J.B.O, or the James Blast Orchestra, is a German Hard Rock band that, as far as Wikipedia tells me, does a combination of their own compositions and parodies of other pop and rock songs. My knowledge of the German language is sadly non-existent and as such I am unable to tell you whether they are actually funny or not. But realistically, would the famous German sense of humour really let us down?

"Nur Die Besten Werden Alt" is a merry mix of short Rock songs mixed with numerous tracks containing little snippets of spoken word about fifteen seconds long, which I'll probably leave out as I don't understand a word. May just have to focus on the music for this one, bare bones stuff I think.

So, musically, is it a pleasing sequence of notes that inspire emotions or feelings in me? Umm. I don't know. It's certainly upbeat and there are moments that do make me laugh. "Death Is Death" is well done, and hearing someone say "La La La La Laa" in death growls is an experience. The first song "Vier Finger Für Ein Helleluja" is actually quite a catchy wee number as well. But listening to this album I do just feel slightly divorced from reality, I'm clearly not ready for something of this gravity.

When it comes down to the instrumentation it's just perfectly inoffensive Hard Rock, that's all there is to it, nothing new, funnily enough it's the only bit of the record I actually get.

Excluding the little snippets dotted around the album, the first track does set the tone for the album as a whole, it's listenable (most of the time) but it's just a bit bland, apart from a few more notable moments, the "Mambo No. 5" parody, "Metal No. 666" is a song that really has been missing from the Hard Rock repertoire, if for the joke factor only. "Schule Aus" is a tribute to a little known ALICE COOPER ditty that you may have heard of. I wouldn't say it's bad, but I wouldn't say it's any good either.

Honestly I don't know what to think, it's clearly aimed at someone who isn't me, and who probably understands German so they get the references and humour that apparently are lurking in the songs somewhere. I can't imagine myself ever parting with money for this, but I think it's gone quite a long way over my head...<