KRAUTROCK Listening Klub! - New Albums Every Wednesday

Like both description & cover, will try this out. Found Epsilon in Malaysian Pale on LP really cheap a couple of years ago, just as I was dipping carefully beyond Can/Faust/Neu! et al. Bought it for the cover alone, really. Beautiful. As is the music. Didn't know it was a Bowie/Pop fave back in der tag, no wonder it works for me too ;)

Epsilon is lovely.

Babaluma isn't my favorite Can (by far), but I do really like "Come Sta La Luna."

I picked up a reissue of that Paradieswarts Duul and hated it at first but will return to it and give it a second go.

Was at the Fort Greene flea market on Saturday too and saw a dude with Amon Duul II Hijack. Was unfamiliar so i left without it, but I am sooooo pissed I did when I went home and listened on youtube. Super good.

You might want to save Paradieswarts Duul for fall/winter if you still don't like it. That's when I "got it."

And there's one song on "Hijack" that's AWESOME. But I can't remember the title.

Here are three more from me, descriptions again from The Crack in the Cosmic Egg:

Necronomicon - Tips Zum Selsbtmord (1972)
http://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/2130/cover_165032122005.jpg

An obscure, yet legendary heavy and psychedelic underground band, whose only LP was released privately, instantly becoming obscure and collectable, not least because of its title, meaning "Tips For Committing Suicide". Also, aptly the music was dark, outer-edge bleak rock, with acid guitars and distinctly psychedelic wailing angst ridden German vocals. A kind of dark sinister Frumpy turned garage band, even stranger than the occasionally comparable Ainigma. The only shame is that none of Necronomicon's output is what one could call hi-fi, yet despite this, the brilliance of their music always shines through.

More of a garage/heavy blues sound. Also notable for having an organist by the name of Fistus Dickmann, apparently.
Not a Spotify Link

Mammut - s/t (1971)
http://www.longhairmusic.de/covermammut.JPG

Born out of the jazz scene in Villingen (near Stuttgart, Southwest Germany) from musicians formerly of the bands The Rope Set and Those. Mammut were an obscure underground band, whose sole album was the result of no-holds-barred late night jam sessions at the MPS studios. Dark sounds, with hints of Amon Düül II, heavy blues-rock (in the more freaky Frumpy or Tomorrow's Gift vein), with all sorts of strange, ethnic and gothic touches combined in their music. Although the band themselves quoted Deep Purple's IN ROCK as a major influence, their spirit was purely Krautrock. Their sole album is a legendary rarity, and rightly so. The CD reissue was withdrawn due to legal problems.

More free jazz than Frumpy, thankfully.
Not a Spotify Link

Agitation Free - Last (1976)
http://fotos.subefotos.com/5816ba9df2ce931ba51902f8ee8339a2o.jpg

It's unfortunate really that Agitation Free only really gained success in France, being barely noticed in their homeland, and totally ignored by the British media. Still, two studio albums were not the end of Agitation Free, and they kept on recording right up to their final session. The album LAST was posthumously released (only in France), it contains recordings from two concerts and is certainly the best document of the improvisational capabilities of this most innovative group of Teutonic pioneers, developing the Agitation Free sound beyond the guitar based music of Ash Ra Tempel onto purely cosmic floating realms.

A good mix of Agitation Free material - the first track turns into "Rucksturz" from Malesch; the second is motorik similar to the songs on 2nd; the third is a long Ashra-type drone.
Not a Spotify Link

Also notable for having an organist by the name of Fistus Dickmann, apparently.

I approve of this

Ta for the Agitation Free album, tho 1st album is a better intro for the initiated. Thx for the Mammut and Necronomicon albums too: both are terrible but at least I can now say I've heard them!

can we get this thing going again?

if there's interest then go for it

I'm into it.

Will deffo follow, might even manage a week...

Yeah, the Krautrock listening club was great.

Talking of kosmische sounds I just came in the door just now to see that my copy of La! Neu? 'Cha Cha 2000 Live in Tokyo' arrived. I've been waiting to hear this one for years. Exciting stuff.

ok van smack pick this weeks albums then

9 March - Van Smack
16 March - Scott pgwp
23 March - Neil S
30 March - AnotherDeadHero

Any more volunteers?

maybe just one or two suggestions would be more managable? three a week seemed to be a problem above for some people

sounds fine with me

stick with 1?

add me!

I'm in!

9 March - Van Smack
16 March - Scott pgwp
23 March - Neil S
30 March - AnotherDeadHero
6 April - ilxor
13 april - jacob sanders

I'll have go.

Two albums okay Herman?

lets see what preference others have. im ok with 1 or 2. But if one of them encourages more posts then thats fine

I would be okay with just one. And when that discussion or whatever fizzles, the next person can start their share.

if you have 2 to go then do it. will leave it up to the individual to decide what to do with their week

Okay I will do two albums then. Anyway, here is the first one (second one coming a bit later).

Kinda wanted to do a label listening club more than anything, but this thread is closer to what I wanted to go with anyway. Maybe this album is not full-on Krautrock -- more minimal synth/electronic, but comes from Kraut label Sky Records.

Deutsche Wertarbeit - Deutsche Wertarbeit (Sky Records, 1981)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1ZP2O_G176k/SrbTEralMyI/AAAAAAAAAYc/WyMfv7kBo6Y/s320/db.bmp

Fantastic and long out of print solo project of Dorothea Raukes. Dorothea is the ex-singer in of the famous German progressive, Krautrock band Streetmark (founded 1968 in Düsseldorf and released 4 albums between 1976-1981). Dorothea Raukes was one of the few female characters of German progressive rock scene. LP was previously released by Sky Records in 1981. The LP is instrumental and reminiscent of a style similar to other classic late 1970′s synth pioneers (Cluster, Tangerine Dream, Wolfgang Riechmann, etc.)....The LP consists of 6 beautiful synth tracks and will be certain to appeal of fans of the above mentioned artists or any fans of early minimal wave, synth soundtrack, or other lost classics from the era of late 1970s/early 1980s.

Non-Lemon-Party-Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6lmf_ZotTA

I like most of Streetmark's records and haven't heard this solo record. This will be exciting!

I'm skipping town for the weekend, so I'll post my second album on Sunday.

thanks for posting the Deutsche Wertarbeit, absolutely loving it

Really feeling the Deutsche Wertarbeit as well, hadn't heard it before but I love it!

Enjoying it too!

Next one coming up in a few minutes

Okay here's another one from Sky. No youtube previews found.

Earthstar - French Skyline (Sky Records, 1979)

http://i53.tinypic.com/2cnuiqp.jpg

French Skyline is the second full-length album by the American electronic band Earthstar. It was their first release for Hamburg, Germany–based Sky Records.

French Skyline was recorded in 1978 and 1979. The opening track, "Latin Sirens Face The Wall," was recorded at Klaus Schulze Studios in Hambühren, West Germany, and was engineered by Klaus Schulze. Bass and strings were recorded at Aura Sound Studios in New York. All other tracks were recorded at Deponté la Rue Studio in Paris, France. Additional recording took place at four different studios in Germany and New York State. The album was released by Sky Records in 1979.

French Skyline strongly shows Klaus Schulze's musical influence on Craig Wuest and Earthstar. Wuest's idea was to create a "wall of sound", as described by the New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock: "...his desire apparently is to create music that doesn't necessarily suggest a particular instrument, rather creates a new texture. Therefore, though there are credits for flute, guitar, bass, violin, viola, French horn, sitar and vocals, it's pretty hard to distinguish any of these." French Skyline was also the first of three albums on which Wuest made heavy use of the Mellotron and the rare Birotron, a variation on the Mellotron that can sustain notes beyond eight seconds.

Non-Lemon-Party-Link

Love this record, esp. the opener. Their other one, 'Atomkraft? Nein, danke' is pretty decent too, though not nearly as epic.

that cover is SO APPEALING to me

Listening to the DW album now... Really good - like a lost cousin to Harmonia.

I concur with the DW praise, really excellent stuff, Lindstrom for one was obviously listening.

yeah, DW is a nice one for sure. it was reissued on vinyl last year. picked it up from aquarius records a few months back.

have earthstar on now. was not familiar with this one before but things like "ashra," "popol vuh," and "blade runner" have been popping into my head and that can't be a bad thing.

going to listen to these tonight
honestly, thank you so much.

On that DW album - "Der Grosse Atem" is really lovely.

^^ Astounding song, only heard it this week through this but kept it on repeat for a while. Amazing.

I'll make this my commute listening this eve.

Earthstar reminds me of everything I love about Tangerine Dream -- spacey, kind of aimless, but grounded.

i just realized that i was listening to this REALLY LOUD. hope my neighbors liked it and appreciated how massive it is.

Glad you guys are liking the music. I really like both albums a lot.

Will grab these and report back. Include me in for a week.

16 March - Scott pgwp
23 March - Neil S
30 March - AnotherDeadHero
6 April - ilxor
13 April - jacob sanders
20 April - Tom D

Embryo: Opal (1970)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WWIy23PK7tM/SqAbUEcS0tI/AAAAAAAACg0/sMcTUm-NMjk/s1600-h/cover.jpg

No Allmusic review. As I understand it Embryo eventually morphed into something jazzier and more influenced by world music (correct me if I'm wrong). A run of later albums from the group featured horn player Mal Waldron, who had previously accompanied Billie Holiday (!). This is their debut, from 1970, and to me it sounds at times a lot closer to Amon Düül's heavier and more focused moments—with saxophone. Psychedelic free jazz. The final, 26-minute "Läuft" was not on the original issue of the album

Link

Manuel Göttsching: Inventions for Electric Guitar (1975)
http://images-jp.amazon.com/images/P/B00000708P.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Allmusic review:

This album is sometimes credited to Ash Ra Tempel, but the music was composed and performed by Manuel Göttsching alone. All sounds were created with guitar, but Göttsching's use of echo, delay, and assorted treatments give these pieces the flavor of sequenced synthesizer music, occasionally reminiscent of Tangerine Dream's work from the period. The opening "Echo Waves" is a trance-inducing space guitar masterpiece, with repeating rhythm figures and gradual phase shifts creating a warped sense of time. The first 14 minutes of the track consist of short, subtly changing melodic phrases, until Göttsching questionably chooses to close with a searing, acid-fried guitar solo. "Quasarsphere" is much more contemplative, with Göttsching processing his guitar to sound like a synthesizer in the vein of Robert Fripp. The closing "Pluralis" consists of endless variations constructed around a simple guitar sequence; it possesses a structure similar to "Echo Waves" (down to the late-breaking blast of psychedelic soloing) with a bit more space and a slower tempo. In some respects a precursor to the groundbreaking proto-techno of E2-E4, Inventions for Electric Guitar is an essential document for space rock enthusiasts.

I had to scroll through this thread to make sure I didn't pick this album up via ILM. I don't know where I came across this last year but it was a true find. This is a gorgeous all-guitar ambient record. I like this more than any of the Ash Ra Tempel stuff I've heard so far.

Link

Embryo: Opal (1970

http://prettygoeswithpretty.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54eeeec0788340120a95c3e56970b-pi

No Allmusic review. As I understand it Embryo eventually morphed into something jazzier and more influenced by world music (correct me if I'm wrong). A run of later albums from the group featured horn player Mal Waldron, who had previously accompanied Billie Holiday (!). This is their debut, from 1970, and to me it sounds at times a lot closer to Amon Düül's heavier and more focused moments—with saxophone. Psychedelic free jazz. The final, 26-minute "Läuft" was not on the original issue of the album

Link

Manuel Göttsching: Inventions for Electric Guitar (1975)
http://images-jp.amazon.com/images/P/B00000708P.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Allmusic review:

This album is sometimes credited to Ash Ra Tempel, but the music was composed and performed by Manuel Göttsching alone. All sounds were created with guitar, but Göttsching's use of echo, delay, and assorted treatments give these pieces the flavor of sequenced synthesizer music, occasionally reminiscent of Tangerine Dream's work from the period. The opening "Echo Waves" is a trance-inducing space guitar masterpiece, with repeating rhythm figures and gradual phase shifts creating a warped sense of time. The first 14 minutes of the track consist of short, subtly changing melodic phrases, until Göttsching questionably chooses to close with a searing, acid-fried guitar solo. "Quasarsphere" is much more contemplative, with Göttsching processing his guitar to sound like a synthesizer in the vein of Robert Fripp. The closing "Pluralis" consists of endless variations constructed around a simple guitar sequence; it possesses a structure similar to "Echo Waves" (down to the late-breaking blast of psychedelic soloing) with a bit more space and a slower tempo. In some respects a precursor to the groundbreaking proto-techno of E2-E4, Inventions for Electric Guitar is an essential document for space rock enthusiasts.

I had to scroll through this thread to make sure I didn't pick this album up via ILM. I don't know where I came across this last year but it was a true find. This is a gorgeous all-guitar ambient record. I like this more than any of the Ash Ra Tempel stuff I've heard so far.

Link