Performer Notes

PUNISHING KISS is a collection of songs written specifically for Ute Lemper by Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Philip Glass, The Divine Comedy and Scott Walker.
Personnel includes: Ute Lemper, Neil Hannon (vocals); Ivor Talbot (guitar, mandolin); Hugh Burns, Jay Berliner (guitar); Warren Ellis, Everton Nelson, Jill Jaffe (violin); Stuart "Pinkie" Bates (accordion, Hammond organ); Alfredo Pedernera (bandoneon); Joby Talbot (cor anglais, keyboards); Brian Bascoigne, Evan Lurie (piano); Bryan Mills (upright & electric basses); John Gilbin, John Beal (bass); Miggy Barradas (drums); Rob Farrer, Alasdair Malloy (percussion).
Producers: Jon Jacobs, Scott Walker, Hal Willner.
Engineers: Jon Jacobs, Martin Brumbach, Danny Porter.
Recorded at Town House, Sarm West Studios & Stanley House, London, England; Right Track Studios & Sorcerer Sound, New York, New York in 1999. Includes liner notes by Ute Lemper.
Personnel: Neil Hannon (vocals); Ivor Talbot (guitar, mandolin); Hugh Burns, Jay Berliner (guitar); Warren Ellis, Jill Jaffe, Everton Nelson (violin); Stuart "Pinkie" Bates (accordion); Alfredo Pedernera (bandoneon); Geoff Foster , Martin Brumbach (recorder); Joby Talbot (piano, keyboards, programming); Evan Lurie, Brian Gascoigne (piano); Bryan Mills (upright bass, electric bass); Miggy Barradas (drums); Alasdair Malloy (percussion); Jay Reynolds (programming).
Audio Mixers: Jon Jacobs; Jay Reynolds; Peter Walsh ; Martin Brumbach; Scott Walker.
Recording information: The Town House, London & Right (1999).
Photographer: Lorenzo Agius.
Arrangers: Bryan Mills ; Evan Lurie; Stuart "Pinkie" Bates; Ivor Talbot; Miggy Barradas; Ute Lemper; Joby Talbot.
Ute Lemper's first pop album finds the German-born actress and cabaret performer seeking assistance from some impressive kindred spirits. Her remarkable voice-imagine a post--punk Marlene Dietrich, or Nico with chops--perfectly suits these songs by folks like Elvis Costello (the outstanding title track), Tom Waits, Scott Walker (whose "Scope J" is his best song in decades), Philip Glass, Nick Cave and The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, who duets with Lemper on his own "Split" and a harsh reading of "Tango Ballad" from THE THREEPENNY OPERA. Hannon's other two songs, "The Case Continues" and "You Were Meant For Me," are among the album's highest points, suggesting that Hannon's arch tunes are best heard when he's not singing them himself. A chilly, sometimes difficult album, PUNISHING KISS also has more than a few moments of genuine beauty and empathy.

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (4/13/00, p.131) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...[She] adapts rock & roll energy to theater music. The songwriting and most of the arrangements come from an impressive lineup: the Divine Comedy...Elvis Costello...Tom Waits...Philip Glass and Scott Walker..."

Entertainment Weekly (4/21/00, p.78) - "...Sophisticated...contemporary art pop. Filtering songs...through her decidedly European, and female, sensibility, she works the tune into emotionally vivid theater." - Rating: B+

Q (5/00, p.113) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Hard work, yet admirably unfettered, PUNISHING KISS seeks refined souls for a long-term relationship."

The Wire (5/00, p.64) - "...This is the post-'Chicago', post-let's-do-Dietrich album....an attempt to create a modern chanteuse repertoire..."

CMJ (4/24/00, p.23) - "...Her interpretations of songs are unparalleled, and her sultry pipes and seductive vibrato speak to the literal definition of the term 'chanteuse'....It spotlights her emotive scope..."

Album: Ute Lemper - Punishing Kiss
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Little Water Song	More Info...	4:00
2)	The Case Continues	More Info...	3:53
3)	Passionate Fight (from the song cycle "Correspondence")	More Info...	4:16
	Die Dreigroschenoper
4)	Tango Ballad	More Info...	4:58

5)	Couldn't You Keep That To Yourself	More Info...	2:50
6)	Streets of Berlin	More Info...	4:03
7)	The Part You Throw Away	More Info...	4:42
8)	Split	More Info...	3:43
9)	Punishing Kiss	More Info...	4:35
10)	Purple Avenue	More Info...	4:23
11)	You Were Meant For Me	More Info...	5:13
12)	Scope J.	More Info...	10:57

Album: Ute Lemper - Punishing Kiss
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Little Water Song	More Info...	4:00
2)	The Case Continues	More Info...	3:53
3)	Passionate Fight (from the song cycle "Correspondence")	More Info...	4:16
	Die Dreigroschenoper
4)	Tango Ballad	More Info...	4:58

5)	Couldn't You Keep That To Yourself	More Info...	2:50
6)	Streets of Berlin	More Info...	4:03
7)	The Part You Throw Away	More Info...	4:42
8)	Split	More Info...	3:43
9)	Punishing Kiss	More Info...	4:35
10)	Purple Avenue	More Info...	4:23
11)	You Were Meant For Me	More Info...	5:13
12)	Scope J.	More Info...	10:57