Search - Nena :: It's All in the Game

After almost 2 decades of waiting....

L. Roosa | 05/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I cannot believe this is finally available in CD format. I have both the Albulm and Cassette, and have kept them safely at home. I absolutely love Nena, and have this CD in the German version. Many will probably discount it in its translation, but make no mistake, this is Nena from the 80's.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!"

Finally available on CD!

Albert Turtscher | Denver, CO - USA | 08/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been waiting for this CD! That's about the only LP of Nena which wasn't available on CD until now. Great!"

Exuberant Tunes!

Alan E. | 07/10/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Exuberant tunes for the adolescent in all of us!



This collection is vivid and energetic--songs of celebration which effectively capture youthful vigor and buoyancy. The cheerful resilience of the tunes uniquely blends animated pop/rock stylings with heated African/tribal undercurrents.



The Nena band's only full-length outing in English, this album is possibly the overall best of their international releases. It is considerably amplified by the rich and robust English translations of Canadian singer-songwriter Dalbello (who also supplies lively backing vocals on the feverish "Warning Signs").



Dalbello's greatest coup as an interpreter is that she does not try to do any kind of line-by-line literal adaptation of the original German lyrics but instead captures the true essence, feeling and spirit of the pieces and builds on that. Some of Dalbello's singable renderings are in fact more refined than the original Teutonic takes. "Irgendwie-irgendwo-irgendwann" has the second verse virtually the same as the first, and Dalbello is far more inventive in her vision on "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime." (Lead singer Nena Kerner and Kim Wilde scored a big European hit in 2003 with a remake of "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" that mixes both the German and English words.)



In fact, "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" is one of the strongest tunes of the whole ensemble. This frolicking, space-age rollercoaster of a dance mix crescendoes creatively (despite a lenghty opening which perhaps labors the point). Vivid images about being drawn together by the flame and separated by the sea fluctuate as the tension ebbs and flows. "If we belong to each other, we belong/Anyplace, anywhere, anytime/I'm goin' to any world you're comin' from/Anyplace, anywhere, anytime." The lyrics and orchestration really spark your fantasy and take you on a cosmic trip that makes you want to get up and move around.



Also memorable here: David Sanborn's sleek saxophone playing on "Utopia"

mixes perfectly with the other instruments in a high-spirited tease of an opening number. "Let's Humanize" is a bit of a seductive chant. And "It's All in the Game," the title cut, intermingles gambling metaphors which showcase the various conflicting aspects of Nena Kerner's nice-and-seductive-yet-strident personality.



That's really the line that this CD straddles. Bold and brash yet also sentimental and (at times) silly, this set believably reflects an adolescent emotional ride but leaves you longing for more substance by the end of the journey. The Nenas were indeed riding high after the international success of "99 Luftballons" (English club variation included here), but the scope, depth and subtext of an ironic nuclear-age protest song are clearly lacking on THE GAME.



Nena is having a blast here and it shows, but at turns it feels like too much cotton candy, even if the players understand and complement each other. Kitschy confections such as "Woman on Fire" may be enjoyable but leave a guilty, too-much-saccharine aftertaste.



Not singing in her original tongue, she does lose some of the nuance at times. She can go from whimsical to whiny, from sweet and feisty to shouty and strained. But her singing in English is much better here than on the previous record, the international disc entitled 99 LUFTBALLONS. (There are a few other bonus tracks/remixes from 99 here on the re-issue.)



Speaking of which: I happened to notice, especially in the bonus tracks, a few credit differences from the original vinyl liner notes. Those who are interested in such things, be aware these are what I have listed for writers/composers....



COMPOSER CREDITS:



"Auf Wiedersehen"

Text: Carlo Karges Music: Juergen Dehmel

English Lyrics: Lisa Dalbello



"Let's Humanize"

Text: Carlo Karges Music: Juergen Dehmel

English Lyrics: Lisa Dalbello



"Are You Awake?"

Text: Nena Kerner Music: Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen

English Lyrics: Lisa Dalbello



COMPOSER CREDITS FOR BONUS TRACKS:



"At the Movies (Kino)"

Text and music: Rolf Brendel

NO ADDITIONAL ENGLISH TRANSLATOR



"Just a Dream" (Mega Dream Mix)

Text: Nena Kerner and Rolf Brendel Music: Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen

NO ADDITIONAL ENGLISH TRANSLATOR



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A WORD ON AUDIO REMASTERING!

Great job, Scott Davies! I also purchased FEUER UND FLAMME (original German version) on CD. While it was allegedly remastered, the remastering really pales in comparision to the original vinyl album. On that disc, you call tell the difference in quality from the very first song, "Utopia."



Scott Davies really did his best to ensure that the quality of the new disc is as crisp as possible to the original recordings, and I appreciate that.



Thanks too, Alex Ogg, for helping bring THE GAME back to life."