“I’m doing my best boss.”
“Your best? This is what you call your best? I send you out over a month ago to find me the next big thing, and you fail to locate one bankable artist. You call yourself a talent scout?”
“Mr. Im-Basil, I don’t know what you mean. I have found several high quality singers and songwriters recently. Haven’t you received any of the music samples I’ve sent you?”
“Of course I have. The employees in the mail room actually know how to do their job. Unfortunately, that is not something I can say about you.”
“But the samples…”
“Rubbish, the lot of them!”
“Rubbish? You can’t be serious sir?”
“Look Penfold. I want you to listen to me very closely. Son, I’ve worked in the music industry since before you were born. Why, I started in this business around the time that disco was king!”
“But the artists I…”
“Don’t interrupt me, son! As I was saying, I’ve been in this business a long time. I’ve seen the ups and the downs. I’ve seen formats come, and I’ve seen formats go. Do you know what I’ve learned in all of that time Penfold?”
“No Mr. Im-Basil.”
“I’ve learned how to spot a winner. Winners, without exception, all share common traits. One; they are physically attractive. Two; they sound very similar to someone who is already successful and thus will be easily palatable to the listening public. And three; most importantly they are young, naïve, or desperate enough to go along with any and all instructions from me…the record company.”
“I’m sure you’re correct sir. But what about Conny Ochs? I really liked his music.”
“Yes Penfold. I’m sure you did. Trouble is…you appear to be the only one.”
“How do you know that sir?”
“It’s easy son. We sent Conny Ochs’ album, Raw Love Songs, out to our market research company for a battery of tests.”
“Tests, sir?”
“Yes. We rely on our market research more and more to let us know what song or artist will become a hit, and which won’t.”
“How did Conny Ochs fare?”
“I won’t lie to spare your feelings Penfold. He failed the tests. First, we asked a hundred males, ages 15 to 21, whether they would buy an album entitled Raw Love Songs. Five out of the hundred said they might. Most of them said titles like that were for girls. Next we asked a hundred females, ages 14 to 19, whether or not they believed a German guy could conceivably win American Idol. A whopping two out of the hundred thought that that was possible, but their votes were discounted when it was discovered they were wearing lederhosen. Finally we asked two hundred people, males and females of various ages, what they thought of Mr. Ochs’ song “Good House”. They listened while waiting in line for Starbucks drinks. By the time they received their orders and exited the line, most people could not remember anything about the song. Those that did could only form responses such as, “Yeah, it was okay”. The bottom line here Penfold is that I asked you to find me the next Justin Bieber, and instead you offer me the next **************.”
“Who?”
“Exactly. You’re fired. And take your music samples with you.”
“Fine! I will! And don’t worry Mr. Im-Basil. I know exactly who will appreciate Conny Ochs and his music.”
Conny Ochs is a German singer/songwriter with talent to spare. While he is a member of the rock ‘n roll band The Baby Universal, Raw Love Songs marks his first official solo release. And it is indeed a solo release. The vast majority of the album is simply the man, his voice, and his guitar pumping out ultra-catchy melodies that stick in your head like a high grade epoxy, or carry you away like an heir loomed magic carpet. Yes there are occasions when those basic elements are accompanied by some sound effect or additional instrument, but the spotlight never wavers from the star of the show. There is significant beauty in this simplicity.
If there is anyone out there concerned that the lack of musical contributors might lead to songs that mirror one another, rest assured. There is plenty of variety on offer here. Not only do the songs that make up this album run the gamut of emotions, they also differ compositionally as well. We’re talking varied running lengths, tempos, dynamics, time signatures…the works. Trust me. The listener can easily discern one song from another. This is one of the great strengths of Raw Love Songs. The greatest strength of the album however, is Conny Ochs himself.
This young man’s voice is extraordinary. If you can, ignore the lyrics that he is singing for a moment. Think of his vocals solely as the second instrument playing a duet with the guitar. The point of this exercise is to comprehend just how emotive the vocals really are throughout the album. Words are unnecessary. The listener can easily understand the emotion Mr. Ochs is trying to convey simply by listening to his vocal tone. Sometimes it’s light and airy, and other times it’s urgent and foreboding. Another aspect I appreciate about the vocals is how interchangeable they are in my mind. What I mean to say is that while they work so very well in their present context, I can easily see them fronting a full band’s musical output. In my opinion, that’s a pretty special trait.
As you might have guessed, I don’t believe there is a weak song to be found on Raw Love Songs. My personal favorites are the soothing “Good House”, the rollicking “Angels and Demons”, and the tender “Waiting For The Monster”. The fact that there are seven more standouts to be discovered on this album is icing on the cake. Mmmmm…delectable cake. My fellow waveriders. If you are looking for some new, honest, and wholesome music, or if you just need a break from all that ultra-heavy metal out there look into Conny Ochs and his album Raw Love Songs. You won’t regret it. And if there are any metal heads out there who still question how good this album is, I have one last piece of information you might find interesting. Wino likes this guy’s tunes (Conny Ochs opened for Wino on his acoustic tour), and they are working together on new music to be put out in the future. Yep…thought that might convince you.
--Penfold
Buy here: Raw Love Songs
Buy here mp3: Raw Love Songs
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