A long awaited reissue attempt of Frieder Butzmann's first album from1981 is now due for release in May. Sadly, however, it's taking theform of a vinyl edition, limited to 333 copies only, whichmathematically would make it rarer than the original issue. Butzmann, aself proclaimed "spokesman of the people," more specifically of theBerlin underground, published his debut album after the famous"Waschsalon" 7" (not included here) at a time when electronic music wastaking over punk, dada and new wave replacing teenage angst. While DerPlan made fun of Düsseldorf and DAF cultivated their homoerotic machomilitary style from their London exile, Butzmann's work threw longerand more disturbing shades out of the Berlin behind the wall—not unlikeDie tödliche Doris or Minus Delta T.
Caring less for technical finesse, a raw and sometimes disturbing quality emerges here. Whilea dadaistic influence shines through in the semi-naive use ofelectronics, piano, vocals and undefined sound sources, the basic ideais always more important then the perfect realization. This approachmight explain the then-surprising guest appeareance by ex-TG memberGenesis P. Orridge in the closing track "Just Drifting / Tales OfDeath". At least this one made it recently to CD on the self-titled'90% Wasser' label compilation issued late autumn last year—a good buyon it's own actually with a wide selection of current electronica,spoken words etc.
The diversity on 'Vertrauensmann des Volkes,' is comprised mostly ofshort songs until the album reaches its dominating 9 minute piece,"Zivilisation." It's an uncomfortable amount of pressure built-up whileButzmann stands up against moral weakness and mental decay due tocomfort and ignorance. Butzmann's lyrics are well crafted and used inunconventional ways to reach intense results. "Competition and sadism /that is the German mechanism" ("Sadismus und Konkurrenz") sung withAngelika Maisch sounds like an old French tune of the golden twentiesamidts odd sounds, while the opening track "Gefluester" deals withcommunication and the passing of digital signs and numbers.The whole album should be treasured as a cornerstone of the Germanexperimental and electronic scene. I hope it will get a CD reissue(along with the preceeding single) to be enjoyed not only bycollectors.
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