Klee
Jelängerjelieber
Label: Minty Fresh (USA)

Klee, named after Swiss painter Paul Klee, means “Clover” and is a German-language pop group from Cologne, Germany. I’ve never been to Cologne, don’t know anything about the new wave music scene in West Germany and don’t speak more than 7th grade German.

But I do understand synth pop, of which this album is filled. While there are some bright spots, like the guitar/synth riff on “Mein Geheimnis” due mostly to expert production, tracks are all about the same — except for “Gold,” which borrows the bass line of “Blue Monday” but doesn’t do it justice. Regardless, fans of Sigur Ros, the Cure, New Order, the Psychedelic Furs and Depeche Mode will probably dig this album.

If only singer Suzie Kerstgens cut even one song in English — or even cut a bonus track of an existing song a la Rammstein’s “Du Hast” — to give American listeners even a window into the lyrical content. For now, it’s all German to me!

Jelängerjelieber will be available in March through the Minty Fresh Web site, and in stores this summer.

UPDATE: The label just e-mailed me that Klee is currently working on English translations of three tracks, which will be included on the U.S. version. I wonder what “hooray” is in German?