I thought I loved The Notwist. Their last album, Neon Golden, the Germans’ 2002, well, I suppose ‘breakthrough’ (lots of Pitchfork love, etc) was packed full of amazing songs like ‘This Room’, ‘Consequence’ and ‘One Step Inside Doesn’t Mean You’ll Understand’- glitchy indietronica that was as catchy and challenging as it was undoubtedly mature. And all held together by Markus Archer’s amazing, Teflon-smooth clipped continental voice. Its predecessor Shrink was tops too (particular hearts reserved for opener ‘Day 7′), likewise their admittedly patchy but when-it-hits-it-really-hits collaboration as 13&God with Themselves (better known now as Doseone, Jel and Dax from Subtle). So yeah. I thought I loved The Notwist. And then I heard this.

Six years since Neon Golden, and, well 13&God aside, it sounds as if the whole time The Notwist have been trapped in an ikea catalogue, so clean and unchallenging and packed-up and European is The Devil, You + Me. To be honest, I’d been prepared for this since ‘Good Lies’, a track so devoid of hooks its just… well, the whole album is like this really. Impeccably produced, yes, but impeccably produced complete and utter dull-ness. From an aesthetic perspective you can’t really fault it. I love how modernist-architecture-designed the whole thing is, like some sort of beautiful Dresden train station. I love how Console’s interesting little noises get fed into the songs as sections shift and stuff, I just can’t stand how completely forgettable it is despite this. I can’t stand the fact that they’ve gone into the studio to produce something so well without actually bothering to write any half-decent songs first. ‘Good Lies’ just… *builds*. Most of it just builds. The Devil, You + Me is essentially an extended lesson in turd-polishing. Now we all know you can’t do this. But The Notwist have certainly done their darndest to try, and whats more they’ve very nearly gotten away with it to. But coming up to twenty years ago some lady gave birth to a music writer named Tom Whyman, and he’s not going to let this one pass.

I’m sorry The Notwist. I really did used to like you a lot too. But this has to end. We’re just very different people (or, well, you’re like four people, but still). I’m looking for an entertaining band, and you’re just… a little too boring? Really sorry and all. You’re a nice enough group. I’m sure you’ll find someone to love you just the way you are. But we’ll always have the memories, what happened six years ago and all, that fling in anticon… its just. We’ve grown apart. Bye!
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[Download The Notwist The Devil, You + Me]

Links
The Notwist [myspace]