20 Blumen (MA34):
"The first album by Hamburg's Die Moulinettes blends jangly guitars, intoxicating Europop melodies and gorgeous harmonies. There's strong echoes of Burt Bacharach, Ennio Morricone, Astrud Gilberto, Ray Conniff and especially Serge Gainsbourg, whose "Das War Eine Schone Party" (a 1968 hit for France Gall in its French version, "Poupee de Cire, Poupee de Son") ends the album. Like the 11 tracks preceding, it sounds neither campy nor cute.
As the lyrics are in German, I have no idea what the songs are about, though titles like "Zaubervogel Barbie," "Gringo (A Man Must Fight)" and "Die Mondane Welt der Mode" give tantalizing hints. Guitarist Claudia Kaiser has the perfect voice for this type of pop, cool and languid, too low to sound chirpy. When drummer Kiki Wossagk and bassist Barbara Streidl add their voices to the mix, the effect uncannily recalls Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier and Mary Hansen, while Kaiser's banjo on several tracks is equally reminiscent of the High Llamas.
However, unlike these groups, Die Moulinettes don't use these sounds as one element in a blend of styles; instead Die Moulinettes strive to approximate the original '60s Europop records which inspired them. This would probably be unbearably precious were it not so well done. กกกก" By Michael Henningsen - Alibi Music
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