Einstürzende Neubauten - Stella Maris

     If this song doesn't take your breath away you may as well quit this tab and never return. Now, I know German is quite a divisive language (at least in my experience). People call it abrasive and guttural, ugly, etc. I take no stock in that personally, but of course I am amazed by most languages and their respective beauties. German sounds like the pit-patter of rain splashing into puddles on the street; it's so full in the mouth and satisfying to speak and hear. Like Arabic. Anyhow, even if the language itself might turn you off, Einstürzende Neubauten (translated "Collapsing New Buildings") ought not to be ignored if you're a fan of world music in any sense or rock, avant-garde, industrial/post-industrial  music in any sense for that matter. I don't know just how popular this band is now, let alone in their hey-day, but I'm guessing they're pretty well known for an alternative, post-industrial band. I don't have much music from them, but I have this song and the album it's from and they are definitely a treasure. They experiment a lot with their sound, especially known for incorporating home-made or home-tweaked instruments. This song is just amazing as it climaxes over and over with the streaming electric guitar pulling you up with it. I love the deep male and pointed female voices first alternating and then coming together at the end. Was that a pun?

I was also pleasantly surprised when I sat down to watch one of my now-favourite documentaries "Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul" (directed by one of my favourite Turkish directors Fatih Akın) was presented by Alexander Hacke, the bassist, guitarist and vocalist for this band. As well, isn't Blixa Bargeld the best name you've ever heard? Anyhow, I know some of their albums are difficult to find, but get what you can. They're still present today, had hoped to stop in America in late 2010, so we'll get in the future.