This EP features 4 songs from the previous catalogue of FUCHS. The songs have been completely or partially re-recorded in order to introduce fans to the new singer, 28 year old Max Paul, who joined the band after singer Baggi Buchmann left the group at the beginning of 2024. Max Paul, like the entire band FUCHS, is from Stuttgart in Germany. The EP opens with Don't Think About, originally from the 2012 album Leaving Home (see review). Max's vocals are to my ears actually better suited to the song than the original - though the backing track is a little less aggressive and the new vocals are higher in the mix. The next track is The Scent And Warmth (Prologue, Pt. 2), originally from the 2014 album The Unity Of Two (see review). This track appears to use the original backing track with new vocal and as such allows for a much clearer comparison. Max's vocals here bare much smoother than the original and in my opinion better suited to the overall track. Sleepwalking Man is next up, originally from the 2018 album Station Songs (see review). On this track Max brings more strength and punch to the vocal line. The final track And Once Again, which is one of my favourite tracks from 2023's Too Much Too Many (see review) album. Here, once again, Max's vocals actually blend perfectly and seem smoother and more prominent in the mix I have not mentioned much about the other performances on the album as the focus here was to introduce the new vocalist. That being said, I am a big fan of the band and have to mention the efforts of Hans-Jürgen Fuchs on guitars, keyboards and backing vocals, Ines Fuchs on keyboards and backing vocals, Andy Bartzik on electric guitars, Florian Dittrich on drums, Henrik Mumm on bass, and Michael Wasilewski on vocals. I approached this album with some trepidation as I am usually not a big fan of lead vocalist changes but I have to admit that after some side-by-side comparisons I am quite impressed. This album not only serves as an excellent introduction to Max Paul but could also act as a great introduction to the music of Fuchs, if you are new to the band. **** David Carswell Where to buy? |
