ALL DIE WEIL ICH MAG

In less than a year OUGENWEIDE released its second album ALL DIE WEIL ICH MAG ("All Because I Like") in 1974 after experiencing unexpected popularity from the band's self-titled debut. In this short time there was a slight lineup change with the female singers Renee Kollmorgen and Brigitte Blunck leaving the band and being replaced only by Minne Graw. The four instrumentalists drummer Olaf Casalich, guitarist / mandolin player Wolfgang Henko, bassist Stefan Wulff, guitarist, flautist Frank Wulff and various percussion player Jürgen Isenbart stayed on board but added all kinds of new sounds to the album including but not limited to Arab flutes, lutes, bouzoukis, sitars and various other ethnic sounds.

Stylistically OUGENWEIDE continued its unique blend of Medieval folk, contemporary folk, German traditionals and modern rock with an energetic update for modern audiences who were quite enamored with the band's unique interpretations mined from over eight centuries of music history. One of the highlights includes the oldest song on the album, the three part "Merseburger" which originated all the way back in the 10th century and included lyrics from a book of Merseburg magical spells. This particular track features some exquisite three-part singing that features off-kilter canons and perhaps one of the most intriguing tracks on board.

As with the debut, all lyrics are in German but older forms of the language in many cases. The music is noticeable less energetic than on the debut with many more tracks coming off as mellow or more contemplative and while Graw's vocals totally fit the style of music performed here are less daring as the duo feminine charm of the debut however ALL DIE ICH MAG certainly showed that OUGENWEIDE was no one-trick pony with plenty of creative mojo to change things up on every album despite mining similar musical ideas from the past and reinterpreting them into a modern contemporary folk rock context. Once again Achim Reichel returned as the producer.

In addition to the Medieval texts and 10th century magical spells, ALL DIE WEIL ICH MAG also revived old German writings and quotes from Goethe thus expanding the band's historical perspective way beyond the confines of the Middle Ages. The band continued its popularity and toured with such acts of Amazing Blondel and Fairport Convention and engaged in a hectic tour where they gave a great deal of performances. Due to this album the band was often called a Minne-rock band, however despite Minne Graw taking on the female vocals, the album is by far dominated by the male vocals of Olaf Casalich.

ALL DIE WEIL ICH MAG may not have been as energetic and in your face as the debut but featured a more mature version of the band that expanded beyond the Medieval influences into anything from the past it could get its hands on. The tracks are just as catchy and a veritable history lesson for Germany's rich musical past that very few of us have ever considered. While i prefer the debut for its wild and unpredictable nature, this sophomore release excels in its own right as a masterful contemporary expression of music crafted long ago. OUGENWEIDE would remain popular in Germany throughout the 1970s and succumb to the changing tides of the music industry in the early 80s when such music fell out of fashion.