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Markus – Das Leben liebt mich … und ich liebe das Leben

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Markus - Das Leben liebt mich... und ich liebe das Leben

Markus - Das Leben liebt mich... und ich liebe das Leben
4.1

Rating

 4.1/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Great nostalgic sound
  • A couple of really good new originals...
  • ... and some nice covers

Flyctory.com Cons

  • If you don't 1980's pop, you are likely lost in here.

Everybody in Germany knows the songs Ich will Spaß (“I want to have fun”, a song about having fun cruising in your car) and Kleine Taschenlampe brenn’ (“Small torch lighten up”). They have been iconic recordings of the German music of the early 1980’s, the Neue Deutsche Welle. The artist who performed these songs, Markus, is still active. On 15th July 2022, he releases his new album Das Leben liebt mich… und ich liebe das Leben. The title tranlates to “Life is loving me… and I love life”. Let’s see if I love his 2022 songs as well.

 

Markus – About The Artist

The full civil name of Markus is Markus Mörl. He was born on 27th August 1959 in Camberg, today Bad Camberg, between Cologne and Frankfurt. Today, Markus is living in the Cologne region. Ich will Spaß (1982) has indeed been his very first single release. The song topped the German charts and stayed there for 24 weeks. This also boosted the album Kugelblitze und Raketen, which had a nine week appearance in the German album charts. In his home country, Markus is very often treated as a one hit wonder. However, some one year later, Kleine Taschenlampe brenn’ did not only make it to the fifth spot of the German charts, the song also had quite some success in Austria.

Das Leben liebt mich… und ich liebe das Leben is in fact Markus’ tenth studio album. The artist is still very active on stage nowadays, especially as part of retro festivals. Together with other 1980’s artist, including Ryan Paris, he is also organizing the Die Ich Will Spaß show, a retro music show.

 

Markus – Das Leben liebt mich… und ich liebe das Leben – Track by Track

The fifteen track album lasts 52 minutes.

1. Herzschlag (radio version)

The first song of the album is Herzschlag (“Heart beat”). Markus is going for a German pop / schlager with a rather traditional sound. The track is a straight song, which stays in your mind. Really a nice opener, which leads to a certain level of 1980’s retro sound.

2. Summer Of The 80s

This was the first song of this album I was listening to. Markus is joining forces with Yvonne König, who is not only a singer and actor, but also his girlfriend. Great song which is having a lot of references to 1980’s songs and movies but also lifestyle. Ich will Dich zurück, Summer of the 80’s – “I want you back, summer of the 80’s”. Yeah, that feels like life four decades ago.

3. Keine Eile

The third song translates to “No Hurry”. The song is is a really cool, laid back song about staying relaxed, no matter what is happening. Great write.

Wir haben keine Eile,
Die Welt kommt doch hier sowieso vorbei
Wir bleiben noch ‘ne Weile
Die Zeit vergeht und wir sind nicht dabei.

(“We don’t have any hurry
The world is passing here anyway.
We stay a while
Time is passing and we are not joining”)

4. Was geht

Synth pop sounds are introducing you to Was geht (“What’s up?”). The song is a nice schlager track. Again, Markus does not miss to add some nostalgic feeling to the sound. Nonetheless, the track feels a bit too brave to me – it could have some more power.

5. Helden

Helden (“Heroes”) has in fact been the first teaser for Das Leben liebt mich… und ich liebe das Leben. A song about a great night togehter. Was wir heute teilen bleibt für immer – “What we share today stays forever”. Like this song. Cool sound.

6. Deine Welt

The very first second of Deine Welt (“Your world”) could be an Ace of Base intro. But somehow, that would still be a too modern sound for this album. Markus is working with clear, a bit of plushy melodies and keyboard lines. Yeah, we loved that sound at these days. And when Markus is doing it… I have to admit that there is a smile in my face.

7. Clowns mit rostigen Trompeten

These songs are made to re-activate memories. To recall what we did at a time we loved to have Markus on stage and in the ZDF Hitparade (a former German TV music show). Songs like Clowns mit rostigen Trompeten do this in a perfect style. Likely, my wife (who is ten years younger than me) would not understand why I love this song at all. But, hey, it simply triggers what it should do.

8. Im Kartenhaus

The lyrics of this song are taking you to the “House of Cards”. One of the weaker songs of the album to me, even though I like the metaphors of this song, which rather use a piano-alike melody in the more quiet parts.

9. Malen nach Zahlen

Even the song titles of the album have a nostalgic reference. Malen nach Zahlen (“Color by numbers”) has been quite a popular way to paint in Germany, especially for kids. The song is a bit of slower, the metaphors are a bit of week when Markus states that life is not a version of color by numbers.

10. Sieben Himmel

A very present bass drum and electro-pop sounds with a strong 1980’s feeling are the core elements of Sieben Himmel. This trip to the “Seven skies” is as close as Markus 2022 gets to the good, old Neue Deutsche Welle sound.

Wir fliegen durch die Wolken durch sieben Himmel
Mit einer riesengroßen, rosaroten Fliegerbrille
Und wenn ich mit Dir nicht mehr weiter fliegen mag
Zieh’ ich an meinem Fallschirm, ja
Und Du stürzt ab

(“We fly through the clouds, through seven skies
With giant pink aviator goggles
And if I don’t want to fly any more
I pull my parachute, yeah –
And you crash”)

11. Nicht von dieser Welt

The song deals with a road trip to the sea. Solid listen, but overall, the song is not that special in my point of view.

12. Ich hol dich hier raus

This song is a cover, the track has originally been written by the legendary Klaus Doldinger. It is a really nice fit to the album, especially, as Markus does this one in a really nice interpretation.

13. Hauptgewinn

The thirteenth song comes with a rather modern schlager sound, even though Markus and his team is again majorly using electronic sounds. The rhythm in this song feels a bit too present to me.

14. Girl’s Got A Brand New Toy 2.0

The song has originally been released in 1985 by the duo TXT. The song peaked 21st in German charts in 1985. In Italy, the track even made it to the fourth spot. One part of the band: Markus. The other part of the duo: Mark Jefferis, who did not have too many successful songs thereafter. Markus re-activates this song. In fact, it is a really good listen.

15. Herzschlag (maxi version)

The opening track is the closing one: the fifteenth song of the album is the maxi version of Herzschlag. Two more minutes of this song, there are more electronic sounds and beats in this version. A nice bonus for his fans.

 

Markus – Das Leben liebt mich… und ich liebe das Leben – Spotify

Here is the album’s widget on Spotify:

 

Markus – Das Leben liebt mich… und ich liebe das Leben – My View

Markus is still successful today. He is going on stage and singing the songs people loved forty years ago already. I have seen him live a few times and have to say he is a great live artist. His 2022 album is following the concept. Modern pop, alternative rock songs, but also 2020’s style schlager tracks – this all would just not fit to the artist. And he could finally not make use of these sounds at his concerts. Markus is doing Markus – in 1982 as well as in 2022. I love it!

 

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