Udo Lindenberg's second release, Daumen im Wind, was a risky venture: when it was released in 1972, mainstream opinion had it that rock music with German lyrics was impossible. On Daumen im Wind, Lindenberg proved otherwise. Although he hadn't found his unique style yet, some tracks on this album, most notably "Hoch im Norden," "Alkoholmädchen," and the title track, gave a glimpse of what was to come starting with his next release. In terms of style, Lindenberg ventured into many waters apart from rock: jazzy sounds are to be found on "Meer der Träume," "Biochemon" is very experimental with Orwellian lyrics, and there is even a spiritual dimension with the song "In den Tiefen Gängen der Vergangenheit," which deals with reincarnation -- and all in all, the album sounds more thrown together than presenting a unified approach. With Daumen im Wind, Udo Lindenberg started to redefine his role as a rock musician, so it has to be regarded as a transitional album on the way to his later groundbreaking work. It is not a masterpiece, but still an important step in the history of German rock because it has to be regarded as the first rock album making use of German lyrics.
© Frank Eisenhuth /TiVo