In Extremo - Auf den Dächern (2011) - Acoustic versions done right this time - 80% (12/01/13)

Three years prior to this release, In Extremo released an entire acoustic live show that had a somewhat jazzy touch. This short EP is some sort of continuation of that release but sounds a little bit straighter. The band was invited to play a couple of acoustic songs on the rooftop of a Berlin skyscraper for the radio channel "tape.tv". Due to stormy winds, the band had to change location and played its set at the hangar of the ancien Berlin airport Tempelhof. You can see trucks and cars driving or people around running behind the band that performs its set on a small platform.

The seven guys of In Extremo chose to play two songs from their last and very successfull studio record "Sterneneisen". They chose the very atmospheric "Siehst du das Licht" that gets a calmer and more folk orientated atmosphere in this version while the studio track was very mysterious and powerful. "Viva La Vida" has a more melancholic touch in the original and the joyful lyrics create an intriguing contrast to the rather dark version we can hear here. In both cases, I prefer the original versions but I must admit that the arrangements are different and unique enough to deserve some attention from the fans.

The other two songs on here are the band's breakthrough success "Küss mich" that had already been included on the "Sængerkrieg Akustik Radio-Show". This version is a little bit more hypnotizing and the verses are very well done while the chorus lacks of energy. As a bonus track, we get a very special acoustic version of "Rasend Herz". It only features guitar player Der Lange who performs some background vocals and singer Das letzte Einhorn who also performs an energizing harmonica passage in the middle part and in the end. This song gets a whole new atmosphere in this version with a slight country touch. The track sounds quite different from the original track and that's what makes this song quite unique and ultimately my favourite track on this great EP.

Any fan of In Extremo should therefor grab this nice gimmick. If the whole "Sængerkrieg Akustik Radio-Show" would have been like these four songs, I would definitely have enjoyed that record more. Anyone who is new to the band should nevertheless go for the original versions and grab the band's last release "Sterneneisen" that happened to be one of their best records.