Somner: Lilly & Georg Witsch get rich

 

Time and space are things you need to consider when reviewing music.  I studied both at length before flunking my mathematical education and diving across the border to Germany to learn the art of journalism, and I consider myself a master of both. This helped me conquer this song, because a conquest was necessary.

Lush saxophone temptation. Beguiling, translucent vocals waft through the window through an open window by the balmy sea. This song is about that summer feeling and it commits majestically to that goal. It does so in a way that would have been modern in 1983, on trend in 1993 and perhaps overwork cliche from 2003 onwards. Is now time for a revival? We will come back to that thought. 

So this is a song that is wrong in time. Wrong era, wrong time of year.

Space? Well it is in German. Well it is universal, but it has German roots. German was my second language, now it is my third, and I picked this record to listen to as much from a linguistic itch as the expectation of reward. Is it German? No, it could be from anywhere where the air is kind and saxophones are cool.

Which sadly is just about nowhere on the planet, and less places every year.

So, is it time for a revival? Well I understand through a friend of a friend that all things jazz are making a comeback and the British are discovering the joy of Brunch. Ah time and space again. Make both to allow for an extravagant breakfast-lunch with those that amuse and affirm you.

This is perfect music for Brunch.

I offer that without sarcasm or edge. I would rather listen to Tash in a falling lift, to Golden Plates in a burning building or the Qwarks on a sinking ship than listen to this.

But if I were at Brunch, if I were with people I enjoyed and really we needed sonic wrapping for the experience, this would not be a bad choice of music.

For those of you following my rehabilitation, I am now walking a kilometre a day and swimming three lengths of the pool. It hurts but it hurts less. I tried listening this while I exercised and I gave up before I ran out of breath. Allow that to calibrate your expectations.