Music
Album Review – RAMMSTEIN’s oh so Controversial ‘Liebe ist für alle da’ (2009)
So, Rammstein is back after four years with their newest effort, “Liebe ist für alle da”. These guys have consistently put out solid records and the metal community seems to have quite the fondness in their hearts for these German industrial rockers. But just two months ago, they released a video for their first single, “Pussy”, and the metal community recoiled in horror. “This is Rammstein? But this sucks!”. As a result, fans began to fear the worst. The only thing left to do was wait and see what the rest of the album was like.
On October 20th, “Liebe ist für alle da” was released in the United States. At least with this reviewer, all doubts flew out the window. Now, I’m not saying that this album is flawless, by any stretch of the imagination, but these guys still know how to rock. The album opens up with “Rammlied”, a driving heavy rock song where singer Til Lindemann strongly shouts out “RAMM-STEIN!”, letting us know that they are most definitely back with a vengence. There is no doubt, by the end of this song, that this album is coming on strong.
The rest of the album sounds just as large and pristine. The production on this album is spot on. The drums sound crisp and solid, offering a very solid thump. The bass rolls in a very satisfying way that doesn’t muddy up the low-end spectrum. The guitars sound huge and thick, yet are clearly defined and have a great sustain. The keys and other “ambient” effects come through clearly. Lastly, the vocals are crisp, clear and wonderfully mixed in. Til does several vocal harmonies that are perfectly synced up and arranged to make sure that there are no “off-notes”. As the album progresses, some songs just stand out as gems. “Ich tu dir weh” and “B********” stand out as some heavy hitters that just scream mosh pit. “Frühling in Paris” and “Roter Sand” come off as ballads and have some truly beautiful melodies and chord patterns, the latter being somewhat creepy and melancholic. Music aficionados will find a special Easter egg in “Frühling in Paris”: some of the lyrics are from the song “Non je ne regrette rien” by Edith Piaf.
Overall, “Liebe ist für alle da” is a truly solid Rammstein album. Previous fans should easily find themselves enjoying this effort and newcomers can find easily accessible, yet very exciting material to blast as you’re driving.
The Lost Boys: A New Musical officially kicked off on Broadway last month, and Deadline now reports that the show’s Broadway run has been extended into next year.
The show was originally set to run through November, but Deadline reports that The Lost Boys: A New Musical “has released a block of tickets through Sunday, March 7, 2027.”
The news comes in the wake of The Lost Boys: A New Musical becoming the most Tony-nominated musical of the season with twelve nominations including Best Musical.
Additionally, “The Lost Boys will launch a North American National Tour in Spring 2028, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. Additional cities and tour dates will be announced later.”
The Lost Boys: A New Musical is of course an adaptation of the 1987 horror classic from director Joel Schumacher, with the cast including Ali Louis Bourzgui as lead vampire David (originally played by Kiefer Sutherland), Maria Wirries as Star (originally played by Jami Gertz), and LJ Benet as the soon-to-be-turned Michael (originally played by Jason Patric).
The horror musical’s cast also includes Shoshana Bean as Lucy Emerson, Benjamin Pajak as Sam Emerson, Paul Alexander Nolan as Max, Jennifer Duka as Alan Frog, Miguel Gil as Edgar Frog, Brian Flores as Marko, Sean Grandillo as Dwayne, and Dean Maupin as Paul.
The Lost Boys: A New Musical is Directed by Michael Arden, featuring Music and Lyrics by The Rescues, Book by David Hornsby & Chris Hoch, Story by James Jeremias & Janice Fischer, and Produced by James Carpinello, Marcus Chait & Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring) by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.
When a mother and her two teenage sons move to Santa Carla in desperate need of a fresh start, they soon uncover the darker side of this sunny coastal community. While Lucy tries to piece her family’s life back together, Michael keeps pulling away in search of belonging.
As he finds connection with a local rock band and its charismatic leader, his younger brother Sam comes face-to-face with a terrifying reality: When night falls, Michael’s new friends are even more dangerous than they first appeared.
Joel Schumacher directed the original The Lost Boys vampire movie in 1987, wherein two brothers move to a new town and discover that the area is a haven for vampires.
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