The original use of strings: cello, violin, guitars, a full string quartet diverts the traditional perception of those classic instruments when they deal with electronics and the result is emotionally moving.
The album has been written and recorded between Berlin and Rome, it took nearly two years to be made, Teho and Blixa worked next to each other choosing carefully every sound, every word and silence.
There are 12 songs on Still Smiling, including a new version of A Quiet Life and a cover of Alone With The Moon by The Tiger Lilies.
Amongst collaborators there are The Balanescu Quartet and cellist Martina Bertoni.
Lyrics are visionary and are sung in english, german and italian, Blixa reveals a really personal and intimate side to the listener this time.
Still Smiling is an album whose special vision covers all the sky between Rome and Berlin, daytime and nocturnal.
It'll be released on Teho's label Specula on april 22nd in Italy and it'll be distributed all over Europe on June 28th 2013.
There's also an italian tour in May: 7th Roma, Circolo degli Artisti, 9th Milano, Alcatraz, 10th Moncalieri/Torino, Audiodrome, 11th Bologna, Senza Filtro where Teho and Blixa will be joined on stage by cellist Martina Bertoni.
Tracklist:
1 Mi Scusi
2 Come Up And See Me
3 Axolotl
4 Buntmetalldiebe
5 Still Smiling
6 Nocturnalie
7 Alone With The Moon
8 What if...?
9 Konjunktiv II
10 Nur Zur Erinnerung
11 A Quiet Life
12 Defenestrazioni
Here's the video by Chiara Battistini of Mi Scusi, the first track from the album http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXzcBpIGKas&feature=youtu.be
Musicians
Teho Teardo - baritone guitar, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, rhodes piano, synths, piano, percussions, electronics, programming
Blixa Bargeld - voice, hammond organ, clavichord, electric slide guitar, water percussion, re-arrangements, glockenspiel
featuring:
Martina Bertoni - Cello
The Balanescu Quartet
Alexander Balanescu - violin
James Shenton - violin
Katie Wilkinson - viola
Nick Holland - cello
Elena De Stabile - violin
Elisabetta Pacini - italian accent voice
Crew
Recorded in Berlin at Anderebaustelle studio and Rome at Basement recordings, 2012/2013
Animelle
Teho Teardo & Blixa Bargeld Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was sollen wir?
Hier war ich noch nie
Il tassista taciturno
Der wortkarge Fahrer
Setzt mich am Eingang ab
Komm, komm
Bleib, bleib
Komm, komm
Bleib, bleib
Vieni, vieni
Stai, stai
Vieni, vieni
Stai, stai
Die Rezeption hängt in eine Warteschleife stundenlang
Die Gäste haben ausgecheckt
Aber jeder Habseligkeiten sind noch da
La camera non è pronta
Das Zimmer ist nicht fertig
Abwarten und Tee trinken
Tische werden auf und abgebaut für große Abschiedsgesellschaft
Grande festa d′addio
Ein Bier steht unten an der Treppe
Hält mir ein Buchend gegen
Alle vorher sind schon eingetragt
Manchi solo d'uso la pagina vuota
Nur ich wär′ noch auf der leeren Seite
Komm, komm
Bleib, bleib
Komm, komm
Bleib, bleib
Vieni, vieni
Stai, stai
Vieni, vieni
Stai, stai
Ich hab hier nichts verloren
Ich bin auf hier zu fruh
Non ho niente d'affari qui
È di troppo presto
Vero
Im Zimmer, hängen gerahmte Urkunden
In Sprachen die ich nicht kenne
Und Bilder der ehemaligen Bewohner
Deve essere gentili con gli spiriti
Man muss freundlich mit den Geistern sein
Vor dem Fenster ein Park mit alten Pappeln
Pioppi, pioppi, pioppi, weg, pioppi, pioppi, pioppi
Pappeln winken anders
Komm, komm
Bleib, bleib
Komm, komm
Bleib, bleib
Vieni, vieni
Stai, stai
Vieni, vieni
Stai, stai
Ich hab hier nichts verloren
Ich bin auf hier zu fruh
Non ho niente d'affari qui
È di troppo presto
Vero
Nachts schieß ich mich weit weg ins All
Um aus meinem Dazwischen die Räder zu betrachten
Das große Wirbeln
Di notte mi fionde molto lontano
Per contemplare le ruote dal mio intermezzo
Un′immensa rotazione
Das alles gibt es also
The lyrics to Teho Teardo & Blixa Bargeld's song Animelle speak of a character who finds themselves in a strange and unfamiliar place, perhaps a hotel or guesthouse. The singer is dropped off by a taciturn taxi driver, and upon entering the establishment, finds the reception to be perpetually busy and unhelpful. The guests have already left, but their possessions remain, and the room is not yet ready for the singer to settle. The scene is set with a strange juxtaposition of the guests' belongings and the setting of a farewell party. The singer feels out of place and too early, with nothing to do but wait and observe the surroundings. The room is adorned with certificates and pictures of previous occupants, perhaps suggesting a sense of history or the passage of time. Finally, the singer speaks of shooting themselves far out into space to contemplate the wheels of existence, suggesting a sense of insignificance and perhaps a desire to escape the mundane reality of their surroundings.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of displacement and unease, set against a backdrop of a temporary and transitory setting. The repetition of the lines "Komm, komm / Bleib, bleib / Vieni, vieni / Stai, stai " serves as a mantra, perhaps representing the character's desire to find a sense of belonging and purpose in their surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
Wo bringst mich hin?
Where are you taking me?
Was sollen wir?
What should we do?
Hier war ich noch nie
I've never been here before
Il tassista taciturno
The silent driver
Der wortkarge Fahrer
The driver who doesn't speak much
Setzt mich am Eingang ab
Drops me off at the entrance
Komm, komm
Come, come
Bleib, bleib
Stay, stay
Vieni, vieni
Come, come (in Italian)
Stai, stai
Stay, stay (in Italian)
Die Rezeption hängt in eine Warteschleife stundenlang
The reception is on hold for hours
Die Gäste haben ausgecheckt
The guests have checked out
Aber jeder Habseligkeiten sind noch da
But all their belongings are still here
La camera non è pronta
The room is not ready (in Italian)
Abwarten und Tee trinken
Wait and drink tea
Tische werden auf und abgebaut für große Abschiedsgesellschaft
Tables are being set up and taken down for a big farewell party
Grande festa d′addio
Big farewell party (in Italian)
Ein Bier steht unten an der Treppe
A beer is waiting at the bottom of the stairs
Hält mir ein Buchend gegen
Offers a bookmark to me
Alle vorher sind schon eingetragt
Everyone before me has already signed
Manchi solo d'uso la pagina vuota
You only lack using the blank page (in Italian)
Nur ich wär′ noch auf der leeren Seite
I'm the only one left on the blank page
Ich hab hier nichts verloren
I don't belong here
Ich bin auf hier zu fruh
I'm here too early
Non ho niente d'affari qui
I have nothing to do here (in Italian)
È di troppo presto
It's too early (in Italian)
Im Zimmer, hängen gerahmte Urkunden
Framed certificates hang in the room
In Sprachen die ich nicht kenne
In languages I don't know
Und Bilder der ehemaligen Bewohner
And pictures of the former residents
Deve essere gentili con gli spiriti
You must be kind to the spirits (in Italian)
Man muss freundlich mit den Geistern sein
You must be friendly with the spirits
Vor dem Fenster ein Park mit alten Pappeln
Outside the window, there's a park with old poplar trees
Pioppi, pioppi, pioppi, weg, pioppi, pioppi, pioppi
Poplars, poplars, poplars, go away, poplars, poplars, poplars
Pappeln winken anders
Poplars wave differently
Nachts schieß ich mich weit weg ins All
At night, I shoot myself far out into space
Um aus meinem Dazwischen die Räder zu betrachten
To observe the wheels from my in-between space
Das große Wirbeln
The great whirl (in German)
Das alles gibt es also
So all of this exists
Writer(s): Blixa Bargeld, Mauro Teardo
Contributed by Tyler W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
DAH
on What If...?
I believe this refers to suicide vests worn by Muslim terrorists. If their afterlife isn't as appealing as they think, they should rethink killing themselves
DAH
on What If...?
I believe that this refers to 9/11 when Muslim extremists learned to fly so they could fly the planes into various targets