so it can't be autobiographical), specifically about an aging man and the things that come with it. Nevertheless, it ends with optimism: "Old dirty man, the hair is fading, I woke up with a smile this morning."
The vocal part in "Old dirty man" is supported by Gisbert zu Knyphausen and Walter Schreifels (Youth of Today, Gorilla Biscuits, ...)
At almost six minutes, "Koks und Nutten" is not only the longest song on the album but also one of the most moving. It tells the story of the rise and fall of a singer and heartthrob who is left by his girlfriend, and "[...] then came the coke, then came the whores, then came the false friends, and then the broken thoughts in between."
With "Der kleine Bär", an older song by Max Schröder, alias "Der Hund Marie" (now a member of Tomte), from 2003 is also included.
In the last track "Danke an Alle", Olli thanks the alphabet, the individual instruments, the mixing console, the chair, the heater, the music stand, and ... oh man, it's just wonderful.
The result is a very stripped-down album, recorded live with acoustic guitar, vocals, drums, and only one microphone, accompanied by friends either in chorus, on bass, or on piano. It is filled with very sad and serious songs, interspersed with moments of humor.
Ultimately, I must say that the aftereffect of the "Beige Album" still lingers years after its release, and the current album definitely has the potential for that as well.
Olli Schulz has created a great album with "S.O.S. - Save Olli Schulz".
The CD was released as a digipack, distinguished by a very restrained layout.
The inserted booklet does not contain the lyrics to the individual songs but lists the contributors who participated. On every second page, there are black-and-white photos of Olli Schulz.
