Tacheles reden is a German saying which means that you have a very straight and honest discussion, expressing your clear opinion. Not trying to find gentle wording to avoid that you hurt someone. Tacheles is the title of the second major German lyrics release by Sarah Straub. Call these seven songs an EP or a short album – with a playtime of more than thirty minutes, it is definitely longer than publications some other artists sell you as a full-duration album already. The release date of Tacheles has been 16th July 2021. Here are my thoughts.
Sarah Straub – About The Artist
Sarah Straub has a quite interesting bio, which is also due to the fact that she is still working part-time as a psychologist and researches at the University of Ulm. Her home town Lauiningen in very Western Bavaria is not too far away from Ulm. She was born at that place on 1st July 1986. She learned to play several instruments like keyboard or saxophone in early year and started writing songs in early teenage years. She grew steadily as an artist. The first three Sarah Straub albums were released in English. The second one, the 2014 release Red, has likely been her breakthrough. Especially in Southern Germany, she significantly increase airplay and media presence. In 2019, she debuted with German songs. The album Alles Das Und Mehr contains re-interpretations of famous German balladeer Konstantin Wecker. They regularly do shows together.
Sarah Straub – Tacheles – Track by Track
The seven track EP lasts thirty minutes.
1. Vergiss nicht zu lächeln
The seven tracks open with Vergiss nicht zu lächeln – “Don’t forget to smile”. A beautiful track with nice acoustic guitar and piano as the key melodic elements. Feels a bit like a bolstering and motivating song to a child.
Vergiss nicht zu lächeln wenn du fällst
Halt den Kopf über Wasser und atme
Vergiss nicht zu lächeln wenn du fällst
Du weißt ganz genau was dich am Leben hält
(“Don’t forget to smile if you fall
Keep your head above the water and breathe
Don’t forgt to smile when if you fall
You exactly know what keeps you alive”)
2. Lass es raus
The second song has much more energy. Lass es raus (“Let it go”) is a song about being unhappily in love as Prince Charming is not really valuing her love. The chorus finishes with Denn eigentlich bist Du eine ganz arme Sau – “Actually, you are a pretty poor sod”. A very strong song with a catchy melody. One of my favorites on Tacheles.
3. Weltenlauf
Weltenlauf (something like “Way of the World”) is a bit more chanson-alike, as it has a beautifull swaying melody. The song is again about unlucky love, also about being cheated. Very good listen.
4. Da bist nur du
Straub’s voice in this song even has a touch of whispering, the atmosphere of the track is rather dark at the beginning – but for the chorus, she is using crystal-clear singing. A beautiful way to express contrasting feelings in this song.
5. Schwalben
Dramatically, this ballad is the climax of the small album. I feel the track is excellent songwriting. Just an example of one of the verses:
Heut ist dein Hochzeitstag, du siehst die Bilder an der Wand
Verblasst von der Zeit, so wie euer Leben, und das was euch verband
Du lebst mit einem Fremden, dessen Seele tief verborgen
in ihm selbst und die Hoffnung sie stirbt heut und auch Morgen
(“Today is your wedding day, you look at the pictures at the wall
Fading over time, like your life and what connected you
You live with a stranger, his soul is deeply hidden
in himself and the hope is dying today and tomorrow”)
The chorus is breathtaking as well. Great emotional track.
6. Wir gehören zusammen
After a couple of songs about unlucky love, this song is more optimistic and states Wir gehören zusammen – “We belong together”. Structurally, however, it is very close to Da bist nur Du. Not that innovative, but a good listen.
7. Die Tage grau (feat. Konstantin Wecker)
The final track, Die Tage grau (“The days are grey”) links to Straub’s previous album Alles das und mehr. The remastered version, however, has not been part of the album. I like the collaboration as such – but on the other hand, I have to say that this track feels like a stranger on this album – the 6:23 minute with the very classical arrangement and the powerful voices of Wecker and Straub just don’t link too much to the kind of pop-ish singer-songwriter style of the songs before.
Sarah Straub – Tacheles – Spotify
Here is Tacheles on Spotify:
Sarah Straub – Tacheles – My View
Despite Tacheles is just a seven track collection, I felt to listen to three sections of a publication. The first five songs – and by that: the vast majority – absolutely impressed me. Great songs, great lyrics, great way of telling stories. These songs felt like bringing Tacheles straight into really high ratings. Then, there was Wir gehören zusammen, which was a bit more positive in its message, but overall did not add too much to this thrilling and versatile collection of the first five songs. Finally, the small album closes with the duet, which is really good, but just does not fit into the other songs. Thus, there is five times fascination, following by slight disappointment and feeling disturbed. Just enough to keep these seven tracks in the Top Pick! zone.
German Artists in 2021
Here are all my Music & Media postings about German artists in 2021:

Flyctory.com – My Favorite Albums / EPs 2021

Flyctory.com – My Favorite Songs 2021

G. G. Anderson – Wenn In Santa Maria

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 24 Dec 2021)

Morris Jones – Out & About

Lauryn Mark – Aperitif EP

Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 17 Dec 2021)

No Snakes In Heaven – Dancer EP

Ian Tray Band – Electricity

Gregorian – Pure Chants

Some Non-Country Christmas Songs 2021

Fuer den Faehrmann – Blutmond EP

Johannes Scheurich – Mehr Davon

Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Rusty Stone (8th December 2021)


Emma Longard – Quieter Pt. 2 EP


Incredible Pack – Time For Decisions


Yvonne Catterfeld – Change


Hämatom – Die Liebe ist Tot


Ho Ho Ho – The Flyctory.com Country Christmas Playlist 2021


Musa Dagh – Musa Dagh


Alena Neubert – A Life That’s Good


Cat Ballou – Alles Bunt


Alex Diehl – Die Songs, die ich nie schreiben wollte EP


Flora Falls – Ankle Deep EP


Max Giesinger – Vier


Palila – Rock ‘n’ Roll Sadness


Dieter Hallervorden – 80 plus


Greyhound George Band – Get Up And Walk!


Michael Heppes – Achtung Leben


Running Wild – Blood on Blood


Art Garfunkel Jr. – Wie Du – Hommage an meinen Vater


Dennis Adamus – Right For You


Country Music Picks – The German Songs (26th October 2021)


Tom Aquinas – XMas Greetings EP


Bodyguerra – Fire & Soul


Det Haggard – Teamwork 2.0


Winter 2 – Winter 2


Paulina Wagner – Vielleicht verliebt


Santiano – Wenn die Kälte Kommt


Roland Kaiser – Weihnachtszeit


Jesse Cole – SAND (Some Are Never Done)


Paule – Wunderschön unperfekt


Simon Jela – Safe Place EP


Wolfgang Petry – Auf das Leben


Power Plush – Vomiting Emotions EP


Peter Maffay – So Weit


Alex Christensen & The Berlin Orchestra – Classical 80s Dance


Freakstorm – Storm Inside My Heart


LUKE – Break The Silence EP


Mentalist – A Journey Into The Unknown


Nura – Auf der Suche


Annie Chops – Level Up


Mark Forster – Musketiere


Perlregen – Drei


Zwanie Jonson – We Like It


Tom Niklas – Einfach Ich


Plastic Mars – Up To Our Necks


Jasmin Wagner – Von Herzen


Existent – Kartenhaus EP


Jolina Carl – Mexican Overdrive


Egotronic – Stresz


Helge Schneider – Die Reaktion – The Last Jazz Vol. II


Die Liga der gewöhnlichen Gentlemen – GschichterIn aus dem Park Cafe


Luna Morgenstern – Taking The Blow EP


7fields – Under My Skin EP


Dominik Klein – Reflections EP


My Country Music Picks (22nd June 2021)


Razz – Might Delete Later EP


Paul Weber – Alles im Arsch EP


Helloween – Helloween


pez – All Lowercase EP


Karlie Apriori – Seelenpassagier EP


Richie Necker – New Songs and Untold Stories



Fancy – MASQUERADE (Les Marionettes)


Anchors & Hearts – Guns Against Liberty


No Angels – 20


TriXstar – Dear 2020 EP


Tinka – Geil EP


Bernhard Brink – lieben und leben


Mental Cruelty – A Hill To Die Upon


Die Prinzen – Krone der Schöpfung


Phil Solo – Harmonie


Alexander Ludwig – Alexander Ludwig EP


Emirsian – Lezoon


Noah Levi – Indigo EP


Kicker Dibs – Vagabund


Nikola – 369 EP


Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Linda Mar (11th May 2021)


People Club – Take Me Home EP


Claudia Koreck – Perlentaucherin


Michael Hirte – Love Hurts


Emma Longard – Quieter Pt. 1 EP


Sing meinen Song – Das Tauschkonzert Vol. 8


Durch & Durch – Nice Aber Nutzlos


Wincent Weiss – Vielleicht Irgendwann


Songs Of My Life: Nino De Angelo – Jenseits von Eden


VINTER – Seasons


Mike Leon Grosch – Wenn wir uns wiedersehen


Klee – Trotzalledem



Country Music Picks – The German Songs (28th April 2021)


Sarah Lombardi – Im Augenblick


Fury in the Slaughterhouse – now


Samuel Rösch – Geschichten


JORIS – Willkommen Goodbye


Diane Weigmann – Die Wahrheit liegt irgendwo dazwischen


Ben Zucker – Jetzt Erst Recht!


The Jeals – Rage Generation


Löwen am Nordpol – Löwen am Nordpol


Antiheld – Disturbia


Jan-Marten Block is the German Idol – Some Thoughts After a Strange Season


Hämatom – Berlin


Truck Stop – Liebe, Lust und Laster


Vanessa Mai – Mai Tai


Thomas Anders – Cosmic


Burn Down Eden – Burn Down Eden


Wilderlife – Closer Tonight EP


Timo Scharf – Everything Ever Always Is All Forgotten EP


Hanna Batka – Mitten in Berlin


Songs Of My Life: Andreas Dorau – Girls In Love


Schorl3 – Sprudelpop EP


Selig – Myriaden


Blutengel – Fountain of Destiny


Vivien Gold – Gedankenkarussell


Stereoact – #Schlager


Bad Temper Joe – One Can Wreck It All


Definition of Insanity – Into The Abyss


PeterLicht – Beton Und Ibuprofen


Erik Cohen – Northern Soul


Nino de Angelo – Gesegnet und Verflucht



Gsindl – Gsindlsuperdinger


Jack McBannon – True Stories


Iuna Lux – All of my Answers EP


Cologne – My Ten Favorite Songs About My Home Town


Sonor Teutonicus – Morgenrot


Bucket Boys – Twentyfive


Paso Doble & DJKC – Urknall


Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Ann Doka (1st February 2021)


Accept – Too Mean To Die


Michael Schenker Group – Immortal



Don Marco & Die Kleine Freiheit – Gehst Du Mit Mir Unter


Tragedian – Seven Dimensions


Songs Of My Life: Systems In Blue – 1001 Nights


LINA – Meins EP


Bashdown – Pushing the Envelope


Peter Schilling – Vis Viva
Flyctory.com in Munich
Here are all other Flyctory.com postings related to Greater Munich:


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 22 September 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 15 September 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 08 September 2023)


Home is where the heart is – My Twelve Favorite Cities of the World


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 28 July 2023)


#TrueAthletes Classics Leverkusen 2023 – Field Events


German Athletics Nationals 2023 – Day 2 Track (9th July 2023)


German Athletics Nationals 2023 – Day 2 Field (9th July 2023)


German Athletics Nationals 2023 – Day 1 Field (8th July 2023)


German Athletics Nationals 2023 – Day 1 Track (8th July 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 23 June 2023)


Sea Life Munich


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 09 June 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 26 May 2023)


Marathonmann – Maniac


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 14 April 2023)


Rock of Ages Opening Night – Red Carpet Impressions


Rock of Ages (German Tour Opening Night in Munich, 5th April 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 17 March 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 17 February 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 10 February 2023)


The Legendary – Warlord


Hilton Munich City


Umme Block – State Of Limbo


All German States (and the Eleven Biggest Cities) on one Rail Ticket – Part 2


All German States (and the eleven biggest Cities) on one Rail Ticket – Part 1


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 06 January 2023)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 30 December 2022)


Asam Chruch Munich (Pictured Story)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 21 October 2022)


German Hunting and Fishing Museum Munich


BMW Museum Munich


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 12 August 2022)


Versus Goliath – Liebe & Chaos


LustfingeR – LustfingeR


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 08 July 2022)


German Floorball Under 15 Girls – P5 Match: FC Stern Munich – Sportvg Feuerbach 11-1 (2-1)


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 10 June 2022)


Deutsches Museum Traffic Center (Verkehrszentrum)


Shameless – So Good, You Should….


KIDSØ – Fir


Tame The Abyss – They Vanished At Dawn! EP


Hampton by Hilton Munich City Center East


Exploring Munich With Tram Line 19


Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Rickie Lee Kroell (8th February 2022)


Rickie Lee Kroell – Hauptsache was mit Deichkind


KEC “Die Haie” Cologne – ESC Planegg-Würmtal 1-6 (1-2, 0-1, 0-3)


Cuvillies Theater (Cuvilliéstheater) Munich (Pictured Story)



Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Rusty Stone (8th December 2021)


Lufthansa Senator Lounge Munich Airport (near G28)


IntercityHotel Munich



Fancy – MASQUERADE (Les Marionettes)


ESO Supernova Munich – Garching



Country Music Picks – The German Songs (28th April 2021)


Munich Olympic Tower and Rockmuseum



Gsindl – Gsindlsuperdinger



Don Marco & Die Kleine Freiheit – Gehst Du Mit Mir Unter


Munich White Rose / Weiße Rose Memorial Exhibition


Understanding Train Station – A Podcast on Living Abroad and Cultural Differences


Leonardo Hotel Munich City Center


Munich Toy Museum


Gaststätte Grossmarkthalle – The Best Bavarian White Sausage in Munich


NH Collection Munich Bavaria


Hilton Garden Inn Munich City West


Umadum / Hi-Sky – A Giant Ferris Wheel in Munich


Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial


Munich Olympic Stadium Tour


ALPEN-SYLT Nachtexpress – A New Night Train Crossing Germany


Nightjet Night Train – Single Deluxe Class


German Girl in America – YouTube Videos about US-German Differences


1st Creatif Hotel Elephant Munich


Four Countries, Four Trains – A Trip on Tracks (Day 4, 10th August 2020)


Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh


Airport Lounge World Munich Airport


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2019


Hilton Munich Airport


Eurowings Lounge Munich – The Low(est) Cost Lounge Experience?


The Christmas Market at Munich Airport


Deutsches Museum – Flugwerft Schleissheim


A touch of Orient in a Munich Hotel Room


Munich State Museum of Egyptian Art