Zeitlos

I am enjoying the remakes of well known classic songs equally with the new songs . They work surprisingly well together . Vicky was planning to make an album of covers in 2008 when she first went to Mannheim studios and she did put a couple of French sung classic songs on the Moege der Himmel album in German . Following talks with the guys she decided to go for a new project instead which was just too different and radical for some people to accept . ( a bit like Across the Water was in the 70s and that was a great album too!!) I liked the album myself ( Moege der Himmel) but would not want every one to be similar . I think it may have helped if Vicky had changed her own look a bit and her way of delivering the song to suit the new style more instead of appearing the same . She dressed more to suit the album at the press conference but that was about the only time . Anyway I should be reviewing this album Zeitlos which CONTINUES the French song theme from Vicky's plans in 2008 . It does not seem strange that she went back to her original idea and made this album with also a few world hits that were not originally French songs and 4 new songs which is an interesting mix . How is this anyway orientierungslos ?

I find that the album is well sung and I also like very much the tasteful instrumentation and arrangements . Vicky is very expressive and phrases the songs well . As usual her diction and clarity is precise . This and the quality of the recording makes it a pleasure to listen to in contrast to most of the music production of today .

Vicky sings on record the same as if she was standing next to you singing . The sound is natural and close with no studio gimmicks double or treble tracking of voice or voice build where the soloist is somewhere in the middle of lots of voices most of the time . This is the style of alot of singers now plus every song sometimes on an album is written by the same person or team and they all sound the same with the same computerised beats and boring mechanical outcome . You do not know the difference even hardly between which singers album you are listening to . !!!

Thankfully Vicky is not going down that road . We have sounds of piano strings and orchestra . We have a genuine voice with tones of light and shade . When she appears singing even play back (when she lipsynchs well not like yesterday I have to say ) it looks and sounds live vocally because the voice is very much the same as when she IS live . Sometimes at concerts she will sing some songs even better than the recording and not many can say that . Vicky likes to record a vocal she can reproduce live when needed .

When I listen to Vicky I am not expecting to hear Edith Piaf . The same when I hear Piaf (which I do sometimes) I don't expect Vicky . Vicky is singing all these songs HER way not in the way of any of the other artists who did the originals . They are HER cover versions - NOT copies - HER take on the song done the way SHE felt like doing it with her words and delivery etc . Some of the songs are very changed in pace and feeling and for so many reasons should not be compared to the original . Different lyrics - different arrangement and style - different language and pace - DIFFERENT ERA !!- best of all Different Singer - VICKY !! I like the retro style of some and the modern of others !! The best of both is here new and old . I am very surprised at some of the reviews here that are so aggressively negative against this album and the artist personally . I cannot see anything about this album to provoke that kind of reaction .

I am disappointed however with the printing of lyrics which are not sung . How difficult can it be to print what Vicky is singing ? What is the point of giving lyrics in the booklet when they are wrong ?!!! Then there is the most annoying of all 'le drapeaux' instead of 'les drapeaux' which is so stupid and makes no sense . The equivalent of writing in German Das Kinder instead of Die Kinder . Does noone check these easy things ( and a few others )that really spoil a product ?.

Lastly - (thank goodness you say if anybody is still reading) I will say that today it is more difficult to tell lies because communication is open worldwide and we can all discuss things . Therefore information given out concerning a singer's personal details and career should be correct and not vary . In one era you could say anything you liked but now you quickly get exposed . I have heard and seen so many different accounts of the same incidents and facts about Vicky given out over the years that everything seems false and not genuine with Vicky and that does her image great harm . Everything is hype and marketing and you cannot trust anything . I don't like this . I like to be told the truth . This false and insincere image of Vicky has to go or she will lose all her popularity inspite of any good recordings she makes . Perhaps this is why some established fans are fed up here and elsewhere aswell as not liking some recent recordings and all the cancelled dates etc . There is a feeling that people are being taken for stupid so from now on let's just be told true facts .

Ich muss meinen "Vorredenern" leider zustimmen: um diese Chansons einigermaßen glaubwürdig interpretieren zu können, muss man ein bestimmtes Gefühl vermitteln. Das aber befindet sich nicht im Repertoire von Frau Leandros. Sicher, alles ist annehmbar gesungen, aber die Produktion klingt (Rauschen im Hintergrund) sehr billig und dann diese Texte: am allerschlimmsten das Remake von "Non, je ne regrette rien". Warum glaubt eigentlich eine äußerst begabte Schlagersängern ständig, dass sie zu Höherem berufen ist ??? NEIN, Frau Leandros kann es nicht so gut wie die Piaf und wenn man an den Originalen nichts verbessern kann oder den Songs neue Aspekte abgewinnen kann, was soll das Ganze dann ? Ich bin es als langjähriger Fan auch leid, dass kein Interview mehr vergeht, ohne dass Frau Leandros auf ihre "Weltkarriere" hinweist, dass sie ja schon eigentlich immer anspruchsvolle Chansons gesungen hat usw. Der Gipfel ist ihre 35jährige Jubiläumstour. Ihre erste Single erschien 1965, also vor 45 Jahren. Da kann man noch so viel Zeit für Kinder und das Private abziehen- dieses ewige "Wie mach ich mich jünger" is extrem lächerlich. Und genau das ist der Punkt, der mich an diesen Interpretationen so stört: wirklich große Künstlerinnen, die ein gewisses Alter erreicht haben, dürfen sich durchaus mal ein paar melancholische Emotionen erlauben, ein bisschen Wehmut, eine altersgemäße Glaubwürdigkeit (auch stimmlich). Aber Frau Leandros bleibt mit ihrem Gesang so dermaßen an der Oberfläche, dass sie nicht im Entferntesten an Dalida und Co heran kommt. Wenn sie sich mal zu richtigen, emotionsgeladenen Interpretationen hinreißen ließe, sähe die ganze Sache sicherlich anders aus- aber so ? Ein schreckliches Produkt und ich kann auch diese ganze Getue á la "Ich bin ja eigentlich Chansonsängerin und mache nur zwangsweise Schlager" nicht mehr ertragen. Wen dem wirklich so wäre und Frau Leandros wirklich eine Chansonsängerin wäre, dann würden sich ihre Interpretation nicht so lieblos herunter geleiert anhören. Sorry, ich war lange Fan, aber mit diesem (einem weiteren) schreklichen Album wurde ich endgültig vergrault. In einer der vor mir erstellten Rezensionen fiel das Wort "aristokratisch". Ja, das ist sie, aber aristokratisch heißt auch, stets Haltung zu bewahren- und dass passt furchtbar schlecht zu diesen gefühlsbetonten Chansons. Wenn Vicky mal ihre echten, wahren Gefühle zeigen würde in ihrem Gesang, wäre alles gut. Aber das hier ist French Soul ohne Seele.

Eine perfekte Mischung aus ruhiger, sentimentaler, beschwingter und lebensfroher Musik. Ich durfte fesstellen, dass ich sie in jeder Laune und Stimmung hören mag und muss.

Vicky hat sich seit Möge der Himmel weiterentwickelt und ist vielschichtiger geworden. Die wunderschöne Stimme von Frau Leandros nimmt den Hörer mit auf eine Reise.

Viel Spaß bei dieser Entdeckungsreise!