Funeral Parade Of Roses

Funeral Parade Of Roses marks the end of innocence. Harsh times require harder words.

Tan LeRacoon is an activist and chooses to speak up, once more, to waken the world, shake the world up, no less. There is war, there are lies. Education is in shatters. People need to seek shelter in foreign countries, there is a gender gap still to be addressed, morality turns corrupt, and the churches still lie. In all naiveté, Tan addresses these actual topics. For the lyrics, Tan chose words more harsh, speaking direct, and yes, he might offer solutions, if you ask for it, the good will and good mind.

He is she is it, gender does not matter, failures of all politics cry for action. Tan LeRacoon is tired rather than paralyzed but also disgusted by a world that does offer sort of happiness to everyone. Did anything change in the last 40-50 years? What you think is real is false and what you think is fiction is real.

As Yoko Ono says, let's have a vision of a society that has ridden itself off any social injustice. How much longer do we tolerate? The Pop Group asked. We did waste decades with talks and talks but no action did create progress. A generation of talkers created a world as fucked up as ours. Yes we offer more words, but it is ours to follow these with action.These are not times for subtlety.

Therefore, Tan LeRacoon returns with an album full of battle songs. Two years ago his acclaimed album Dangerously Close To Love gained respect with its 'weird' approach to Indie, Rock n Roll and whatever recipients tended to call this very individual breed. After a Christmas single, Just Another Christmas Wish, received even greater acclaim and airplay in the US college circuit, touring and the odd session, Tan took his live band into a remote studio to savage the souls of these reputable musicians.

He had the vision of the complete recording, yet let his gang participate in their own fields, even though they were puzzled as they could not hear the final piece that was stuck in Tan's head alone, him trying to explain to the musicians more or less successful in moods, colors, historic events. A bunch of musicians in one room leaning on the talent of each other, with absolute musical trust. The musicians are stressed, hurt, cryful. Sometimes they cannot understand the whys and hows, but the result convinces the idea. It is not easy being Tan LeRacoon, individual or band. Some months later, brass section, vocals and the mix made things clear. Tan's vision became an audible piece of art, a consequent piece of uneasy listening still with a unique pop approach. The production is lush, but at the same time rough, Phil Spector meets Rick Rubin, but always Tanju Boru. This is his vision of a post punk soul record. Spooky, uncomfortable and deep. You can dance to it, too.

Success? Attitude over finesse. Love over hate. Peace over war. Sex over pet sounds. Love should still be the answer. Rock n Roll may be still the only answer. If Dangerously Close To Love was Tan's Swedish White Album, this might be his Detroit Soul Album, though it sounds anything but. Consequently it will be released by legendary European Soul stalwart Légère Recordings.

Lyrically, Tan responds to the unacceptability of today's societal struggle. Leaving his comfort zone of poetic storytelling but getting to the core of a song: "if you have a chorus, you better use it". Economic wars, the fight for accepting refugees, the ongoing disaster of capitalism, the failure of socialism so far, right wing politics of a so-called mid-of-society or his ever recurring religious imagery - he is thoughtful, but also ready for any dispute, yes, also to fight for an utopia of a better world, where water is a right, where hygene is a right, where a safe home is a right for everyone. The UN's SDG certainly does not reach far enough as it still protects the industries. Tan on the other hand acknowledges there is no mere black and white but thousands of shades in-between. These are the spaces we need to look for. Yes, we are optimistic.. Even though the world lies down in shatters this is a positive album. Pro peace, pro freedom of individuality (which is not a contradiction to socialist theories), pro digital freedom, pro diversity, pro inclusion, pro sustainability. Pro gender equality, better: gender egalité, pro heritage and migration equality, pro visibiltyof all love preferences, and it's pride, and consequently pro pansexuality. Beauty of the soul, beauty of the difference and, yeah well, anti war, anti hate, anti nationalism and anti facism, anti arms, anti discrimination of all sorts. Celebrate love and life.

Funeral Parade Of Roses features Tan LeRacoon with Linus Lindvall (Golden Kanine), Jens Fricke (Staring Girl, Gundermann movie, Gisbert zu Knyphausen), Diazpora Horn Section, Dino Joubert, Caroline Blomqvist (MinRu), Felix Roll (Torpus & The Art Directors), Gabor Bertholini (Golden Kanine, The Great Bertholinis), Mattias Larson (Cub & Wolf), Robert Weitkämper (Dr. Ring-Ding, Staring Girl).

Produced by Tan LeRacoon, mixed by Gregor Hennig at Studio Nord.

This album is an artist's action. Play it loud.

(Bernd Renner, 2019)

Funeral Parade Of Roses features Tan LeRacoon with Linus Lindvall (Golden Kanine), Jens Fricke (Staring Girl, Gundermann movie, Gisbert zu Knyphausen), Diazpora Horn Section, Dino Joubert, Caroline Blomqvist (MinRu), Felix Roll (Torpus & The Art Directors), Gabor Bertholini (Golden Kanine, The Great Bertholinis), Mattias Larson (Cub & Wolf), Robert Weitkämper (Dr. Ring-Ding, Staring Girl).

Produced by Tan LeRacoon, mixed by Tan LeRacoon and Gregor Hennig (Studio Nord, Rhonda, Die Liga Der Gewöhnlichen Gentlemen)

TOPS:

Gothic Soul & Glam Dub

Like a Punk Rock Van Morrison

Germany's finest Rock n Roll record.Ever.

Bio (excerpt):

· Early Punk Rock fanzine (1979-1984)

· Bassist for Nikki Sudden (1985-1986)

· Rock n Roll mayhem in New York (1989-1993)

· "Truth Of The Matter Is…" (unreleased solo debut, 1990)

· Art Noise collective in Los Angeles (1993)

· Das Weeth Experience (1994-1997)

· "Near By The End Of The Rainbow" (a novel, 1998)

· DJ around the world

· Manager and collaborateur for Ari Up (The Slits)

· Hasenschaukel (legendary club & bar, 2004-2016)

· "Dangerously Close To Love" (acclaimed double 12" vinyl album, 2016)

· "Just Another Christmas Wish" (7", a minor hit on US college radio, 2016)