Artist: RPWL
Album: WORLD THROUGH MY EYES REISSUE (CD)

Release date: 2005/ 2013
EAN/UPS: 884860079426
Media type: CD

"'World Through My Eyes' has, like all of our albums, a leitmotif", explains singer and producer Yogi Lang the thematic background. "In fact, the world depends on our ideals and moral concepts, and so it finally depends on our mental development. But de facto the power of money is the measure for happiness and satisfaction for a long time now. We have replaced intuition with Mammon, with the terrible result that we are no longer in the centre but something from outside rules us." From here it's no long way to Far Eastern teachings, and Lang has actually studied them: "You can win valuable insights from other world views. I was very much influenced by Indian mythology and the 'Ramayana', a religious book dealing with the values of man. In this country the spirituality deals much more with the individuality of man than it is the case with our Western culture." No wonder, there are Indian sound elements to be found on "World Through My Eyes" now and then - a real enrichment for RPWL's style. And even that is not everything regarding those new details which can be discovered in the sound of the band

The opener "Sleep" is bursting with such things, and don't let the title mislead you: rocking as never before, plus percussion from the Far East, before vocal parts conjure up those well-established spheric moments and a piano arpeggio of soft Genesis nostalgia ("The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway") but which are instantly vaporated in a grande finale including a sweeping guitar solo. And of course, all friends of Floydian sounds will be satisfied, too, because singer and keyboardist Lang, guitar player Karlheinz Wallner, bassist Stephan Ebner, and drummer Manfred Muller stand by their deep attachment to this group. But on "World Through My Eyes" you have to listen more intensely to find it. It is included in the own concept of this band, into elements of perfectly arranged songs, into voices for example at the end of "3 Lights", single guitar or keyboard sounds and vocal harmonies.

A particular treat is "Roses" with guest singer Ray Wilson on the microphone. "I have never interpreted the song myself satisfactorily," says Yogi Lang frankly. "When I remembered the last Genesis concert in the Olympiahalle in Munich where I was extremely impressed by Ray's voice I asked him if he could sing this song, and he said yes. Loneliness, being lost in the mass of people, a self which is burying and re-creating itself again and again - Ray just perfectly expresses the contents of this song. When somebody else can do it better, so let him do it - respect! On "Sea Nature" the band melts psychedelic and hard rock in an impressive way, and at the same time reminds of the early Steve Hillage. And when at the end there are swinging keyboard soli emerging - as you only know them from Manfred Mann at the time of his "Solar Fire" period - then the pleasure is perfect.

Highlight of the album is without doubt the ten minute title track, the longest song on this CD. On "World Through My Eyes", Lang and Co. carry their cleverness to extremes: It begins in a ghostly manner, sitar sounds and thoughtful speechsong, before drums and tablas provide some rhythm and turn the night of Damascus into day before the mind's eye of the listener. It is almost imperceptible when the quartet pushes the musical focus back to Middle Europe with echo guitars and pieces of organ. All in all "World Through My Eyes" is an outstanding album, the best so far by these Bavarians. RPWL have again improved their style and spectrum of sound enormously. Elegance, conditions of richness and floating - the band melts them all into sophisticated rock music "made in Germany", and that on the highest level. Competitors? No one in sight.

"World Through My Eyes" is released as a regular edition in jewel case and as a special edition hybrid SACD in slip case with 5.1 mix (playable in stereo on all common CD players) including an extended booklet and the ten minute bonus track "New Stars".

LINE UP:
Yogi Lang (vocals, keyboards)
Karlheinz Wallner (guitars)
Stephan Ebner (bass)
Manfred Muller (drums)
guest: Ray Wilson (vocals) on track 4


DISCOGRAPHY:
"World Through My Eyes" (2005)
„Stock" (2003)
„Trying To Kiss The Sun" (2002)
„God Has Failed" (2000)

www.rpwl.de