One of the nicest counterfeiter ...

is certainly Martin L. Gore! Not only does it his second solo album (after the simple "Counterfeit" titled EP) this time officially as "Counterfeit²" (ie "falsification squared") is called, no, he produced these falsifications / cover versions in such unconsolidated casual way that you can be mad at him truly not. Even on this album, there is not a single original compositions by Gore. The names of the songwriter but carry so names such as Nick Cave, Brian Eno, Kurt Weill, John Lennon, David Bowie with Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Jaja: Julee Cruise (*); yet almost all the pieces are relatively unknown and therefore therefore do not come as flat as on many other cover version samplers prominent fellow musicians. Mr. Gore made Clever!
Especially nice: "In My Other World" (why just reminds me of Twin Peaks (*) ;-) "By This River" (wonderfully simple instrumented with Eno-like synthetic bubbling)
At the most beautiful of all for my current musical taste and State of Mind: "Lost in the Stars" (M. Anderson / K Weill.). Unbelievable but true: Piano Music, underlaid with strings in combination with Gore's voice cracking. The Chanson has arrived in 2003. Just a perfect pleasure!
Somehow reminds me the Lennon / Ono composition "Oh My Love" NEN Tick clearly to Erasure ... well, something like that! But LIKE tuerlichtuerlich!
And then the kicker: Martin L. Gore sings in German: Das Lied vom lonely girl. Dramatic and a real gem. Similarly good material of this dramatic effect I last heard at Ute Lemper / Punishing Kiss.
All in all a beautiful album - with some Laaeengen indeed, one not easy to erschliessenden concept, maybe too quiet something bubbling atmosphere and probably more for hardcore Martin L Gore fans - or anyone who dares, with open ears to enter into new territories.
Although my album has fallen, there are only 3 star. I ask (especially DM and MLG fans) for forbearance ;-)!