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No 'Strings' Attached
The 3rd Austin Roarers poetry volume contains twenty-two more lyrics - five of them in original German language, plus a (bonus) short story (also in original German language) called "Einfach nur gnadenlos menschlich - Eine Kris Kristofferson Erfahrung". This volume completes the Austin Roarers lyrics/poetry/songs trilogy as it follows chronologically "Austin Roarers Vol. 1: Gone Fishing With Willie Nelson & Norah Jones" and "Austin Roarers Vol. 2: Resentments, Quotables, Chanson(g)s & Country Jazz", which are also available throughtout the world as eBook formats.
58 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 15, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 16, 2015
Would one actually have believed it? Well, yes, I suppose so. But please allow me to re-gather my thoughts. Although it is not vast in volume, Austin Roarers's writing style is magnificent in message AND language. The present poetry collection is in its shortness even more powerful and emotionally influential than its triology predecessors. Yes, and "very contemporary" poetry is the only abstract that comes to mind! Austin Roarers has taken his poetic "lyricism" steps further and stands his ground - newly conquered - proudly.
January 16, 2015
This man is unbelievable! He leaves you breathless and wanting more. More, more, more! Where were you when I was younger *LOL*
This IS contemporary poetry that connects with common folk and everyone's concerns. No elite club circle pseudo art about how green the leaves and valleys are. Austin Roarers connects and offers HOPE and CONFIDENCE when life is just what it is. Here's a "smile" back at you, baby! :)))))) Danke fuer sharing!
This IS contemporary poetry that connects with common folk and everyone's concerns. No elite club circle pseudo art about how green the leaves and valleys are. Austin Roarers connects and offers HOPE and CONFIDENCE when life is just what it is. Here's a "smile" back at you, baby! :)))))) Danke fuer sharing!
January 16, 2015
Not really song lyrics anymore or any longer. But GREAT poetry with a lot of hope and message inside. A bit shorter in volume than before, but worth every penny. This kind of common connection is very rare.
June 18, 2015
No “Strings” Attached is extraordinary. Maik in several tones and melodies takes the reader through love, loneliness and triumph of the spirit. The lyric “Naked Soul Arrangement” specifically entails a world without love, a world without having a special person in your life. The eyes do not capture the moon and sun unless you have a partner in life’s journey, very moving and touched the soul.
The lyrics use emotional effects such as “Mourning Sky” (pt 1 & 2) and a great play on words here as well. The reader strolls through the misfortunes and heartaches; a wonderful piece of symbolism.
Overall you find yourself attempting to put the words to music and compose with the lyrics in order to depict the essence of the lyrist’s voyage from sensitivity to strength.
Maik has printed remarkable lyrics and a magnificent recommendation for lyrist and poets at heart to read the pictographic composition as such is this book.
The lyrics use emotional effects such as “Mourning Sky” (pt 1 & 2) and a great play on words here as well. The reader strolls through the misfortunes and heartaches; a wonderful piece of symbolism.
Overall you find yourself attempting to put the words to music and compose with the lyrics in order to depict the essence of the lyrist’s voyage from sensitivity to strength.
Maik has printed remarkable lyrics and a magnificent recommendation for lyrist and poets at heart to read the pictographic composition as such is this book.
January 16, 2015
This is incredible. The third and final volume of Austin Roarers's poetry is even much stronger than anything before! It is impossible to just flicker through the pages and "only read" his lyrics and thoughts. Every single "roar", as Maik Herrmann puts them himself, makes you lay aside the book and ponder about the things you've read and about the parallels to your very own life itself for hours then. C'est incroyable !
I hope there will be definitely a fourth collection, Maik, too!
I hope there will be definitely a fourth collection, Maik, too!
January 16, 2015
How do you add to "beautiful"? Maik Herrmann simply does! I don't know what to say except that I can highly recommend "No 'Strings' Attached" - 'Soul-Naked Arrangments'". I would kill for such wordplays :-)
January 28, 2015
I have now read the third part of Maik Herrmann's Austin Roarers project. This book is in two parts. The first comprises another selection of thought-provoking and intense lyrics, which may be thought of as songs without music, or simply as short lyric poetry. Repetition of theme and phrase works to good effect, and builds a quality of emotional obsession, which in some regards is painful to experience, perhaps because it reminds us of our own raw emotions, and the ragged ends of relationships and dreams.
As I have commented on the previous two books by Austin Roarers (Maik Herrmann), many of these lyrical pieces evoke the qualities of expressionistic poetry. It takes no prisoners, nor does it seek to flatter the reader. The lines are often short, sometimes sharp cries of pain, or sudden understanding.
Some of the lyrics are in German, and I was also glad for this variety. Some of the phrasing Maik Herrmann uses in the English language lends it a freshness and vitality that helps to make you see or feel anew. Telling the truth 'slant', as Emily Dickinson would have it.
The second part of the book is a substantial prose description of two people - a sister and brother - attending a Kris Kristofferson concert in Berlin. I believe this may be read as either non-fiction i.e. a dramatized report, using many of the tropes of fiction - or as a short fictional story. The word "Faction" perhaps may be applicable here. The tone is lighter, in the sense that it is a wholly positive 'love letter', indeed a paean to the narrator's musical hero - his guru, perhaps even his god. This, at times, reaches a quasi religious tone - of naked worship of the supremacy of art when raised to the sublime. It depicts the transcendent possibilities of Art. And this is further amplified by the experience of being in a huge crowd of fellow-travelers/believers, resulting in the individual losing themselves in the crowd - joining a larger soul - perhaps in the Jungian sense. You do not need to be a Kris Kristofferson fan to enjoy this narrative, though it will not hurt if you are, and surely Kristofferson fans will find this a fascinating piece. It is, essentially, a story about the metaphysical qualities of art - that arise to take you out of yourself, that threaten at times to overwhelm you, yet paradoxically bring you closer to your individual essence. I recommend reading all three parts of the Austin Roarers 'project' - the cumulative affect is powerful, sometimes disturbing, but always surprising.
As I have commented on the previous two books by Austin Roarers (Maik Herrmann), many of these lyrical pieces evoke the qualities of expressionistic poetry. It takes no prisoners, nor does it seek to flatter the reader. The lines are often short, sometimes sharp cries of pain, or sudden understanding.
Some of the lyrics are in German, and I was also glad for this variety. Some of the phrasing Maik Herrmann uses in the English language lends it a freshness and vitality that helps to make you see or feel anew. Telling the truth 'slant', as Emily Dickinson would have it.
The second part of the book is a substantial prose description of two people - a sister and brother - attending a Kris Kristofferson concert in Berlin. I believe this may be read as either non-fiction i.e. a dramatized report, using many of the tropes of fiction - or as a short fictional story. The word "Faction" perhaps may be applicable here. The tone is lighter, in the sense that it is a wholly positive 'love letter', indeed a paean to the narrator's musical hero - his guru, perhaps even his god. This, at times, reaches a quasi religious tone - of naked worship of the supremacy of art when raised to the sublime. It depicts the transcendent possibilities of Art. And this is further amplified by the experience of being in a huge crowd of fellow-travelers/believers, resulting in the individual losing themselves in the crowd - joining a larger soul - perhaps in the Jungian sense. You do not need to be a Kris Kristofferson fan to enjoy this narrative, though it will not hurt if you are, and surely Kristofferson fans will find this a fascinating piece. It is, essentially, a story about the metaphysical qualities of art - that arise to take you out of yourself, that threaten at times to overwhelm you, yet paradoxically bring you closer to your individual essence. I recommend reading all three parts of the Austin Roarers 'project' - the cumulative affect is powerful, sometimes disturbing, but always surprising.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews