4.0 out of 5 stars
A German Original, September 20, 2000
This review is from: Gesucht Wird (Audio CD)
Why is it that performers from the any country but the United States are always compared to their American counterparts? By this strange process, Georges Brassens becomes the French Andy Williams, Roberto Benigni the Italian Jerry Lewis, and Nana Mouskouri the Greek Barbra Streisand. Somehow, though, Gunter Gabriel has escaped this sort of pigeonholing--perhaps because his is a talent too many-sided to be pinned down. Just when you think he might be the German Charlie Daniels, he sounds more like the German Johnny Cash. Or Ferlin Husky. Or Waylon Jennings. Or even, when his keen awareness of social inequities shows itself, the German Bob Dylan. But of course, he's none of these. He's just Gunter Gabriel, and that's enough for anyone to be.
As an introduction to Gabriel's music, this collection is better than it ought to be, not as good as it should be. While it includes such indispensable tracks as Fahr Taxi Fahr and Komm unter Meine Decke (the definitive interpretation of this standard), it leaves out such equally indispensables as Fahrer, Du Bist Deutschlands Bester Mann and Ich Bin Ein Strassenhund. But it does at least give an idea of Gabriel's range, from the rousing Papa Trinkt Bier to the heartbreaking Hey Lisa (Hey Yvonne). And until a more comprehensive collection becomes available in this country, this is the one to buy.
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