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Ben Zucker – Jetzt Erst Recht!

Florian Buechting Media Review No Comments

Ben Zucker - Jetzt Erst Recht!

Ben Zucker - Jetzt Erst Recht!
3.4

Rating

 3.4/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Amazing, very characteristic voice
  • Some really good songs

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Especially the middle of the album is monotonous
  • ... and there are some rather weak sounds in it as well
  • In some songs, the voice feels too weak (for a Ben Zucker song)

Welcome back to Flyctory.com, Ben Zucker. After I have been gifted to report from his arena show in Cologne in November 2019, supported by the lovely Van De Forst, Jetzt Erst Recht! (“Now more than ever”) is his first album review on my blog. His third album overall will be released on 16th April 2021.

 

Ben Zucker – About The Artist

Ben Zucker was born as Benjamin Fritsch in Ueckermünde in the former German Democratic Republic and grew up in Berlin (East). He started to do music at the age of 14. He initially did grunge and rock music, but then switched to German lyrics. Already with his debut single Na Dun?!, he grew some attention. The song became the title track of his debut album the same year. The album peaked fourth in the German charts and stayed in the Top 100 for 129 weeks. On top of that, the album was in the Top 10 in Austria and Switzerland. With the following album, Wer sagt das?!, he even topped the German album charts in 2019 – even though the sales were worse than his debut. His sister Sarah is also doing German music. I reviewed her debut album Wo Mein Herz ist already.

 

Ben Zucker – Jetzt Erst Recht! – Track by Track

The twelve song album lasts 38 minutes.

1. Guten Morgen Welt

The album starts with two single releases. The first one, Guten Morgen Welt (“Good morning world”) is a typical Ben Zucker schlager song: Disco Fox rhythm, his raspy voice. His power feels to be a bit faded, though – and there have definitely been more energizing songs in his career. If that’s the promising opener, this album review might not reach out of the highest ratings

2. Bist du der Mensch

Bist du der Mensch, der mich versteht?
Der auf mich setzt, für den ich leb?
Bist du der Mensch, der meine kleine Welt bewegt?
Bist du der Mensch, der mich vermisst?
Der mich leiser macht, mich nie vergisst?
Bist du der Mensch, der diesen Weg mit mir hier geht?
Bis zum Ende geht

(“Are you the human, who understands me?
Who is trusting in me, for whom I am living.
Are you the human, who moves my tiny world
Are you the human, who misses me?
The one who calms me down, who never forgets me?
Are you the human, who is going along this road with me?
Going til the end.”)

The second song is a piano ballad. One of the best songs of the album to me. Very personal, emotional. Again, I feel, his voice is recorded a bit too plushy – but I enjoy to listen to the second single.

3. Das ist nicht das Ende der Welt

“This is not the end of the world” – the third song is a happy pop track, which makes you smile. The song is quite short, just 2:15 minute. One reason for that is that it does not come with an overwhelming depth. But it is an enjoyable one, for sure.

4. Ich weine nicht um dich

That’s the way I like Ben Zucker songs. German rock with a touch of schlager and country, good lyrics. The song is a break-up song, which is also quite energetic. Good one.

5. Dazwischen bin ich

In this part, the album is presenting some songs, which are definitely a treat for Ben Zucker fans. Nice songs, which are rock and country enough to be not too old-fashioned and uncool. Good listen.

6. So ein Mann

So ein Mann (“Such a man”) is rather rhythmic and uptempo. The song is rather thin – it is much more coming with a schlager touch than the songs before. At least you cannot deny that the chorus is having a catchy touch – finally, Zucker can profit in these kind of songs from his amazing voice.

7. Danach fragt die Liebe nicht

Was sonst von einem Leben bleibt,
danach fragt die Liebe nicht.
Wie weit das Meer aus Scherben reicht
danach fragt die Liebe nicht.
Sie reißt Dich einfach mit

(“What else remains of life,
love is not asking for that
How far the sea of shards is lasting
love is not asking for that
She is just carrying you along”)

One of these comments I write too often in album reviews: individually, the song is definitely not too bad. But where is the added character, the new tune? Where is the special thing? Danach fragt die Liebe nicht (“Love is not asking for that”) thus turns to become just a nice tune in the context of this album.

8. Schon wieder für immer

I am more and more in that “Didn’t I listen to this track already?” mode. The album is not offering something new and thus tends to become boring. Schon wieder für immer is generally a rather weak song, I feel.

9. Ich wär gern alles, was du brauchst

I would not say that Ich wär gern alles, was Du brauchst (“I would like to be all you need”) is an outstanding recording, but its nice vibe leads to the change in sound I just needed. The shuffle-alike rhythm also leads to a nice touch.

10. Ich weiß, was ich will

Ben Zucker goes power ballad. I feel that Ich weiß, was ich will (“I know what I want”) is one of the best songs on the album regarding the power and the energy his voice can create. That’s that kind of song which just make you calm down and listen. Great.

11. Deine Lügen machen süchtig

Deine Lügen machen süchtig (“Your lies are addictive”) leaves no doubt: Jetzt erst Recht! just does not want to blame the German schlager fans too much. This song is one for the rather traditional listeners.

12. Auf uns

Auf uns closes the album with a gentle piano tunes. The songs sounds like a farewell, so it is definitely well-positioned at that point of the album.

 

Ben Zucker – Jetzt Erst Recht! – Spotify

Here is Jetzt Erst Recht on Spotify:

 

Ben Zucker – Jetzt Erst Recht! – My View

I really like the voice of Ben Zucker. I like the way he is doing German tunes with a country music touch. Finally, I really enjoyed his 2019 arena tour. Jetzt Erst Recht! is not a bad album, but I have to say that I am a bit disappointed about it. I expected more than that. There are some quite thin songs and you just feel a certain monotony especially in the middle of the album. I would love him to head towards the country rock genre – he would be amazing in that. His third album feels a bit of undetermined – and it is simply not good enough to make all of his potential listeners happy with these twelve tracks.

 

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