Reinhard Mey's 25th studio album,
Mairegen, is at times his most somber. Reflecting on his son's tragic loss of consciousness and subsequent vegetative state due to suffering from complications of severe pneumonia that led to cardiac arrest,
Mey's lyrics, specifically on the song “Drachenblut,” are understandably dark as he works through the complex feelings that have arisen from the situation. Much like its predecessor,
Bunter Hund,
Mairegen is built around
Mey’s stylish fingerpicked guitar and quiet vocal with occasional percussion, bass, and other instrumentation to give the songs a gentle lift. ~ Gregory McIntosh