Over the last couple of weeks I’ve purchased some strange German records from the local music store, the first one being Can’s album, Soon Over Babaluma (1974 United Artists).
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| Can sometime after Damo Suzuki's departure |
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| Monster Movie - 1969 |
Being a big fan of Can, it was one of the few releases by the group that I had never heard, so I was curious to say the least. Thanks to the recommendation of a friend that worked at the store, I picked up the Lp (Thanx David!!). For those who don’t know, Can was a psychedelic, experimental rock band from Cologne, Germany that formed in 1968. The band released over 11 studio albums, as well as many compilations and live recordings, and their debut full length, Monster Movie (1969 United Artists) is often hailed as the first major Krautrock record, signaling the start of one of Europe’s most interesting rock movements.
An earlier post, link to previous Can post here, made the statement that Can’s best material comes from the early era, before the departure of singer Damo Suzuki, but Soon Over Babaluma definitely challenges that thesis. Can recorded this album right after Suzuki’s exit, and it’s awesome!! It’s a loud rock album and a quiet, ambient experiment all in one, very much what one would expect after the release of the previous Future Days (1973 United Artists). Guitarist Michael Karoli and keyboardist Irmin Schmidt provide vocals for the record, and they pull it off well. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find YouTube samples from the album, and for some reason, this is due to EMI blocking American audiences from having access... I'm guessing it has something to do with copyright laws.... God, I hate that company.... Here’s the opening track, however, and hopefully EMI won’t remove the file any time soon. The song’s called “Dizzy Dizzy”:I love the addition of strings on that track, and it sounds really good for a session that was recorded on a two-track setup. I hope it’s not redundant, but here’s a great video copy of the same song performed live:
I love Irmin Schmidt’s Silver Surfer jacket!! The live version’s a lot funkier but lacks the strings and ambiance of the studio recording. Both are really great jams. Definitely check out the whole album.
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| Amon Duul II |
I recently picked up another German krautrock classic from the same store, Amon Düül II’s debut, Phallus Dei (1969 Repertoire). Amon Düül II’s first studio release has also been claimed, alongside Can’s Monster Movie, to be one of the original krautrock records. Amon Düül II formed out of the politically radical art commune known simply as Amon Düül. The commune was founded in Munich, Germany in the late 60s, and the members embraced extreme leftist principles (some commune members, in fact, later joined the controversial Maoist group, the Red Army Faction...) The commune performed and recorded music as Amon Düül, but some of the more “serious” musicians eventually wanted to develop the group’s sound more professionally and more commercially, causing a split in the commune and the birth of Amon Düül II. In the early 70s, both Amon Düül and Amon Düül II released albums for the commercial market, but the latter project proved much more prolific and successful, releasing what I believe to be a total of 17 albums over the years. I’m actually a little confused about the Amon Düül II discography because, being the commune they were, members came and went, making it difficult to determine where the “original” lineup ends and its later inception begins. Personally, I stick with the early stuff, which reminds one of the previously mentioned Can in many different ways. The first record is a natural place to start. In fact, we’ll begin with the opening track of the album, “Kanaan”:The song scores equal points for sonic psychedelia, but it doesn’t have that quirkiness characteristic of Can’s sound. The highlight of the album, however, is the single title track that makes up side B of the record. If you have time, check it out (if impatient, it really gets going around 3min 34sec...):
Wow!! That’s a jam. If you like psychedelia, experimental rock, free jazz, prog, or anything of that milieu, get these albums. They’re great!! Feel free to comment and enjoy the muzak!
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| Amon Duul II live in recent years... |
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