Singles + EPs

EP Review: Louie Austen

[EP: Too Good To Last]
[Label: Klein]

Louie Austen is a busy man. The 61-year old Austrian entertainer is best known for crooning his way through Viennese nightclubs. However, over the years, his penchant for all things electric has seen him lend his Sinatra-esque vocal to a series of side projects with the cool kids from the international electro scene (notable collaborators include Señor Coconut and Peaches). On top of his musical exploits, Austen has also found the time to become a tennis pro and feature in an Oscar-winning movie (’The Counterfeiters’, if you were wondering). I’m told by record label Klein that it’s “a miracle” how Louie found the time to record his latest collaboration, ‘Too Good To Last’, which sees him delve into the musical reveries of German über-producer Vredeber Albrecht.

I have always been a firm believer that you should never judge a book by its cover. It’s a good thing too because there are a considerable number of heavyweight contenders in the bad cover/good album category. The likes of Muse, QOTSA and Fugazi (to name but a few) have all had some shocking album covers through the years. Needless to say, if it was not for this simple idiom, ‘Too Good to Last’ would be residing underneath a wonky table leg well before the first listen. The cover itself depicts the bespectacled singer (complete with driving gloves and matching trilby) in the middle of a forest opening the boot of a car whilst staring off into the distance. His leisurely attire suggests he may be about to pull out a set of golf clubs however the stern look on his face suggests it could just as easily be a body bag. There is also a mounted flash light stood to the right of the shot which is definitely plugged into something, although as we’re out in the middle of a densely wooded area it is not clear what. At best the cover is eccentric, at worst it’s scary.

Amidst a wave of apprehension, lead track ‘Too Good To Last’ lumbers into life. Nasty, digitised strings bleed out of the speakers and leave a distinctly sour taste in the mouth. Miraculously, this is soon remedied; the strings trickle through the cracks in the floor to reveal a funky bass line worthy of Albrecht’s revered compatriots Kraftwerk. This is balanced nicely by the simultaneous introduction of Austen’s vocals, both warm and powerful in their delivery. The fluency of his lyrics surprisingly facilitate the juxtaposition of croon and cool and enable the song to flow as a cohesive unit. Elsewhere, the strings return to usher in an uplifting chorus which sees the song reach a satisfying peak. Make no mistakes, it sounds cheesy as hell but in the context of continental pop it is about as palatable as anything else I have heard.

As we press on, things quickly deteriorate. ‘Wipeout’ sounds suspiciously like Austen singing over a karaoke track and serves as a prime example of the potential incompatibility of the two genres. Things go from bad to worse with ‘If Only’ and ‘Another Drink for Me’, both of which sound like discarded Eurovision entries. Things then go from worse to farcical when we are “treated” to a remixed version of ‘Too Good To Last’ and a reprise of ‘Wipeout’. The only purpose that these blatant fillers serve is to raise an interesting question – has there ever been a good reprise? Answers on a postcard please (And no, ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ does not count).

It’s a shame really because I genuinely do like the idea of harnessing the energy of electro with a top quality of vocal. I had hoped for more; Albrecht has spent a career traversing the German underground scene, drifting in and out of the myriad of genres on offer whilst Austen has spent a lifetime perfecting the hits of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. I was hoping for LCD Soundsystem meets Amy Winehouse. What I got was ‘Too Good To Last’, an EP full of potential which sadly falls way short of the mark.

For fans of: Señor Coconut, Dean Martin, Giorgio Moroder
Band link = Louie Austen

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