[Jolanda]

Herbert Groenemeyer What's All This? - (Capitol) / Mitch Potter (Rezension)
Quelle: The Toronto Star - Canada, 05.05.1989

How odd. Groenemeyer, an enormously popular German pop star/actor, has embarked upon a cultural exchange or sorts with Canada's Tom Cochrane. They will offer each other opening act positions later this year during national tours of their respective countries, and to mark the occasion, What's All This? arrives with enormous promotional hype as Groenemeyer's English-lyric debut.
With or without that background, a listen to these tracks rings neurotic; the tone, nuance and arrangement from song to song leaps genres from supple cabaret fare to minimalist Europop to grandly-produced mainstream rock. A seasoned actor, Groenemeyer wields his voice like a fax machine, dispatching licks to the appropriate cubbyholes with grace and ease.
But there is a deeply human side to his lyrics (check "White Arrogance", or "Bochum") that makes this compilation of his three immensely popular European releases something of far greater substance than a mass-marketed pop dandy.
Accordingly, fans will find this a mixed bag, but the best - including the intriguing title track and "Alcohol" - warrant a closer listen.
It is said the Gronemeyer speaks broken English, but little is lost in his readings of Pete Hammill's (of Van Dergraff Generator) translations.