The title expresses a very freaky approach, musically, lyrically, and in general. It's not for nothing that the album's opener is called "Freaky Freak." The music is completely original, unique, honest, and authentic. Schüller has come a big step closer to finding his own sound.
The lyrics feature a string of strange and comical characters, shaped by the basic assumption that there are essentially nothing but freaks. Some know this, others suspect it and want to hide it. On the other hand, the title suggests a focus on the delicate, on tenderness, on the smallest details, on emotion and love.
But why a dragonfly then? That's a predator. Because the subtle stomping of a herbivorous rhinoceros sounds pretty stupid. The songs are influenced by American songwriting, somewhere between folk and rock 'n' roll. Schüller recorded the album entirely on his own. Most of the songs are based on acoustic guitar fingerstyle picking. Added to this are a swirling space organ, reverbed slide guitars, the twanging Tele, a rich bass, and, this time, a more percussive drum kit. Above all, Schüller has found a way to appropriately cultivate his rich baritone.
Sources of inspiration include Robert Johnson, Radiohead, Einstürzende Neubauten, Jack White, Johnny Cash, and Nick Cave. Schüller doesn't simply copy; rather, he searches for something special, his own unique sound.
The lyrics are filled with unusual stories and intoxicating images. It's a hodgepodge of illustrious characters: the ecstatic ironing fetishist and the band playing White Christmas in the Arctic (Freaky Freak); the King of the Delta Blues making a deal with the devil (or was he just incredibly hot); the strange characters in the run-down HoodooVoodoo Hotel in New Orleans (Room For Free); a completely unhinged dancer playing with fire (until you can't dance anymore); the wanderer on the cliff between Dada and dementia (A Taturanta Tomba); the immortal vampires (Only Lovers); the sick world has a high fever; the intoxicated friends can't fly forever; and doing nothing in the pink clouds is sweet.
All of this is influenced by books (Clemens J. Setz, TC Boyle, Paul Auster, Arno Schmidt, Christian Kracht and many more), films (Jim Jarmusch: Only Lovers Left Alive and Julian Rosefeldt: Euphoria) and somehow also one's own life.
Schüller wrote the songs in Louisiana, Wales, Austria, Saarland, and the Lower Rhine. Call it subtle melancholy!
