Much has been made about the overwhelming influence 1970s Krautrock has had on modern music. And I do mean overwhelming. I'm making a gross generalization here, but it's fairly safe to say that modern electronica, dance music, and even hip-hop would not have been possible if not for the hyperrhythmic innovations made in Germany throughout the 70s. The unfortunate thing about "influential" anything is that it can sometimes be a chore: you can see the brilliance, but it's just not enjoyable. Luckily for the world, much of 70s Krautrock still holds up very well to this day. Tonight I present to you highlights from three of the canonical Kraut bands (if not the three most canonical). Enjoy!
Can - "Vitamin C" (mp3|4.85MB)
It's easy to forget amid all this talk of the illustrious "Can jam" that there really was a German band called Can, and that their music was quite a bit more challenging than the laidback rock groove style generally attributed to their name might suggest. "Vitamin C," for all its frenetic instrumentation and paranoid rhythms, is probably just about the most accessible song they ever did. A friend once told me it's still somewhat of a staple among breakdancers, which is both badass and completely understandable. It's a great song, charged with energy, and one of the first to attempt a style that seems almost commonplace today. It's really, really cool. Just don't listen to it and think the rest of Can's music is going to be this "easy." It's not. Which isn't to say it's not rewarding: it is (Tago Mago is, by all means, a great album). It's just ... being on the cutting edge means you have to sacrifice a lot of conventional appeal. These guys still seem pretty far out, even forty years later. But really, isn't that why they're so great?
(from the 1972 album Ege Bamyasi)
Kraftwerk - "The Robots" (mp3|8.52MB)
No post entitled "Experimental Germany" would be complete without Kraftwerk. It's borderline treasonous. Against the Germans, of course. But honestly: no other Kraut band has ever been as influential as these guys (few bands period have been). They pioneered electronic music. If they didn't create it, they at least honed it into the serious art form we recognize today. While they have many standouts in their catalog, their best-ever song (for my money) will always be the chilling opener to their 1978 opus The Man-Machine. It's sinister, yet catchy and alluring (and if it sounds primitive by today's standards, remember: this was mindblowing stuff in 1978). It's one of the first songs in music history that sounds like it could have been made entirely by machines. And of course that's exactly the point.
(from the 1978 album The Man-Machine)
Neu! - "Hallogallo" (mp3|11.58MB)
Now this is the laidback groove I'm talkin' about. When contemporary indie bands like Fujiya & Miyagi or Death Cab pay homage to "Krautrock bands like Can," they're really paying their respects just as much to the unjustly forgotten (but no less hugely influential) Neu! This is just one chilled-out, relaxing song. Nevermind its length: instead of watching the time bar, just kick back. Cool off. This won't necessarily take you places, but it'll at least make you a little bit happier to be where you are.
(from the 1972 album Neu!)
That'll do it! Back to work tomorrow for most folks, sadly. But have a good week, okay? I'm counting on you for it!
As before, I would love it if you'd send lovemail/hatemail/anymail related to the Sunday Superlative to fridayfiveradio@gmail.com. Requests, comments, suggestions, and death threats are all welcome in equal measure.
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