Album Review: Power of Dreams – 'Ausländer'

Ausländer is the German word for ‘foreigner’. And it’s fair to say Power Of Dreams must have felt like foreigners while making their comeback record. Recorded all over the world – well, in Berlin, Bath, London, and Arizona – the album sees the Irish troupe – comprising Craig and Keith Walker, Ian Olney, producer/bassist Erik Alcock and keyboardist/mixer Ali Staton – reform for the first time since the ’90s. 

Their last album Become Yourself was released all the way back in 1995. While they’ve been quiet since, however, they’ve never stopped playing and writing. 

Ausländer fuses vintage indie-rock with a new, modern edge, and was informed both by songwriter Craig Walker’s Irish roots and his years of living in England, France and Germany. Opening with ‘Do It’ – a chuggy, guitar-heavy number with an irresistible hook – the LP bears many of the hallmarks of the band’s early offerings. 

Lyrically, with Power Of Dreams, what you see is what you get. ‘America’, a pulsing rocker recorded after drummer Keith Walker inadvertently drove through BLM riots in Arizona on his way to the studio, features lines like “American you move too fast”, “The pursuit of happiness is a trap” and “These are good people in a rigged system”. 

Sometimes that simplicity is a good thing. ‘Margaret’ is a stunningly direct highlight, as is album closer ‘Across The Shannon’, which blends atmospheric electronics and simple piano to excellent effect. Power Of Dreams have successfully dusted themselves down for another run. It’ll be fascinating to see how the world responds. 

Listen below.