With his seventh solo album, Ralph Maten proves once again that he is not nicknamed “The Velvet Man” for nothing.
He spent a year working on the album: writing songs, composing lyrics, and gathering ideas. He recorded and sang everything himself, and even produced it himself in his own studio. Here, his own compositions flow calmly, with a touch of jazz, into the mixing desk and are like a balm to the ears.
Ten of the 10 tracks are entirely his own. Maten also puts his own stamp on the cover versions, such as "Streets of London" and "Wonderful Life." He juggles pop, rock, jazz, blues, and reggae. But his trademark remains: voice and piano. The track "You're Under My Skin," a homage to Frank Sinatra, would have certainly appealed to "Old Blue-Eyes."
Just like on his last studio album “Cheers For Tears” (2018), Ralph Maten has also created a beautiful duet with “Let Me Down Easy” on “Colours” together with his daughter Lea-Tamara Maten (15 years old).
Vocally, Maten is in top form, but the three instrumentals also fit seamlessly and reflect the melancholic mood of the album. Here, Maten has dedicated himself to Nils Frahm. And during his last visit to a small jazz club, he was embarrassed by a drunken businessperson who was less interested in music and more in "seeing and being seen." Maten then created "The Grasshopper In The Jazz Club."
Overall, a well-received, harmonious album that's best enjoyed in front of the fireplace with a glass of red wine! Text: F. Karsten / Amp-Media
Ralph Maten's COLOURS will be available in stores worldwide from April 24th and, of course, on all digital sales and streaming platforms.
01 Love Is Blind
02 Your Daughter
03 Open Door
04 Some Call It The Blues
05 Jump On My Wagon
06 Streets of London
07 You're Under My Skin
08 Wonderful Life
09 Let Me Down Easy
10 Nils Frahm At The Bottom Of The Sea
11 Once Upon A Time In The West (Nils Frahm In The Desert)
12 Health
13 Whip You
14 A Grasshopper In The Jazz Club
15 You've Got A Friend In Me
