Werbepause
Werbepausen (=Commercial breaks) are often annoying because you never know when they will occur. But they can also have their good points: We get to know some news or we can use them to reflect. Where do we come from? Where are we going? What is hidden behind the facade? This album wants to be a commercial break for God, it invites you to get to know him. If you are serious about looking for him, you will find him. He promised that.
Like my last albums "Kampfabsage" and "Lichtweh", "Werbepause" was completely self-produced. The only exception is song No. 3 "Ich vergebe dir", for which Simone Müller-Moore played the piano. This album is deliberately arranged with a certain retro style. Music style, sound, producer and equipment are from the same old time. Most of the equipment I've used is museum pieces but was persuaded with the help of my soldering iron to do the job. I've only used a few “modern” digital tools for mastering and dynamics optimization.
Here you can find "Werbepause" online:
Here you can listen to it directly:
01. Schoene neue Welt
(=Brave new world) Even if it may seem like this when you first hear it: NO, I am not against the achievements of our bave new world, the communication technologies and the always-and-everywhere access to knowledge. On the contrary: I use them myself and it would be difficult for me to do without them. A lot of knowledge about me is accumulated. However, I allow myself to doubt, that this will be used in my favor. There is someone else who knows everything about me, but with whom this knowledge is in good hands: God. He always acts in our favor. In his new world, things will become possible that we don't even dare to dream of today.
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
02. Kommt her
(=come to me) "Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest”, says Jesus to the people who, despite his intensive time with them, have not changed their lives and therefore had to face the consequences (Mt 11, 28). The possibility of finding relief in Jesus is shown in this song through three fictional stories.
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
03. Ich vergebe dir
(=I forgive you) This is the parable of the prodigal son (or better: of the two prodigal sons) that is set to music. A story that is still known from religion lessons in school, but whose relevance for our lives is hardly taken seriously. The question is: do we rebel against God and run away, or are we self-righteous and haughty because we believe we are doing His will by celebrating religious rituals? Finding the middle ground is quite difficult
Many thanks to Simone Müller-Moore for playing the piano!
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
04. Psalm 23
One of the most famous and popular biblical texts - often set to music. It was important to me, not to use the Old Testament images as this is quite strange to people without a Christian background. (At least that's what happened to me, when I first read Psalm 23 in the age of 37). The actions and narrative perspectives are reproduced as accurately as possible, even if the last line of the Psalm - the great praise of God - is a little overemphasized. (But can you even overemphasize it ?)
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
05. So fuehlt sich deine Naehe an
(=This is how your closeness feels like) How does God's closeness feels like? How do you know he's there? These questions are asked by people who are looking for God. Since God's closeness feels different for everyone, this text will probably not even help you in your search. Therefore I ask you to take it as a kind of experience report. I wish to everyone who is seeking to find what he is looking for. God promised that he would be found.
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
06. Ewigkeit
(=eternity) The long history of the relationship between God and mankind is pretty grim. We haven't tried too hard to ask about God's will, to live by it, or to act on it. The result is, that our world will pass again and just a few will be with God for ever. That's a shame, especially since the entrance ticket is free.
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
07. Deine Gnade
(=Your grace) If our good behavior were enough to be good enough for God - as many religions do proclaim - he would be quite lonely. Almost nothing happens to me more often than realizing, that my good intentions did not became relity. All that remains is, to overcome my own pride and ask God for forgiveness (grace).
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
08. Das hast du fuer uns getan
(=that´s what you have done for us) It describes, what Jesus did for us from the beginning. He, the Son of God, in whom and through whom everything was created, was nailed to the cross for us. He is awaiting everyone who believe this in eternity.
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
09. Jesus dir gehoert die Ehre
(=Jesus, all honor is yours) Amen! For you, Jesus, I'll make music until my ears whistle. To tell about you, I knead lyrics and rhymes through the coils of my brain. Close to you, I find relaxation when the battery is empty. YBlessed be your name, all honor to you. Amen!
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
10. Wahrscheinlichkeit
(=probability) With this piece I don't want to get involved in the argument between creationists and evolutionists. However, because of my love of technology as an engineer, I cannot imagine the world came into being without a plan. This song is said to be satirical. You can get excited about it if you want.
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
11. Wie neu geboren
(=like new born) This is the story of how I met Jesus more than 10 years ago and how it felt. I never fought against Jesus, but I didn't care either. This has changed fundamentally since that moment.
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
12. Gold
"This is the moment when the flow of time coagulates..." This is how one could imagine the return of Jesus at the end of time. The here and now ends, God builds his golden city and level 2 begins. I am really looking forward to!
Lyrics as PDF file (German only !)
