Lament (Einstürzende Neubauten album)


Lament is a studio album by German band Einstürzende Neubauten, released on 7 November 2014. The album is a studio reconstruction of a performance piece commissioned by the Belgian town of Diksmuide to commemorate the outbreak of World War I. Among the album's pieces are an opening track featuring lyrics that are not sung, but intended to be read by the audience.
The track "The Willy - Nicky Telegrams" is a duet between Alexander Hacke, playing Russian Tsar Nicholas II, and Blixa Bargeld, as Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, discussing the diplomatic manoeuvring that lead to war via telegram exchange. The two royals, first cousins by marriage, referred to one another as "Willy" and "Nicky".
The performance also includes two songs written by James Reese Europe, musical director of the United States' 369th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters.

Track listing