I'll Be A Virgin I'll Be A Mountain

In these troubled times it's nice to be reminded that mankind does indeed have a soul. Relief here comes in the unlikely form of 29-year old German uber-songcrafter Maximilian Hecker on his first ever V2 Music release – I'LL BE A VIRGIN, I'LL BE A MOUNTAIN. Although he shares mellow-indie roots with such artists as Elliot Smith, The Eels and Grant Lee Phillips, the music on this latest album reveals itself to have hidden within it, the potential mass-appeal of a Dido or an Anthony and the Johnsons. It certainly takes the listener to the same place, no question. In terms of the actual songwriting on the record, it's been said that Maximilian is now poking his head up to the lofty heights of Chris Martin territory. (In terms of haircuts though it’s definitely 1-0 to Germany. This man has a fantastic barnet). After five years and three albums at the centre of Euro-indie awareness, Maximilian was brewing on something great, and here it is with bells on. The breakout album of Germany's only modern singer-songwriter of international significance was surely only a matter of time away. Born in 1977 in Baden-Württemberg, the bloke from the Black Forest began writing his own songs when he was only 17. The dozen or so years in between have added only wisdom and warmer pop sensibilities. This guy is actually getting better and better with each release. Now that's what we like. His first label Kitty-yo saw him playing in 2001 at the open square at Hackescher Markt, where Maximilian was using the popular space in central (formerly GDR-) Berlin as a stage for his one-man show. He was signed on the spot. In the following months the buzz spread across the German capital. It quickly became more fashionable to spend an evening being moved and swayed at a Maximilian Hecker show than the usual brash night out in the nightclub district. Although still grazing at "grass roots" level, the young singer-songwriter then charted surprisingly well and begun selling out shows in other major European cities. A 35 country world tour ensued, sponsored by Goethe Institute, the nation's benefactor of national art and culture abroad. The Germans were proud of their introspective son and wanted the world to see him. The result? He melted hearts and pants everywhere he went, and fan clubs appeared across the globe. But despite this, Maximilian was often seen as a lonely, melancholy individual. Hecker explains that in former times he was indeed content with his longings, retreating into his own "ivory tower". These days, however, he says he actively seeks the company of other people instead of avoiding them, in his endeavour to "become a human being." (It’s okay mate, no rush … just keep writing those songs). I'LL BE A VIRGIN, I'LL BE A MOUNTAIN – the title alone suggests that there may be kooky genius at work: "The two metaphors of a mountain and a virgin are about my longing for eternity and purity", explains Maximilian. "It's decisive in art to be able to anticipate these states. After all, achieving those static states of purity and eternity is not granted to me in the real, dynamic world. With the help of my songs, I can overcome this dynamism in the real world: by allowing my lyrical self to experience this state of statics". Although the song titles are sometimes eccentric (as are the musings of their author), the melodies themselves are beautifully direct and honest and have the chops to cut through to one's emotional centre faster than you can say "Mr. Blunt, please come in, your time is up." They have a rare immediate impact, whereby the listener is instantly again drawn in to the same emotional place listen after listen – a skill not often seen, certainly today. Pink Floyd could do it. Buckley could too. And so can Maximilian. Although these three artists actually sound wildly different to each other, you only need to listen to I'LL BE A VIRGIN, I'LL BE A MOUNTAIN to see the obvious connections. The album opener "Snow White" stops one's day-to-day active mind dead in its tracks. From there, Hecker grips the listener gently by the hand with a velvet glove and a velvet voice and pulls us deep into his world for the next 45 minutes. Although as soon revealed, it’s deep into our own world (and thoughts) he actually ends up leading us. His voice could well be the finest thing to come out of the Black Forest since cake – and of course it’s just as rich and sweet. But for the first time, on this album, Hecker delivers two voices from the same throat, one rich, the other sweet. His falsetto has an angelic, almost Irish tinge to it and at times sounds rather like Conor Deasy of The Thrills (whose own voice is indeed the nicest standout thing about that band.) When he sings in chest voice we are transported back to the greatest singer-songwriters of the 70s – James Taylor, Jackson Browne and gang. This album is the first time he has gone for it in this new deeper voice. Producer Guy Sternberg may have had a lot to do with this. He also convinced Maximilian Hecker to use session musicians on his record for the first time ever. He certainly has brought out new and improved things from Mr. Hecker. There is no doubt, this is definite breakout territory for the talented young German, and the results are all good.