DER PLAN - NORMALETTE SURPRISE (LP)

""Normalette Surprise" is the second album by Der Plan, released in 1981, a good year after their "Geri Reig" debut. It is immediately recognisable as a Plan album, yet "Normalette Surprise" does contain a few, well, surprises. The first number, "Leb doch", is a brilliant pop song. One can say many (good) things about "Geri Reig", but it does not contain any pop songs. "Leb doch" is built on a captivatingly taut rhythm, subcooled vocals and German lyrics. Hang on a minute, taut rhythm, subcooled vocals, German lyrics? Yes exactly, Der Plan drew up the blueprint for what would soon become known as "Neue Deutsche Welle" - the German New Wave. Although blueprint sounds a little too benign. It was more like a big bang." (label info)