VIVA

White overalls, shouty vocals, synths, deutsche back-beat percussion, love and money, a proud working-class DIY ethic --- Klaus Dinger returns with the second La Dusseldorf album. Those who followed his musical autobahn from the first Neu! album will find much to recognise and enjoy here.

'Viva' is a stomping opener; 'White Overalls' a strident, funny, dumb and exhilarating romp that could have been a great lost punk single. In fact the single was Rheinita, a reflective and melodic river journey throught the urban-nature interface; it's terrific. 'Vogel' is indeed a short interlude of bird songs before the fabulously angry and infectious groove of 'Geld'. The final track, 'Cha Cha 2000', was the whole of the original side two and has two voices, the familiar and much-loved industrial auto-groove followed by a reflective and delicate piano part which, though pretty, does mean that the album finds a more pastoral energy when fans might have preferred a whole side of La Dusseldorf crashing into a disused factory.

Overall, a solid album and a great testament to the 'raise a finger' attitude of Klaus Dinger ? an attitude that never obscured his romantic yearings.

RATING ? Vision & Innovation: 24/30; Playing & Composition: 22/30; Listener Enjoyment: 26/30; X-factor [Cover, Motorik adjectives, Reviewer bias] 8/10. Total: 80/100 -> 4 Stars.