5.
Einsjäger Und Siebenjäger - Popol Vuh
(1974).
This record is what i'd imagine
Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Mott the Hoople would sound like if they had an
impromptu jam session. The band inspired modern day acts such as Yeasayer and
Girls in that they were one of the first to use African and South American
instrumentation to create soundscapes and noise – a feat which is made even
more unusual given the inherent links between Krautrock and electronica. Peculiarly,
the band settled on the ethno acoustic path after becoming disenfranchised with
their MOOG synthesisers; almost paradoxically returning to acoustic instruments
to free their experimental inhibitions. The great Werner Herzog is a Popol Vuh
aficionado and the bands music has
become a feature in many of his films.
4.
Neu! 2 - Neu! (1973).
A controversial choice
considering everything that could have went wrong with this record did just
exactly that. Side 2 is a write off which I won't even try to defend (Neu! ran out of money and fell out with
their label when making the album and so released slightly edited, previous
singles for filler). Luckily, the first half is a 30 minute blitzkrieg of manic
joy. "Lila Engel" is like the musical equivalent of cocaine and the
opener, "Für Immer", is the bands most critically acclaimed track. The
previous eponymous title, “Neu”, is considered the bands magnum opus, but this
is the record that perfectly encapsulates their desultory genius.
3.
Zuckerzeit - Cluster (1974)
I was led onto this album after
hearing Brian Eno namedrop it in interview and was blown away instantly. Aesthetically,
Cluster contradicted the Krautrock scene at the time in that they were two
completely normal looking Germans who
appeared to eschew the Teutonic cool and experimentalism which had become a by-product
of the scene. The albums second track, Caramel, was one of the first tracks to
explore stripped back synth pop and would go on to influence 80’s new-wave
bands such as the Human League and Soft Cell. Although not usually viewed as a
Krautrock necessity, it’s a more accessible album which acts as a nice bridge
end to some of the genres more heavier stuff.
2.
Yeti -
Amon Düül II (1970).
Amon Düül II were the offsprings
of Amon Düül, a political art commune of German freethinkers who formed in the
late 60's and were, well, not very good. Amon Düül II were though, and as an
overall outfit far more disciplined, picking up live experience with bands such
as Tangerine Dream. As a ‘band’ (I use the word loosely considering they were a
commune) they were probably too weird for even the Krautrock scene back then,
which is indicative of how their material isn't the easiest to 'get'. Although
featuring an 18 minute track bearing the album title, the material in Yeti is
shorter and more abridged than most of the bands other material. Fascinatingly,
the album cover bears the image of and serves as a tribute to ex soundman,
Wolfgang Krischke, who passed after overdosing on LSD prior to the albums completion.
1.
Tago Mago - Can (1971).
Can are the daddies of Krautrock. They are to the genre what Walter Grobius was to architecture or Karl
Benz to automobiles, and given Tago Mago is their most out there and extreme
record, it had to take the top spot. This record was the first to feature then
unknown Japanese busker, Damo Suzuki; an eccentric vagabond who traipsed
throughout Europe erroneously strumming his guitar to anyone who would listen.
On the lookout for a new frontman after original vocalist Malcolm Mooney’s
nervous breakdown, drummer Jaki Liebezeit and bassist Holger Czukay spotted
Suzuki outside a Munich café and convinced him to take up the position as
singer. The results were like no one could have predicted. This is the coolest
album in the history of music. 'Paperhouse' is my favourite opening track ever
and is absolutely timeless, with its dense arpeggio of chords suddenly evolving
into 'Mushroom' never failing to take the breath away (the congruity of Damo
Suzuki's ad-lib vocal with the music is bizarrely gorgeous). Despite little
previous experience, Suzuki’s minimalist vocal flutters in and out of the
record perfectly and gives off the impression of a sort of proselytism. The
albums zenith comes in the form of 16 minute ''Halleluhwah" which is a
transcendental piece, written to affect the listener spiritually as much as it does sonically. I struggle to comprehend how this record was made at times, rhythmically
it is just relentless and dreadfully complicated to the point it makes my head want
to explode, yet at the same time it possesses an endearing accessibility and
can take you through just about every emotion.
