How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Outstanding
Value for Money
Excellent
Advantages:
Very good music, great success
Disadvantages:
mostly suitable for fast dance music lovers
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
a) Common Infos/Prices: -------------------------------
Alone is the 8th album of Modern Talking and were released in February 1999 in Germany, one year after their reunification. I bought the CD at a price of app. 14,99 Euro at that time. Nowadays the CD is available in a price class about 7 Euro.
On the album you find familiar Modern Talking music best described as good and modern Discofox. There are even new experiments as ballads and even Thomas Anders composed four titles for the first time.
a.a) Who is Modern Talking: --------------------------------------
Well, Dieter Bohlen is one of the most famous German producers and Thomas Anders is the singer. Together they are one of the best German Pop Duos that ever existed. After 13 successful albums Dieter Bohlen and Thomas Anders ultimately decided to go separate ways. Many interesting details and their biographies can be found on following websites:
www.geocities.com/henrik02 - site in English language; The site is very informative and detailed. You can see an impressive list of their successes, several pictures. It is worth to visit the page.
www.bmg.de - English language selectable; This was their the record studio BMG Germany. You can even find samples there.
www.thomas-anders.com - website of the singer, English language selectable; Thomas Anders recently updated his site and stop by for a while to check out his new plans.
a.a.a) How is the sound of Modern Talking? ----------------------------------------------------------
The sound of their music is simple arranged pop music. The lyrics and musics are normally easy to read and to learn. That is the main trademark of their music which makes the fever. Simple but clever arranged dance music combined with easy lyrics together with good singing makes a really good recipe for catchy tunes. That is the trick, nothing more but nothing less. Once you are listening to the always returning similar rhythm in almost every song of Modern Talking, you will always remember their songs. Maybe you know about Italo Dance music? This kind of style is similar to the sound of Modern Talking.
For example I put some parts of the lyric of their first song "You're my heart" here, so you can get to know the basics:
1. Verse:
Deep in my heart there's a fire, a burning heart. Deep in my heart there's desire for a start. I am dying in emotion, it's my world in fantasy. I'm living in my, living in my dreams.
Chorus Normal:
You're my heart, you're my soul. I'll keep on shining everywhere I go. You're my heart, you're my soul. I'll be holding you forever, stay with you together.
>Until this point Thomas Anders, the singer, sings the verse and the first part of the chorus.<
Chorus sung by high choirs ( sounds like men inhaled helium):
You're my heart, you're my soul. Yeah, I'm feeling that our love will grow. You're my heart, you're my soul. That's the only thing I really know.
>The second part of the chorus will mostly be sung by a man choir with pitched high voices. Think of a man inhaled helium or to be vulgar, think of eunuchs. The high choir is usually the second part of the chorus before the singer starts the second verse.<
Now imagine a catchy tuned dance floor music with similar rhythm in every song but with unique high recognition value which is perfectly arranged for this simple lyric. It is really simple and easy to learn and to sing along. Then add the singer with a voice which has a high recognition value and you have the recipe for Modern Talking. This unique recipe can be found in every song of them so you always recognise Modern Talking by their sound and by Thomas' voice. That is the basic foundation of their success.
If you never listened to one of their sounds, please visit following link where you can easily listen to parts of the titles online which I describe further down:
Just click on the buttons below Audio, the left symbol needs Real Player the right one works with Media Player. You will get a good impression of the sound type. It is really easy to listen to the songs online. You do not otherwise understand the basic principles of Modern Talking music as I now tried to explain.
b) My school marks & comments of the titles of the album: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) You are not alone, Length: 3:41>
The title was also released as single, which reached gold status shortly after. The song provides bombastic bass combined with the typical Modern Talking rhythm. I really love the slow inserted section in the middle and the adorable produced high choruses. It is wonderful song, ideal for listening in cars with full sound.
My rating: A - Very Good
2) Sexy Sexy Lover, Length: 3:33>
In my opinion this title is even better than the first one because he also provides bombastic bass and has one of the best Modern Talking rhythm on this album. In addition there are also adorable high choruses and perfectly arranged music. This title is the best of the whole album in every respect.
My rating: A - Very Good
3) I can't give you more, Length: 3:41>
This is a typical, fast Modern Talking title. Thomas imparts it power with his voice and even though this title has no high choruses, I love the perfectly arranged rhythm, music and singing. You can even hear Dieter in the background of the chorus, who simultaneously sings with Thomas.
My rating: A - Very Good
4) Just close your eyes, Length: 4:17>
Next is a mediocre, boring ballad which I am not going to like even when listening to it multiple times. Only Thomas' voice saves the title in the chorus with nice accompanying high chorus.
My rating: C- Satisfiable minus
5) Don't let me go, Length: 3:20>
Even though this title doesn't have high choruses, it is one of the highlights of the album. I like the adorable, spheric accompanying music in familiar Modern Talking rhythm even more that Thomas' singing which nevertheless is perfect for the song. One of the titles which I regularly play in my car. I wished there would be an instrumental version hereof.
My rating: A - Very Good
6) I'm so much in love, Length: 3:53>
Another ballad but made much better than number 4. One can definitely hear how good Thomas sings high passages without problems. The song is good for relaxing.
My rating: B- Good minus
7) Rouge et noir / red and black, Length: 3:14>
The classical intro impressed me which introduces the song. The whole title is an explosive mixture of classic and typical Modern Talking rhythm. After the previous ballad is good to hear a fast title again combined with good high choruses.
My rating: A - Very Good
8) All I have, Length: 4:20>
Another good made ballad which I hear from time to time but only due to the good chorus with rare high choruses where even Dieter can be heard this time. Fortunately even this song is much better than number 4.
My rating: B- Good minus
9) Can't get enough, Length: 3:35>
Many claim that there are no innovations of MT. This is not true. This title is one of another highlight of this album which provides the highest choruses after date and a refreshing, improved Modern Talking rhythm. This title is outstanding and I recommend listening to it as loud as you can.
My rating: A - Very Good
10) Love is like a rainbow, Length: 4:14>
If there is the best ballad on this album, it will be this one. Although the song is composed by Thomas Anders, he did a very good job. Sophisticated text and music makes the title very good. No high choruses though but suitable for relaxing from the faster titles.
My rating: A- Very Good minus
11) How you mend a broken heart, Length: 4:14>
Sigh, another mediocre ballad, I can't hear them anymore. Only the nice high choruses which remind me a bit of Bee Gees save the number to a Satisfiable.
My rating: C - Satisfiable
12) It hurts so good, Length: 3:22>
The intro is another good mixture of classic and Discofox throughout the whole title. I miss the high choruses but I like Thomas' flawlessly sung high passages in the chorus. The rest is very good and improved Modern Talking rhythm.
My rating: A - Very Good
13) I'll never give you up, Length: 3:26>
A wonderful mid-tempo number where the emphasis is the bass- and drum accompaniment, well balanced to the singing. I like this song because it has some new styles in the familiar rhythm. The title has no high choruses but is well done though.
My rating: A- Very Good minus
14) Don't let me down, Length: 3:57>
A further ballad which I like nonetheless. Why? The song offers a 6/8 beat for a change. The verses remind me a bit of title number 6 on the 7th album. This is the best of the slow ballads of this album.
My rating: B - Good
15) Taxi Girl, Length: 3:09>
This is the last typical fast title in the familiar Modern Talking rhythm on this album. The song has adorable music and arrangement again which Thomas perfectly primes with his singing. Also the high choruses were brought in perfectly again.
My rating: A - Very Good
16) For always and ever, Length: 3:22>
For heaven's sake the worst title was placed at the quasi-end. Neither the music nor the style is suitable for Modern Talking. Thomas composed it and sorry: this is only sufficient for me.
My rating: D - Sufficient
17) Space Mix featuring Eric Singleton, Length: 17:14>
Oh man, I really hate this bad rapper. Not only is he awfully bad, he is totally unnecessary too. I do not like rappers. The number is a medley of several number 1 titles of Modern Talking of the Eighties plus some former album titles. Not very bad, but another title would have been better for the fans.
My rating: C - Satisfiable
c) My overall school mark/my conclusion: ---------------------------------------------------------
All in all I rate the whole music on the album with:
[ B Good (1,85 = rating value) ]
The album was rewarded with gold and platinum status in Germany and many other countries. A well deserved success because any Modern Talking fan will fully be satisfied. This is the CD which I am listening to very often. It is worth being examined more exactly.
Thanks to the futuristic cover design, where Dieter wears a nice blue and Thomas a nice red sack coat and because there are all of the texts printed inside the booklet for the first time, I upvalue from Good to Very Good and give five stars.
Singing and tone quality of the CD is presented on an extremely high level. No complaints there. For every MT fan this album is no disappointment, except mentioning the few bad ones. Use the title programming of your CD player and you can enjoy the good numbers which are sufficient.
So I can recommend this album to any discofox and Modern Talking lover. Go to www.musicline.de (German language only but there is a quick search bar, type in Modern talking) to find samples. Personally I think Modern Talking made a big mistake. They never cared for their success in the UK or in the USA, although they definitely would have had a chance.
I hope I could give you a good impression of this album and please forgive me any mistakes. I tried to write as good as possible. Thank you for reading!
